Dr. James Jackson, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialist, discusses new herbicide options in forage management at the O.D. Butler Field Day.

Dr. Larry Redmon, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service state forage specialist, discusses hay storage options at the O.D. Butler Forage Field Day.

Volatility in the cattle market recently is a result of large supplies of beef and speculative investment in agricultural commodities, according to experts at the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association convention in San Antonio.

Beef cattle producers should be observant when conducting annual health vaccination protocols on their cattle, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service experts.

In a high or low cattle market environment, capturing the most pounds per calf affects a producer’s bottom line, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service economist.  

  AMARILLO – When planting season comes around this summer, Dr. Charlie Rush, Texas A&M AgriLife Research plant pathologist in Amarillo, won’t be planting traditional crops or in traditional fields. Rush is beginning a new project looking at high-value vegetable crop production under high tunnels, particularly tomatoes this year. High tunnels are Quonset hut-type structures similar to greenhouses in appearance but lacking artificial heat.  – By Kay Ledbetter.  

COLLEGE STATION – Most of the state has been drier than normal by 1 inch to 3 inches for the last 30 days, according to the National Weather Service.  

COLLEGE STATION – The Feb. 5 National Cotton Council’s 35th Annual Early Season Planting Intentions Survey indicated Texas growers intended plantings to be up 5.6 percent over the actual plantings in 2015.

COLLEGE STATION – It’s been a generally mild winter, and the state’s peach orchards have pretty much been doing what one would expect: “chilling,” said Monte Nesbitt, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service pecan, fruit and citrus specialist, College Station.  

COLLEGE STATION – According to various news agency reports, groundhogs across the nation, including Punxsutawney Phil, did not see their shadows today, which, by tradition, means spring will come early this year.