The 56th Annual Mid America Farm Expo is a go for this spring. After being one of the first of many events cancelled over concerns surrounding COVID-19 last year, organizers are prepping for a return of vendors and patrons from all over the region. Eric Brown, President and CEO of the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce tells KSAL News that safety protocols will be in place as the agricultural w...
Youth enrolled in the Kansas 4-H horse project will receive a big boost later this month with the release of a video series that promotes their career interests. According to Kansas State University Research and Extension, 4-H youth development specialist Anissa Jepsen at the state office in Manhattan, said the five-part series is a combined effort between Kansas State University and Texas A&am...
A Kansas State University researcher and her team are taking a closer look at how tiny organisms living in the guts of pigs can help prevent costly respiratory diseases. Megan Niederwerder, assistant professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine, led a recent study aimed to identify gut microbiome characteristics associated with improved outcome in pig...
Snow thawing and warm days may lift the spirits of many, but for cattle producers it often leads to extra work managing around mud. According to Kansas State University Research and Extension, not only is mud an inconvenience, but the veterinarians at the Kansas State University Beef Cattle Institute said if not managed properly, it can negatively impact cattle performance. Addressing this...
State health officials reminds Kansans that March and April are a time when large areas of the state’s Flint Hills rangeland are burned. According Kansas State University, these burns help preserve the tallgrass prairie, control invasive species such as Eastern Red Cedar and Sumac and provide better forage for cattle. Prescribed burning minimizes risk of wildfires and is effective in managing...
A pair of simple tools will help to ensure success when planting a vegetable garden, according to Kansas State University horticulture expert Ward Upham. He noted that a string line is commonly used to plant straight rows, while a planting board helps to make spacing vegetables within a row easier. “Most gardeners make their own string line,” Upham said. “A very simple one can be made ...
While cool-season grasses are more common in Kansas, many parts of the state are more ideal for warm-season grasses, or those more tolerant of high temperatures and drought conditions. Zoysiagrass, bermudagrass and buffalograss are the most common warm-season grasses in Kansas. Of these, buffalograss is thought to require less maintenance because it can survive with less water and fertilizer th...
After a 15-year hiatus, the livestock judging program is back at Dodge City Community College (DC3). Brianna Stefan, who became the new DC3 livestock judging coach in January, said she thinks the return of the program is an “absolute asset” to both the college and the community, and it offers an opportunity to “regenerate the focus of proper livestock evaluation.” “The livestock in...
Consumers overwhelmingly chose ground beef over plant-based beef alternatives in a multifaceted study now being reported by Kansas State University researchers. Ground beef – offered with 10%, 20% and 30% fat -- was strongly preferred for taste and flavor over plant-based alternatives, and less than one-third of the respondents said they would buy the plant-based alternatives in the store or ...
After three years of small increases, average groundwater levels in central and western Kansas dropped during 2020 as most of the area experienced abnormally dry conditions for much of the year, according to preliminary data compiled by the Kansas Geological Survey. "It was hot and dry last summer, and water levels pretty much dropped everywhere," said Brownie Wilson, KGS water-data manager. "L...
