Range management of beef cattle, annual forages and cover crops for hay and grazing, ranching using drones, and demonstrations showing high-quality pollinator and bird habitat are a few of the topics scheduled for the field tour July 8 at North Dakota State University’s Central Grasslands Research Extension Center (CGREC) near Streeter, N.D..

The field day program will begin at 4 p.m. with coffee and a welcome.

“Come early to see what Palmer amaranth looks like and how to identify it,” encourages Kevin Sedivec, the center’s director.

The tour will depart at 4:15 p.m. and continue until 7. A barbecued ribs and brisket supper catered by Reister Meats will follow.

Topics and speakers for this year’s beef production program are:

• Rotational grazing and patch burn grazing, assessing plant community and livestock performance – Ryan Limb and Devan McGranahan, NDSU range scientists, and Sedivec
• How to create pollinator and bird habitat without reducing stocking rate, including what good pollinator habitat looks likes and how to achieve it; a demonstration of how to find bird nests; and how to create different kinds of bird habitats to attract a diverse population of passerine birds, ducks and sharp-tailed grouse – Cameron Duquette and Brooke Karasch, graduate students, NDSU Range Science Program, and Torre Hovick, NDSU range scientist
• A demonstration of the use of drones in a ranching operation, including identifying weed patches – John Nowatzki, NDSU Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department
• Forage variety trial of spring cereal hay crops and cover crops for grazing – Scott Alm, forage specialist, CGREC, and Marisol Berti, NDSU Plant Sciences Department
• A demonstration of rumen evacuations using cannulated heifers in a heifer replacement grazing trial – Michael Undi, livestock scientist, and Stephanie Becker, livestock technician, CGREC
• Palmer amaranth and how to identify the plant – Alicia Harstad, NDSU Extension agent in Stutsman County

To reach the CGREC from Interstate 94, go south 11 miles on Highway 30 (Streeter exit). Then travel west five miles on 48th Street Southeast (gravel road) and south ½ mile.

For more information about the program, contact Sedivec or Sandi Dewald at 701-424-3606 or by email at kevin.sedivec@ndsu.edu or sandi.dewald@ndsu.edu.