New Collaborative Agriculture series brings agriculture specialists to region

Published: 2019
By Nikki Bailey

The South Central Cattle & Forage Series was organized to address the educational needs of farmers and ranchers while reaching people across Carbon, Stillwater, Yellowstone, and Big Horn Counties. In 2018, multiple producers approached MSU Extension in Carbon County with concerns about nitrates in cover crops and recommendations on grazing these alternative crops. For every producer who came into the office, it became clear there were many more facing this same dilemma. Was there a way to gain additional income from safely grazing cover crops? Based on this recognized need, Darrin Boss from the Northern Ag Research Center was invited to share his experience and research with grazing cover crops. Information on genetic selection and mineral nutrition were also identified across the region as educational needs of local producers. During this series, Megan Van Emon, MSU Beef Cattle Specialist, discussed with producers how to improve their bottom line by implementing a mineral nutrition program and feeding discarded sugar beets to cattle. Callie Cooley and Nikki Bailey, MSU Extension Agents in Yellowstone and Carbon Counties, discussed the past and future of genetic selection in beef cattle. Agriculture producers left the program with a greater understanding of cattle genetics, mineral programs, and how to get additional value out of cover crops. Collaborative programs such as this series provide an opportunity for local agriculture producers to hear locally from state specialists, thereby fulfilling a vital role of MSU Extension of bringing university knowledge to local communities.