UNL Extension in Webster County

Welcome to the Webster County Extension Newsletter! This newsletter contains information regarding upcoming programming in all areas of Nebraska Extension. This will be separate from the Webster County 4-H Newsletter to provide information to clientele interested in extension programming outside of 4-H. We hope this is convenient way to keep everyone in the loop on upcoming opportunities in Nebraska Extension. We hope you enjoy this newsletter!

Happy New Year!

Sincerely,

The Webster County Extension Staff

Farmers and Ranchers College announces the 2024 Cow-Calf College is set for January 11, 2024 at the Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center, near Clay Center, Nebraska. Registration begins at 10:15 am with programs scheduled from 10:30 am – 2:00 pm. This year’s program is focused on strategies to enhance cow/calf health from birth to weaning. The hands-on format will allow participants to engage with specialists and peers throughout the day.

Dr. Matt Hille, Assistant Professor and Diagnostic Pathologist at Nebraska Veterinary Diagnostic Center, will provide an in-depth look at common infectious diseases affecting calves. Topics include scour prevention and treatment techniques, and when it may be worthwhile to pursue diagnostics. Discussion will also include pinkeye disease background, treatment and prevention strategies.

The afternoon will be comprised of three mini-workshops, where participants will dive further into neonatal calf health, including when and how to intervene in scour cases and tips to ensure newborn calf success. Dr. Becky Funk, GPVEC Extension Specialist will host a hands-on palpation wet lab utilizing bovine reproductive tracts and Dr. Hille will continue the cow health discussion with potential causes of abortion and when diagnostics are needed.

Dr. Brian Vander Ley, Associate Professor and Assistant Director of GPVEC will provide an overview of activities at the Center while participants enjoy a catered lunch. The program will conclude with an optional tour of US-Meat Animal Research Center (weather permitting).

There is no cost for the event; however, registration is required due to limited space. Pre-registration can be made by calling the Webster County Extension office at 402-746-3417 or online at https:// go.unl.edu/cow-calfcollege2024. Spots are now full! We would love to see you next year!

Fundamentals of Feeding the Cow Webinar Series

By Erin Laborie, Nebraska Extension Educator

Feed costs are often the largest category of expense for cow-calf producers in Nebraska. Understanding how the cow’s nutrient requirements change throughout the year and how to cost-effectively meet those requirements with the feed resources available can greatly influence an operation’s bottom line.

Nebraska Extension will be hosting a four session webinar series in January that will explain the fundamentals of understanding a cow's nutrition requirements and the options available to meet a cow's needs with grazed or harvested feed. The series will be held Monday and Thursday evenings, January 15, 18, 22 and 25, from 7:30 - 8:45 p.m. CT.

Topics to be covered include:

· What impacts a cow's nutrient requirements and how do they change throughout the year?

· How do you read and understand a feed test analysis as well as a feed tag? What do the numbers mean?

· When comparing feed options, which is the best buy when all things are considered?

· What are things to consider when developing a year-round feeding plan?

The cost of the course is $50 and includes a notebook of Nebraska Extension resources. The course is limited to 35 participants. To register, visit https://go.unl.edu/feedingthecow. Participants are asked to register by January 8 to ensure webinar resources are received before the series begins. A computer and internet connection will be needed to participate in the webinar series.

For questions about the webinar series, please contact Aaron Berger, Nebraska Extension Educator, at 308-235-3122 or aberger2@unl.edu.

Lindsay Waechter-Mead, DVM, Nebraska Extension Livestock Systems Educator

Grazing corn residue is common practice in the Midwest and a quality resource for cattle producers to utilize. While the forages available can provide the necessary nutritional requirements, there are a few health conditions that need to be planned for prior to turn out.

