The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

Cattle Facilities Educational Program at Lost Lake Ranch

Darrin Boss Northern Agricultural Research Center (NARC) Assistant Research Professor in Animal Science and Cory Parsons, NARC Operations Manager will be visiting the Lost Lake Ranch on May 10 to evaluate the calving shed and corrals. If you are interested in learning about cattle facility design and efficiency, we will be meeting at 1:00 at the calving shed.

Directions: Drive south of Fort Benton on highway 80 until you reach mile marker 17. Take a right on Doll road and drive south until you reach the town of Montague. Take a left at the grain bin before the town of Montague. Keep right on Lost Lake Road. At the top of the hill, turn left on Harrer Road. Follow road down to the bottom. The official address is 2962 Harrer Road.

Chouteau County Winter Wheat is in Excellent Condition for Soil Moisture

The Chouteau County Soil Moisture Survey was started by Judee Wargo in 1993 to assist farmers with determining recropping potential on cereal grain stubble. After 25 years, the Chouteau County Extension Office continues to compile data for determining recropping potential and providing the state drought committee with soil moisture information.

Due to extended frost, soil moisture monitoring was one month late for 2018. Testing for soil moisture took place in Chouteau County on April 16th – April 18th. All winter wheat and fallow locations exceeded 3.5 feet of stored soil moisture, which is equivalent to approximately 5.25 inches of available water in a sandy loam soil. A medium textured soil like a silt loam would have approximately 7 inches of available water. A moderately fine soil like sandy clay loam would have almost 8 inches of available water, and a fine textured soil like sandy clay would have 7 inches of available water in the soil. A winter wheat crop in medium textured soils and favorable weather conditions will require only two inches of growing season precipitation to yield a 42 bushel crop.

The majority of stubble plots in Chouteau County have

excellent recropping potential. Soil with excellent recropping potential under favorable conditions will require only four inches of growing season precipitation for 25-37 bushel per acre spring wheat crop. Under the same conditions, barley will require four inches of growing season precipitation for a 33-54 bushel per acre crop.

Five stubble locations in Northwest and Northcentral Chouteau County scored in the fair range (4-4.9 inches of available water) in recropping potential. Recropping areas scoring in the fair range will require 5-6 inches of growing season precipitation to yield a 30-bushel per acre spring wheat crop.

Hard copies of the 2018 Soil Moisture Survey are available at the Chouteau County Extension Office, or can be e-mailed upon request.

Montana State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Montana Counties Cooperating. MSU Extension is an equal opportunity/affirmative action provider of educational outreach.