Hello and congratulations on receiving the Richland County Ag Update! 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 

-Beef Quality Assurance (BQA): Certification expires every three years. If you were certified in 2021 or 2022, it may be time to think about getting re-certfied. Online and in-person trainings are provided. Note that in-person trainings require registration. More information can be found at https://go.wisc.edu/jmhp50. If you are unsure of your certification status, please visit www.bqa.org/contact-us or call (303) 850-3473. 

-Assessing Winter Feed Needs: After a challenging growing season, it may be a good idea to get your winter feeds tested to ensure that your animal's are getting the nutrients they need. If you have cow's, keep in mind that 75% of fetal growth happens in the third trimester. Providing adequate nutrition during that time is key. Below, Anastasia shares information about the UW Soil and Forage Lab where you can get your winter feeds tested. 

-Disease Digest: By now, most people have heard of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1. To date, there have been no cases detected in Wisconsin that contain the genotype associated with dairy cattle in other states. However, the first case of H5N1 was found in swine in Oregon. For animal owners of all kinds, be sure to evaluate your biosecurity protocols to be sure they are working for you. More information about biosecurity can be found here.

Notes from your Regional Crops and Soils Educator - Anastasia Kurth

Harvest is reaching its conclusion as we transition to November. Favorable harvest conditions have helped get crops out of the field ahead of schedule compared to the last five years. Even though field season is wrapping up, soil sampling can still be valuable for planning next year's nutrients. Early planted cover crops benefited from timely rain; however, the current drought conditions have slowed cover crop and hay field growth. Rain is forecasted for the last days of October and first week of November, which should help with our rainfall deficit. Have a great Thanksgiving!

Winter conference season is upon us. Look at the bottom of this email for upcoming events! 

-There is still time to soil sample! After harvest, consider taking routine soil samples to help with nutrient management. Questions about soil sampling? Reach out and ask. 

How does soil sampling affect lab results?

UW Soil and Forage Lab

State-Certified Soil Labs 

-Interested in doing on-farm research? Extension is always looking for farmers willing to try new things! Whether you are curious, have a recurring issue, or just want to try something different, let me know. Check out UW's Nitrogen Optimization Pilot Program here to learn more. Applications are open until January 2025. There are other opportunities available as well. Let me know your interests. 

 -Producer-led watershed groups are great ways to connect, learn, and obtain funding for conservation practices. Richland County does not have a group, but it would be highly beneficial to explore the opportunity. Please reach out if you have interest! Per DATCP rules, a minimum of 5 farmers in the same watershed need to have interest. Check out the program here and discover which watershed you are in.

-Please take this quick survey to help the future of Extension programming in Richland County and surrounding areas! Take survey

Drone seeded winter camelina emerging through soybean residue, installing lysimeters to measure nitrate leaching between various cover crops, planting a winter camelina cover crop.

Plan for your farm's future with this introductory webinar on November 13th.

A producer with a love for a unique breed finds customers in a niche market and demonstrates the importance of a good relationship with a producer.

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection, Wisconsin Beef Council, and UW Madison Division of Extension Livestock Program are hosting a series of workshops that will focus on producing quality beef in Wisconsin. 

Price volatility has increased over the past decade and external factors such as trade disruptions or media reports of health scares can quickly cause prices to drop. Beef producers are taking on significant risk. To help mitigate that price risk, beef producers can consider using Livestock Risk Protection Insurance (LRP) to protect against unforeseen price drops.

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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Thank you and enjoy! 

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