Acidosis

Acidosis or grain overload occurs when cattle consume large amounts of feed that contains high quantities of fermentable carbohydrates, leading to clinical signs in the animal. When grazing corn residue, the feedstuff would be too much dropped corn. Rumen microbes rapidly begin to ferment the carbohydrates in the corn, which leads to an increase in lactate formation. When lactate production increases, the rumen pH drops below the normal range of 5.6-6.9 and begins to damage the rumen epithelium. This leads to an increase in acid-loving bacteria and yeast in the damaged rumen. All of these affect the blood volume and hydration status of tissues throughout the body, leading to acute clinical signs of diarrhea, dehydration, depression, and anorexia. Treatment involves restoring the rumen microbes, correcting dehydration and acidic rumen microenvironment, and managing secondary complications. Long term consequences of acidosis may include abortions and laminitis.

Management is key to preventing acidosis and is more rewarding than treatment. Knowing how much corn is in the field will help establish a grazing plan. The risk of acidosis increases if fields contain more than 8 bushels of corn per acre. Bushels can be estimated by counting dropped ears of corn in three different 100 feet rows and dividing this number by 2. If too much dropped corn is a concern, rumen microbes can begin acclimating to increased carbohydrate diets by slowly increasing amount of corn fed over a 10-day period prior to grazing. More management strategies can be found at Grazing Corn Stalks – Management Strategies | UNL Beef.

Nitrate Toxicity

Nitrates accumulate in plants when uptake by the roots exceeds the rate of conversion to protein, such as during episodes of drought and plant stress. When a ruminant consumes high-nitrate plants, the rumen microbes convert the nitrate to nitrite. Excess nitrite is absorbed into the bloodstream, where it changes the oxygen carrying capacity in red blood cells by converting hemoglobin to methemoglobin. Methemoglobin is unable to carry oxygen to tissues in the body, resulting in asphyxiation. Clinical signs of toxicity include weakness, rapid breathing, lethargy, muscle tremors and sudden death. Abortions may occur 10-14 days after ingestion of high nitrites due to lack of oxygen to fetus.

Knowing the nitrate levels of plants intended as feed is vital information in establishing a prevention plan. Nitrate samples can be taken from both standing plants and baled forages. Forages with >10,000 ppm nitrate may lead to acute toxicity signs and sudden death. Levels over 5,000 ppm should not be fed to pregnant animals due to the increased risk of abortion and stillbirth. More information on managing high nitrate forages can be found here: Options for Safely Using High-Nitrate Forage: Grazing, Silage and Haying | UNL Beef Any health concerns should be discussed with your veterinarian to establish proper prevention and treatment protocols.

The BeefWatch Podcast is an audio companion to the UNL BeefWatch newsletter. It provides the same timely information as the newsletter, just in a downloadable audio form. Information is geared to helping beef cattle producers improve the sustainability and profitability of their operations.

As a busy rancher, you have limited time to spend reading. You often have time available to listen while in the pickup or tractor cab. The BeefWatch Podcast brings you the information you need in a format you can use.

Check out the podcasts here https://blubrry.com/unlbeefwatch/

If your pesticide license expires by April 15, you must attend one of these trainings or complete the test online to be able to renew it.

Check out the latest on cropwatch: https://cropwatch.unl.edu/

The holiday season is upon us. The decorations are up and the holiday plants are blooming with all of their glory. Some of our favorite holiday plants have a potentially dangerous side and can do more than just add color to our homes. Do you think you know which of your holiday plants are safe and which ones are dangerous?

Amaryllis is beautiful, but its near the top of the list for forgotten poisonous holiday plants. These plants are one of the more poisonous plants that are brought into the home during the holiday season. Amaryllis are often sold as a large bulb. Once these bulbs are watered, they produce long strap like leaves and a flower stalk containing brightly colored, trumpet shaped flowers. The toxic chemical that these plants contain is called alkaloid lycorine, which is an irritant to the gastrointestinal tract. The most toxic part of these plants is the bulb. The other parts of the plants can also be toxic if they are eaten in large quantities.

Kissing under the mistletoe sounds like an innocent holiday ritual, but it also has a dangerous side. Real mistletoe is a common holiday plant that is sold dried in small packages to be hung in homes. The plant has thick, leathery, green leaves and white berries. The plant itself is a parasite-like plant that feeds off other trees. With some species, eating a few of the berries would produce mild gastroenteritis, acute diarrhea, and vomiting. All parts of the plant are considered toxic. Want to rethink kissing under a poisonous, parasitic plant?

