This newsletter is co-written by your local UW-Madison Extension Ag Educators, Beth McIlquham (livestock) and Anastasia Kurth (crops and soils). 

Notes from your Regional Livestock Educator - Beth McIlquham 

-Farm Succession Planning: It is common for farmers to push farm succession planning to the back of their minds. Join Joy Kirkpatrick and Kelly Wilfert, Extension Farm Management Outreach Specialists, on April 16 while they provide a framework to help farms identify legal risks in farm succession and estate planning, and to begin those first conversations around succession planning. For more information and to register, visit https://go.wisc.edu/503k2t.

-2025 Small Ruminant Webinar Series: There is still one discussion left in the 2025 Small Ruminant Webinar series. On April 24, Dr. Cody Gifford from University of Wyoming will discuss lamb carcass quality. For more information and to register, visit https://go.wisc.edu/srw25

-Disease Digest: To see where H5N1 is affecting livestock in the U.S., use this interactive map. For a tighter focus on how it is affecting Wisconsin's poultry, check out this map. If you suspect avian flu, contact your veterinarian immediately. For animal owners of all kinds, please evalutate your biosecurity protocols. If you need help or need some biosecurity tips and tricks, please contact Beth at (608) 632-0599 or at beth.mcilquham@wisc.edu. 

Notes from your Regional Crops and Soils Educator - Anastasia Kurth

April showers bring May flowers! Check out the latest WACO Report for a glance into April climate predictions. It can be tempting to get into the field; however, remember that soil moisture is high, so the risk of rutting fields remains, and soil temperatures are warming but remain cool. The WiscoNet website has great information on soil moisture and temperature. Reminder to check the Runoff Risk Advisory Forecast if you are spreading manure.

The spring series of Badger Crop Connect starts April 10th. The popular series will continue to bring timely updates throughout the growing season. See registration information below. 

If you missed the Focus on Forage webinar series, you can watch the recordings here. 

Looking forward to more outdoor opportunities as we gear up for planting season! 

Happy April! 

Drone-seeded winter camelina plots in Mauston are greening-up! 

The common saying, "if you have livestock, you have dead stock" is true. But what do you do with dead stock?

Grazing management can help your cattle achieve maximum performance, increase the efficiency of your pastures, and, ideally, improve your bottom line.

Just as purchasing a new herd bull can directly impact genetic improvement, selecting replacement heifers that match your production goals and available resources can impact the bottom line.

These tools assist beef, small ruminant, and swine producers in making the best financial choices for your operations. From beef replacement heifer costs to freezer pig pricing, UW-Madison Extension Livestock experts are here to help.  

Please check out these surveys and contribute any information you have. Thank you! 

Beth McIlquham 

Regional Livestock Educator

Email: beth.mcilquham@wisc.edu

Phone: (608) 632-0599

Anastasia Kurth

Regional Crops and Soils Educator

Email: anastasia.kurth@wisc.edu

Phone: 608-477-3018

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