Garden Minute Feb. 23, 2016 Puncture Vine

Garden Minute

Feb. 23, 2016

This is Jason Lamb with your Gardening Minute.

Lately, I have been getting several questions on controlling puncture vine, as so known as goat heads. “Goat heads” are a summer Annual broadleaf plant that puncture just about everything. They have five main spike or burrs that penetrate tires, passing livestock, shoes and seem difficult to get rid of. 

Goat heads are a low growing plant that reproduces from seed with a deep main tap root and can with stand very dry, hot summer conditions. So what is a home owner to do about goat heads. 

Persistence is the key, most goat heads can be controlled by using a flat nose shovel, scooping under the plant, cutting the tap root at the base and discarding the plant. This must be done in early spring before the flowers develop into goat heads.  

  

Chemicals such as 2,4 D or glyphosate are very effective but must also be used prior to the plant flowering. You may need to spray more than once to get successful control and year after year because seed can remain viable for up to five years in the soil.  These chemical can harm other plants and should be spot sprayed. Pre-emergent herbicides have marginally effect on puncture vine. Make sure to read and follow the label be using.  

For more information about controlling goat heads please contact us at the Cooperative Extension Office at 461-0562. We will be hosting a Resilience in Agricultural meeting on March 9^th at the Tucumcari Convention Center to discuss State Agricultural priorities. Contact our office if you would like to attend. This has been your Gardening Minute with Jason Lamb your Quay County Ag. Extension Agent. Where are programs are open to everyone.

CATTLE OUTLOOK – Ron Plain and Scott Brown Ag Economics, MU February 19, 2016

CATTLE OUTLOOK – Ron Plain and Scott Brown

Ag Economics, MU   February 19, 2016

USDA’s February Cattle on Feed reports said the number of cattle in

large feedlots on February 1 was down a tiny 0.04% compared to a year

ago.  January placements of cattle into feedlots were down 0.6% and

January marketings were down 2.2%.  The report should be neutral for

the market.  The trade was expecting January placements to be down

0.7%, January marketings down 2.2%, and the February 1 inventory of

cattle on feed down 0.2% compared to a year ago.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics says the average January price of

choice beef at retail was $5.975 per pound.  Grocery store prices

averaged 0.3 cents higher than in December, but were 35.8 cents lower

than in January 2015.  The average retail price for all fresh beef was

$5.756 during January, the lowest since July 2104.

The 5 area average price for slaughter steers during January,

$134.50/cwt, was up $9.80 from the month before, but down $29.90

compared to 12 months earlier.

Fed cattle prices were mixed this week in light volume.  Through

Thursday, the 5-area average price for slaughter steers sold on a live

weight basis was $130.00/cwt, down $1.70 from last week’s average and

down $30.03 from a year ago.  Dressed steer prices averaged

$209.63/cwt.  That is up $3.07 from the week before, but down $46.73

from a year ago.

This morning the choice boxed beef cutout value was $212.26/cwt, down

$4.41 from the previous Friday and down $27.86 from a year ago.  The

select carcass cutout was $208.54/cwt, down $4.54 from last week and

down $28.32 from a year ago.

This week’s cattle slaughter totaled 521,000 head, down 4.2% from last

week and down 0.2% from a year ago.

The average steer dressed weight for the week ending on February 6 was

899 pounds, up 1 pound from the week before and up 15 pounds from a

year ago.  This was the 86th consecutive week with steer weights above

the year-ago level.

Prices at the Oklahoma City Stockyards this week were steady to $3

higher on feeder steers and steady on calves compared to last week.

Prices for medium and large frame #1 steers by weight group were:

400-450# $210-$218, 450-500# $204-$209, 500-550# $185-$202, 550-600#

$168-$187, 600-650# $161.50-$177.50, 650-700# $157-$169.50, 700-750#

$146-$159, 750-800# $147-$156.50, 800-900# $140-$151.75 and 900-1000#

$140-$143.50/cwt.

Cattle futures were higher this week.  The February live cattle

futures contract settled at $135.37/cwt today, up $5.42 for the week.

April fed cattle settled at $133.95/cwt, up $4.83 from the previous

week.  The June contract ended the week at $123.15/cwt, up $3.53 from

the previous Friday.

March feeder cattle ended the week at $155.87/cwt, up $5.85 from a

Resilience in New Mexico Agriculture Regional Meeting

CATTLE OUTLOOK – Ron Plain and Scott Brown Ag Economics, MU February 12, 2016

CATTLE OUTLOOK – Ron Plain and Scott Brown

Ag Economics, MU   February 12, 2016

U.S. beef imports were down 35.2% in December at 186.2 million pounds.

Over half of the decline was in beef imported from Australia.

December imports equaled 9.1% of U.S. beef production.  For all of

2015, beef imports were up 14.4%.

U.S. beef exports were down 7.6% in December to 196.1 million pounds

with most major foreign customers, except South Korea, buying less

U.S. beef than they did in December 2014.  December exports equaled

9.6% of U.S. beef production.  For all of 2015, beef exports were down

11.9%.

December live cattle imports totaled 155,636 head.  This was down

43.7% compared to 12 months earlier with 36.4% fewer Mexican cattle

imported and 53.8% fewer cattle imported from Canada.  The U.S.

exported 8,202 cattle during December.

For all of 2015, the U.S. imported 1,984,413 cattle and exported

72,456 head.  During 2015, 58.2% of cattle imports came from Mexico

and 41.8% of the cattle imports came from Canada.  81% of U.S. cattle

exported went to either Canada or Mexico.  Last year’s U.S. cattle

imports were 15.8% fewer than in 2014, and the fewest for any year

since 2005.

Fed cattle prices were a bit lower this week in heavy volume.  Through

Thursday, the 5-area average price for slaughter steers sold on a live

weight basis was $131.70/cwt, down 50 cents from last week’s average

and down $28.84 from a year ago.  Dressed steer prices averaged

$205.96/cwt.

This morning the choice boxed beef cutout value was $216.67/cwt, down

$5.83 from the previous Friday and down $21.42 from a year ago.  The

select carcass cutout was $213.27/cwt, down $5.18 from last week and

down $21.10 from a year ago.

This week’s cattle slaughter totaled 544,000 head, up 1.9% from last

week and up 0.7% from a year ago.

The average steer dressed weight for the week ending on January 30 was

898 pounds, down 1 pound from the week before, but up 17 pounds from a

year ago.  This was the 85th consecutive week with steer weights above

the year-ago level.

Prices at the Oklahoma City Stockyards this week were $2 to $5 lower

on feeder steers and steady to $2 higher on calves than last week.

Prices for medium and large frame #1 steers by weight group were:

400-450# $221-$226, 450-500# $204-$217, 500-550# $192.50-$210,

550-600# $172-$195, 600-650# $164-$178, 650-700# $152.50-$165,

700-750# $146-$161.75, 750-800# $140.50-$153.50, 800-900# $137-$152

and 900-1000# $130-$144.75/cwt.

Cattle futures were sharply lower this week.  The February live cattle

futures contract settled at $129.95/cwt today, down $6.10 for the

week.  April fed cattle settled at $129.12/cwt, down $5.28 from the

previous week.  The June contract ended the week at $119.62/cwt, down

$4.43 from the previous Friday.

March feeder cattle ended the week at $150.02/cwt, down $3.80 from a

week earlier.  April futures lost $3.97 this week to close at

$149.50/cwt.  May feeder cattle settled at $148.82/cwt.