Who doesn’t like a plant with a dark green leaf and red berries during the holidays? These common plants could be more toxic than you think. Holly, inkberry (aka winterberry), and yew are three common plants with dark green foliage and red berries. All three are toxic to dogs, cats, and humans too. If you like the look of holly, but without the toxins, try Oregon grape holly, Mahonia. Same leaf shape and glossy leaf as holly, but with blueish purple (non-toxic) berries.

Another holiday plant that has a bad reputation for being extremely poisonous is the poinsettia. Recent research has concluded that they are not considered poisonous. According to the POISINDEX, the primary resource used by most poison control centers, a 50-pound child would have to eat more than 1.25 pounds of colored poinsettia bracts, about 500 to 600, to exceed the experimental dose. There would probably be some stomach upset or vomiting if a few bracts were eaten, but it is not considered toxic. The milky sap from the poinsettia can be a skin irritant and can cause a rash in people who are sensitive.

Looking for some completely safe holiday plants? The Christmas cactus and kalanchoe are two plants that are deemed non-poisonous by the Nebraska Regional Poison Center. The Christmas cactus has flat, fleshy stems that resemble leaf-like pads which are joined to one another in a chain-like pattern. The flowers are usually held at the tips of the stems or in the ‘leaf’ axils and are usually pink to red. The kalanchoe has semi-fleshy leaves and flowers that are held in umbels above the leaves. The flowers come in a wide range of colors including yellow, orange, red, and pink to name a few. Another safe holiday plant is the Norfolk Island Pine. This houseplant has evergreen needles and a fun, umbrella like structure. The worst thing that could happen with this one is getting poked by a needle.

Regardless of the plant, resist the urge to eat them and just admire the perfect holiday plant this season.

Elizabeth Exstrom is the Horticulture Extension Educator with Nebraska Extension in Hall County. For more information, contact Elizabeth on elizabeth.exstrom@unl.edu, her blog on http://huskerhort.com/ or HuskerHort on Facebook and Twitter

Do you enjoy plants and gardening? Are you looking to learn more and hone your skills but don’t know where to go? The Extension Master Gardener Volunteer program will educate you on many aspects of horticulture, allow you to test your knowledge and skills, all while serving your local community.

The Nebraska Extension Master Gardener Volunteer program is a horticulture related volunteer training program based in many counties throughout the state. It has been part of Nebraska Extension since 1976. Master Gardener volunteers are trained by Nebraska Extension faculty and staff. In return, they contribute time as volunteers working with their local Extension offices and communities to provide horticulture-related information and volunteer service. Participants are required to complete 40 hours of training and 40 hours of volunteer service during the initial year of their involvement in the program. Master Gardener volunteers retain their certification through annual training and volunteering.

Educational topics cover a wide range of horticultural issues. Topics that have been covered in previous training sessions include: native plants for water conservation, an in-depth look at fertilizers, turfgrass and related insects, beneficial pollinating insects and vegetable garden pests, tree and shrub pruning, pesticide safety and non-chemical pest control techniques, soils, and small fruits and tree fruit basics. The content of the topics is geared towards the home gardener, but those employed in the green industry are also welcome. No prior horticulture knowledge or training required.

Volunteer hours can be completed through various activities. These activities could include: planting and maintaining demonstration gardens, collecting data on research projects, helping with county and state fair activities, speaking to community groups, leading garden tours, collecting plant samples, answering phone questions, teaching youth programs, or whatever sparks your interest and utilizes your talents.

The Central Nebraska Extension Master Gardener Program is active in many communities across the region. If you are interested in becoming an Extension Master Gardener contact Elizabeth Exstrom at the Nebraska Extension in Hall County Office, 308-385-5088, prior to January 12th, 2024. The Central Nebraska Master Gardener Program will be offering classes in several different ways, in-person at the Hall County Extension office located in Grand Island, over zoom in the evenings, and through an online platform.

