How-To Library

Whether you are a new hobby farmer looking to raise a few head of cattle or an experienced livestock farmer thinking about replacing your rusty barbed wire fence, electric fencing may work for you. Before you decide, here are ten things you need to know about electric fencing.

Maintaining a backyard flock offers great rewards, but it’s not always easy to keep your chickens stress-free — especially when they’re young. Understanding the environmental, nutritional and pest threats your chicks may encounter and knowing how to react to these challenges will ensure your chicks grow to be healthy, producing hens.

Cold temperatures can place stress on our horses as they deal with shorter days, temperature fluctuations, rain, snow and mud. By developing a winter feed management plan you can help reduce the effects of winter weather on your horse(s).

There are many reasons to choose fall as your calving season, including weather, cattle health, & market conditions. If you run beef cattle, here's what to consider.

You can reduce your energy bills and enjoy significant savings by implementing some simple energy-saving procedures around the home.

Spring has sprung, and that means show season! Livestock shows are a great opportunity to strut your stock and win awards for all your time and hard work spent raising quality, healthy cattle. Earning accolades at these shows can make your animals more attractive to buyers and breeders and help you drive a higher price. Read on for tips and suggestions on supplies, feed, and handling equipment to make this spring's show season the best one yet.

Haymaking is so much more than just cutting and baling. Cutting at the right time can make a huge difference in the protein levels of the hay. Your equipment needs to be right for the job and you also need to monitor the moisture levels of the hay. Taking a strategic approach to your haymaking can save you time and money

It's natural to fertilize your lawn in the spring, but don't let the cooler temperatures of autumn fool you. Fall is the best time to fertilize the grass, even better than springtime. After the summer's heat and humidity, grass regains its strength before winter with a good fall fertilizing. It also helps grass develop a thick and deep root system, so it can survive next summer's heat.

If desired grasses and legumes have perished due to drought or thinned as a result of normal summer use consider overseeding. Overseeding replenishes the stand of grass and legumes within an existing pasture area.

Fall-applied herbicides are a valuable tool to manage tough-to-control weeds like marestail. Fall herbicides may allow for an earlier start the following spring. Winter annual weeds like henbit and purple deadnettle can be hosts for pests and pathogens. The use of residual herbicides in early fall will help mitigate weed emergence late in the season