Ag News and Views: May 1997

May, 1997 Table of Contents News & Views Archive Issues

Economics
Managing Your Operation by Mark Skiles
Do you employ the same management in good and bad times and hope that there are enough good times to cover the bad? You may not be able to control the market or the weather, but you, and you alone, make the decisions that determine the efficiency of your operation.

From the Director
Cooperator Demographics by Jim Schaffer
In recent years we have seen an increase in the number of cooperators seeking assistance. We began to collect and analyze data on all new cooperators in 1988. While cooperator numbers have increased, we also have seen slight increases in total new acreage assigned to our specialists over the same time period.

Horticulture
Ladybug Invasion by Sean Maher
There is a new bug in town. You probably know that already, it is hard not to notice a few thousand of them in your home. What you may not know is that this is a different Lady Beetle than you have seen before.

Livestock
Composite Breeds and Composite Crossbreeding by John Winder
Though the idea behind composite breeding systems has been around for decades, only recently has the practice attracted interest within the beef industry. The reason for this interest is simple. Composite crossbreeding is a functional, lowmanagement alternative to traditional crossbreeding techniques.

Soils
Variable Fertilizer Rate Research Project by Jerry Rogers
The Noble Foundation is helping fund Oklahoma State University's variable fertilizer rate research project. In addition to supplying grant funds, the Noble Foundation Agricultural Division also furnishes land for variable rate research at both the Headquarters Farm and the Red River Demonstration and Research Farm.

Wildlife
Think About the Possibility of Recreational Leasing by Russell Stevens
If you are thinking about the possibility of leasing, now is the time to begin planning for next year. Although recreational leasing is not for everyone, it can, under the right circumstances, generate extra income.