More information, updated schedules, an application, and a brochure can be found at http://hall.unl.edu. If you have questions about the program, contact Elizabeth Exstrom at eexstrom2@unl.edu or 308-385-5088.

Elizabeth Exstrom is the Horticulture Extension Educator with Nebraska Extension in Hall County. For more information contact Elizabeth at elizabeth.exstrom@unl.edu, her blog at http://huskerhort.com/, or HuskerHort on Facebook and Twitter.

Cold temperatures have come, the garden is frozen, the leaves are falling, and outdoor activities are coming to an end. It may be a good time to start planning. Long term planning is very important to communities. I’m not just talking about a comprehensive plan that is required for grant applications, I’m talking about just planning on what you want your community to look like in the future.

Long term planning is difficult. It takes time, and it really takes the ability to look into the future and not worry about the problems you are facing today. It becomes very easy to manage a community by complaint. The people that come to the village board meeting are the loudest voices in their community and if they are complaining about trees, chickens, dogs, vehicles, etc. It is easy to make a new ordinance to address each of those issues. As you concentrate on today’s complaint, it is easy to forget about the future.

Imagine, you have a community meeting (perhaps facilitated by an RPN Educator) that encourages your community to dream about the future. You come to a consensus that your long-term goal (10-20 years) is to become a physically healthy community. Now since you have a community consensus, you have a basis to solve each problem based on the goal of being a healthy community.

The first complaint is about trees in the community. Perhaps there is a danger to the health of the community from the tree falling down, easy solution, the tree gets taken down by the tree owner, or through the nuisance abatement process. The next complaint is also about trees, specifically fruit trees. The complaint is that birds are eating the fruit, and their droppings are covering cars and the sidewalk. The complainant would like fruit trees outlawed. This actually is a health issue, having a source of fresh local fruit is healthy for the community. Fruit trees stay in the town due to your long-term goal of being a healthy community.

Next meeting there is a grant available to create a giant chocolate fountain in the center of town. It is easy to say no to this in the light of the fact that you want to be a physically healthy community. The grant is not applied for. But you do have another grant available to make your community into a walkable neighborhood. There is some match money needed for the grant, but it is easy to come up with due to the new focus on being a physically healthy community.

Over time your community makes small changes to be more physically healthy. There is a complaint about chickens, someone wants them banned. A compromise is created, Roosters are banned, but hens are allowed due to their production of healthy eggs.

Now we come to a difficult one. Someone is complaining about parked cars in residential areas. They can be a nuisance. Does this have anything to do with health? Perhaps the solution is to make it so that cars must move every day. Does this conflict with the goal of being a healthy community? The community just spent a lot of money becoming more walkable, and now the community is contemplating a law to make people drive more. The healthy solution is to encourage people to walk, and let cars sit. The health of the community improves.

Many of these complaints are common and much of the time the solutions are separate, with no overall guiding principle overseeing the solutions. It makes a community have spending priorities and ordinances that conflict. We used a grant and local money to build a walking trail, but we decided to outlaw planting fruit trees. We have a walkable community, but you must drive your cars every day. It is very easy to make decisions on a complaint basis, it takes work and long-term planning to create a long-term framework for community decision making.

If your community could benefit from any of the Rural Prosperity Nebraska ideas that I’ve discussed in this column, please reach out to me. I’d love to speak to your community about these topics. You can reach me at jason.tuller@unl.edu or at the Thayer County office at 402-768-7212.

Jason Tuller is an Extension Educator for the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. He works in the Rural Prosperity Nebraska program and covers ten-county area including Kearney, Adams, Clay, Fillmore, Saline, Franklin, Webster, Nuckolls, Thayer, and Jefferson Counties.

