Selection of the appropriate species and variety is one important step in making a grass seeding successful. Grass species and varieties differ in growth habit, productivity, forage quality, drought resistance, and tolerance to grazing, winter hardiness, seedling vigor, salinity tolerance and many other characteristics.

Accurate sampling and laboratory testing provides actual manure nutrient information. This information allows crop producers to strategize for maximum crop yields and minimal manure nutrient impact to the environment.

Manure nutrient content can be impacted by several variables such as North Dakota’s dynamic climate and available feedstuffs for cattle.

Successful beef production begins with good records. CHAPS™ (Cow Herd Appraisal Performance Software) is a web-based recordkeeping and analysis application for cow-calf operations. CHAPS™ can help producers track inventories, evaluate cow profitability, and monitor herd reproduction and calf performance.

The purpose of this publication is to provide annual forage options that can be used in cover crop mixtures for livestock grazing and/or hay production. The use of cover crops in a cropping rotation has been resurrected in recent years due to greater awareness of their environmental and ecological impacts on our natural resources.

Manure spills are defined as manure that is released to the environment in a manner that exceeds the rate of nutrient uptake by plants or applied in a manner that is not identified in the “Nutrient Management Plan.” Manure spills may occur during manure storage, transportation and land application.

Determining the nutrient concentration and cost of each nutrient in feedstuffs allows producers to evaluate ration quality and cost. In addition, cost determination can be very helpful when deciding which feed to purchase in cases of differing asking prices and nutrient quality.

An electrical conductivity or total dissolved solids meter is a quick method to estimate total dissolved solids in water and determine water quality.

Nitrate poisoning can occur commonly in cattle raised in North Dakota and other areas of the western Great Plains. Poisoning is usually associated with animals ingesting forage or feed witha high nitrate content. Sheep and cattle are more susceptible to poisoning than nonruminant species because microbes in their digestive tract favor the conversion of nitrate to nitrite.

Livestock manures contain many beneficial and valuable plant nutrients. However, if the manure application equipment is not properly calibrated, these valuable nutrients may be wasted by overapplication or crop yield goals may not be met due to underapplication. This publication explains 2 simple manure spreader calibration techniques.