AIR JANUARY 20, 1999

Thank you Mark and good morning everyone. Nicer weather the past week has certainly been a good chance to get a few chores caught up. I even finally got around to taking down the Christmas lights outside the house. A task that’s much easier to do when the wire will bend and roll up! A couple of meeting reminders. The big annual no-till on the plains program is coming up the 25th and 26th of this month in Salina. If you need more information check out the ag newspapers or call the Extension Office or the NRCS office. Next Thursday, January 28th there will be a cowherd nutrition meeting in Clay Center at 7 p.m. I have a conflict that night so won’t be going, but they’ve got a couple of really good speakers on the program. If you need details or a map on how to get to the Extension Office give me a call. A quick note to all farmland owners. If you intend to terminate an oral lease your deadline is coming up real soon. By Kansas law, notice to terminate an oral lease must be given in writing, 30 days prior to March 1st, setting the termination date as March 1st, except on land planted to wheat which terminates the day after the last day of harvest OR August 1, whichever comes first. If the termination notice does not meet all three of these requirements the lease will continue for another year. Plan to have your notices in the hands of the tenant by January 29th, best done by certified mail.

We’re quickly coming up on calving season, in fact for many producers we’re down to that final stretch, so to speak. Start getting everything in order well ahead of time. Inventory supplies, vaccines, record keeping and otherequipment. A good friend of mine in Rush county told me his first calf was due to arrive on February 22nd. I received an e-mail from him January 1st saying he was surprised with a New Years Day calf! It can happen anytime as you well know. Take advantage of this nice weather to do some checking on your cows. Make some notes, now, about which ones really need to be culled. Get rid of problem cows - those who have problems with structure, feet, legs, eyes, teeth, etc. I’ve found that it’s easier for producers to make that decision now than once there’s a calf at her side. Make the decision now and then stick to it regardless of how good that calf looks. Also take a look at current body condition. If you’ve got some cows a little thin, there’s still time to correct some of that before calving and it’ll be easier now than after they start nursing!

This is Chuck Otte, County Extension Agent, with Ag Outlook ’99.

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