We are very excited to share this wonderful resource created in a collaborative effort with the Early Childhood ExtensionTeam, CYFS design team with Lynn DeVries’ leadership to serve Subsidy Childcare Providers in Nebraska. It has been posted on the provider webpage (https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Child-Care-Subsidy-Information-for-Providers.aspx)

Join us on January 8 to learn more about Early Math Skills for Infants and Toddlers. Register TODAY! https://fitandhealthykids.unl.edu/early-math-skills-infants-and-toddlers #Fitandhealthykids

Nebraska Extension’s Early Childhood Team brings you an episode about navigating holiday stress and Holiday Grief. Check out these wonderful podcasts, The Good Life in Early Life! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-good-life-in-early-life/id1705491474

This is an engaging story that helps children work with difficult emotions by imagining them as playful monsters in a parade. #Fitandhealthykids https://fitandhealthykids.unl.edu/discover-and-design

Score a touchdown with food safety, and all your party will thank you for it! For simple tips to stay safe: https://go.unl.edu/gamedayfoodprep #UNLFoodSafety

You are preparing for your holiday meal or a family baking item and need a spice you use once a year. Is it still good? Find the answer to all of your spice questions at: https://go.unl.edu/3KRU #UNLFoodSafety

Tackling a game day spread? Play by these rules and keep the action on the field. Make sure your game day favorites are memorable for all the right reasons. Follow these four tips to avoid food poisoning: https://go.unl.edu/gamedayfoods #UNLFoodSafety

Check out the January 4-H Newsletter by clicking on the button below!

Our office is in search of some supplies for our upcoming 4-H workshop. We are looking for yarn and buttons! If anyone has any that they would like to donate for our workshop, please let our office know. It is greatly appreciated!

We are thrilled to invite you to the 39th Nebraska Women in Agriculture Conference. The WIA Conference will be held February 22-23, 2024 in Kearney, NE at the Holiday Inn Convention Center. Additionally, we are again offering a Pre-Conference on February 21 with Nebraska Attorney Katie Samples Dean and Sheila Hansen, CPA who will take a deep dive into entity selection. This year’s Conference features keynote speakers Ashley Machado and Dr. David Kohl along with a special event from renowned photographer John Noltner. Early bird registration ends February 7th.

Engagement Zone 10 Coordinator

Megan is a Nebraska Extension Educator with a passion for fashion! She holds a Master of Arts degree in Textile and Apparel Design from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a specialization in entrepreneurship. Megan serves as an Engagement Zone Coordinator in Zone 10 with a focus on staff development, stakeholder connections, and UNL engagement. She is a maker, entrepreneur, Husker sports fan and baking enthusiast.

Photo and Bio from UNL Extension

Email: megan.burda@unl.edu
Location: 1340 G Street, Geneva, NE, USA
Phone: 402.759.3712

Early Childhood Extension Educator

Lynn is an Extension Educator on The Learning Child Team, University of Nebraska Extension in South Central Nebraska. Lynn has a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Nebraska Kearney in Vocational Family and Consumer Science Education, and a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Concordia University Nebraska. Lynn works with families, child care providers, teen parents and schools to promote developmentally appropriate practices and enhance parent involvement throughout the child’s education. Lynn has 11 years of experience teaching Family and Consumer Science in the public schools, and 10 years of experience coordinating programming and curriculum with the Head Start programs.

Photo and Bio from UNL Extension

Email: lynn.devries@unl.edu
Website: https://child.unl.edu/
Location: 2975 South Baltimore Avenue, Hastings, NE, USA
Phone: 402.461.7209
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLExtensionthelearningchild/

Horticulture Extension Educator

I am Community Environment Extension Educator with a horticulture focus who works in the Nebraska Extension office in Hall County. I provide horticulture related programs for youth and adults, act as the Central Nebraska Master Gardener Coordinator, and answer horticulture-based related client questions. I am a Nebraska Arborist Association Certified Arborist and a member of the International Society of Arboriculture and Nebraska Nursery and Landscape Association. You might recognize me because I am regular panel member on NET's Backyard Farmer program and even filled in as host a few times. I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Horticulture with a landscape design emphasis and my Master’s Degree in Public Horticulture from the University of Nebraska—Lincoln.

Photo and Bio from UNL Extension

Email: elizabeth.exstrom@unl.edu
Website: https://huskerhort.com/
Location: College Park, U.S. 34, Grand Island, NE, USA
Phone: 308.385.5088
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.m.killinger/

Crops & Water Systems Educator

Ron Seymour is a cropping systems Extension Educator with emphasis on corn and soybean production. Ron also works extensively in crop pest management with specific expertise in insect issues. Ron has an interest in developing areas that border field crops as habitat that promote populations of beneficial arthropods.

