Extension Update by Gary Zoubeck [October 22, 2015]

Coming Events

Oct.21, Heuermann Lecture, 5:15 p.m., Innovation Campus, Lincoln, http://heuermannlectures.unl.edu/

Cropping Update

Producers have continued to make great progress harvesting crops!  As harvest gets complete, it’s time to collect soil samples for nitrogen management and SCN analysis. 

I’ve noticed several of the area corn fields with cattle grazing the corn stalk residue.  Grazing corn residue is a great way to reduce volunteer corn for the following year and can provide valuable feed to the livestock producer. 

I’ve heard many reason why producers don’t allow grazing of their crop residues, but UNL has several years of research results that were summaries in the 2015 Beef Report.  Jenny Rees, Extension Educator in Clay County shared the following column with me and rather than prepare my version, I’m share the one she prepared.

 “There’s various components to this study and you can view the full report at: http://go.unl.edu/8mp6. 

In this study, cattle were allowed to graze corn residue in the spring (February to mid-April) or the fall (November through January) and these treatments were compared to an area not grazed.  Corn and soybeans were planted the spring after grazing the residue for 16 years to determine the effect of grazing on the subsequent crop yield.  In the fall grazing treatments, the corn and soybeans were planted no-till.  For corn or soybeans planted into the spring grazing treatments, three tillage treatments were also implemented for nine years: no-till, ridge-till, and spring conventional till, after which all treatments were converted to no-till. This result of the tillage by spring grazing treatments for either corn or soybean yield over nine years showed no interaction and suggested the same effect on yield regardless of tillage treatment used after spring grazing.  Spring grazing across all tillage treatments did increase soybean yields statistically (58.5 bu/ac for spring grazed vs. 57.0 bu/ac for ungrazed) and had no effect on corn yields.  The results were similar looking at 16 years of grazing vs. not grazing under no-till for both corn and soybeans in the spring; there was no yield effect found for corn and the soybeans showed a slight yield increase with grazing.  Looking at a 10 year period of no-till management for both spring and fall grazed corn residue and subsequent corn and soybean crops, fall grazing statistically improved soybean yields over both spring grazing and no grazing (65.5 bu/ac vs. 63.5 bu/ac and 62.1 bu/ac respectively).  No grazing effects were observed on corn yields in either season.  All statistics were at the 95% confidence level meaning the researchers were 95% confident any yield differences were due to the treatments themselves vs. random chance.         

Regarding compaction, in the fall, the field was typically frozen and the researchers felt any mud and compaction associated with grazing cattle was minimized; highest subsequent soybean yields were achieved with fall grazing.  The spring treatment was designed to look more at potential compaction and muddy conditions after spring thaw till right before planting-thus the implementation of different tillage treatments as well.  They used a stocking rate consistent with UNL grazing recommendations resulting in removal of half the husks and leaves produced (8 lbs of leaf and husk per bushel of corn grain produced).  Results of this study indicate that even with muddy conditions in the spring, grazing increased subsequent soybean yields compared to not grazing regardless of tillage system used and that corn yields were not different between grazing vs. not grazing and regardless of tillage system used in the spring.  This study was conducted in Eastern Nebraska in a rainfed environment with yields ranging from 186-253 bu/ac with a 16 year median yield of 203 bu/ac.”

Check out the full report at: http://go.unl.edu/8mp6. 

Heuermann Lecture

Last week I mentioned that the first Heuermann Lectures of the year will be held this Wednesday October 21 at 5:15 p.m. on Innovation Campus, 2021 Tranformation Drive, Lincoln and is titled “Finding Hope: Pioneering Your Own 40 Chances”.  Presenters will be Howard G. Buffett, Chairman & CEO, The Howard G. Buffett Foundation and Howard W. Buffett, Lecturer, University of Nebraska – Lincoln.  The lecture will be Moderated by Ronnie Green, Vice President of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska, and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Harlan Vice Chancellor of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln.

For more information check out the website: http://heuermannlectures.unl.edu/.  If you cannot make it to the lecture you can view it live or the archived version.

On-Farm Research Planning

Producers, as you get your corn, soybeans and grain sorghum harvested, now is the time to also think about potential on-farm research studies for the 2016 season.  Have you considered a new field operation or a new product?  The goal of the Nebraska On-Farm Research Network is to address critical farmer production, profitability and natural resources questions.

Many areas of on-farm research need to be planned now, such as fertilizer and cover crop studies.  Some of the current on-farm research topics include: optimal planting populations, including variable rate seeding approaches, nitrogen management using several new technologies, strip-tillage, evaluation of insect and disease control products and row spacing.  You the farm operator makes the final decision as to the research topic you want to conduct. 

The research network is a collaborative partnership that includes Nebraska Extension, Nebraska Corn Board, Nebraska Corn Growers Association and the Nebraska Soybean Board. For more information on the network visit http://cropwatch.unl.edu/farmresearch. A list of Extension Educators involved is posted. 

I hope you’ll consider conducting a study in 2016. Our annual updates in this area will be held Feb. 9^th in Grand Island and Feb. 12^th at the ARDC near Mead. So, please hold those dates.