Happy Mother’s Day for this and every day of the year.
Questions answered at county extension centers:
Q: How can I get bumble bees out of rafters in my garage?
A: They may be bumble or carpenter bees. Carpenter bees bore holes in wood. Your county extension center has control details and can recommend a spray when the temperature is cool.
Q: What does CED stand for?
A: Calving Ease Direct, which is a measure of the calving ease among first-calf heifers. The higher the CED number, the more expected calving ease.
Q: What is the most popular garden plant?
A: Tomatoes.
Q: How can I get the financial benefits of Certified Angus Beef (CAB) when I sell my feeder calves?
A: Most returns come when you retain ownership of cattle through processing where the CAB designation comes to qualified beef. An option for you would be to participate in one of several value-added markets. Check cattle breed representatives.
Q: Do musk thistle weevils work?
A: Weevil numbers are building and there could be a decrease in musk thistle numbers in a few years.
Q: Should I feed a grain supplement to grazing steers this summer in the face of higher feed costs?
A: Not when you have quality forages. When needed, use a supplement with an ionophore in the grain to get a better rate of gain.
Q: Do the bullets you hang around mineral feeders for horn fly control really work?
A: Yes, if properly treated with a pesticide designed to repel horn flies and if cattle have contact with the bullets at least every couple of days.
Q: Does the state have money to help my children start a kennel?
A: The Missouri Department of Agriculture has a small business development authority that can make loans to qualified beginning farmers. Call (573) 751-2129.
Q: Where can I get help to identify plants growing in my lawn?
A: Pull those you want identified and take them to your county extension center.
Telephone numbers of area county extension centers:
Barton (417) 682-3579
Cherokee (620) 429-3849
Crawford (620) 724-8233
Jasper (417) 358-2158
Lawrence (417) 466-3102
McDonald (417) 223-4775
Newton (417) 455-9500
Ottawa (918) 542-1688
Vernon (417) 448-2560
Address correspondence to Mike Surbrugg, c/o The Joplin Globe, P.O. Box 7, Joplin, Mo. 64802 or e-mail msurbrugg@joplinglobe.com.