Photo & Bio from UNL Extension

Email: rseymour1@unl.edu
Location: 2975 South Baltimore Avenue, Hastings, NE, USA
Phone: 402.461.7209

Rural Prosperity Nebraska Extension Educator

Jason has been working in the economic development field in rural Nebraska for more than a decade. He has worked as a small business consultant and as a rural economic developer. His goal now is to help grow stronger communities in Southeast Nebraska and throughout the state.

Photo and Bio from UNL Extension

Email: jtuller2@unl.edu
Website: https://ruralprosperityne.unl.edu/
Location: 825 South Main Street, Nelson, NE, USA
Phone: 402.768.7212

Food, Nutrition, and Health Extension Educator

I am a Nutrition, Food and Health Educator and Registered Dietitian located in Hall County. Part of my time is allocated to the Nutrition Education Program (NEP) that provides nutrition education to limited-resource families in central Nebraska. I teach a variety of food safety and nutrition programs to adults and youth as well as serve on the media/marketing team that develops content for our food.unl.edu website. I graduated from University of Nebraska–Lincoln with a Bachelor’s degree in Nutritional Science and Dietetics and earned a Master’s degree in Nutrition and Health Sciences from Northern Illinois University.

Photo and Bio from UNL Extension

Email: cami.wells@unl.edu
Location: College Park At Grand Island, U.S. 34, Grand Island, NE, USA
Phone: 308.385.5088
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLExtensionFoodAndFitness

Beef Systems Educator, DVM

Lindsay Waechter-Mead is the Beef Systems Educator in Webster County and serves surrounding counties in this region. She is excited to bring her interests surrounding cow/calf health and preventative medicine to the Beef Team. Her current work involves looking at environmental effects on neonatal calf immunity and colostral transfer. She is also passionate about rural agriculture and what the veterinary profession can do to positively influence rural communities to ensure that generations can continue to enjoy the life that she loves.

Email: lindsay.waechter-mead@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/webster/
Location: 621 North Cedar Street, Red Cloud, NE, USA
Phone: 402-746-3417
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SCBeefExtensionUNL

4-H Youth Development Extension Educator in Adams/Webster Counties

Beth Janning is a 4-H Youth Development Extension Educator. She provides programming in school enrichment, after-school, and traditional 4-H Programs. Her topic areas include but not limited to animal science, science, engineering and volunteer development.

Photo and Bio from UNL Extension

Email: elizabeth.janning@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/webster/
Location: 2975 South Baltimore Avenue, Hastings, NE, USA
Phone: 402.461.7209
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WebsterCoExtNE

Office Manager

Alexa Pedersen is the Office Manager for the Webster County Extension Office. Alexa provides help in assisting clientele with questions that can be forwarded to a specific educator. She assists educators in programs that are put on in Webster County, such as pesticide training, and beef programs. She also provides knowledge in the 4-H world by helping families with any 4-H questions that come in. She is skillful in 4-H Online, ShoWorks, and helps prepare for 4-H programming, county fair, and state fair. Alexa is also a part of the 4-H Data Dream Team for Nebraska 4-H as well as the State Fair 4-H Beef Team.

Email: alexa.pedersen@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/webster/
Location: 621 North Cedar Street, Red Cloud, NE, USA
Phone: 402.746.3417
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WebsterCoExtNE

4-H Programming Assistant

Katie Bolte is the 4-H Programming Assistant for the Webster County Extension Office. Katie is at the extension office on Mondays and Tuesdays. Katie provides programming in school enrichment, after-school programs, and 4-H workshops. She is knowledgeable when answering any 4-H questions that comes in and helps prepare for programs, county fair, and state fair.

Email: katie.bolte@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/webster/
Location: 621 North Cedar Street, Red Cloud, NE, USA
Phone: 402.746.3417
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WebsterCoExtNE