Articles by Heather Smith Thomas

Technology assists with the sixth sense

May 30, 2022

Determining optimum timing for harvest – to find the best balance between high yield and high quality – has always been a challenge, especially with alfalfa crops, while factoring in the best timing for weather.

Safety considerations when riding ATVs

May 24, 2022

Heather Smith Thomas

Every year, many people are injured or killed in accidents involving ATVs. Most accidents occur because the ATV is not being used as intended or is ridden in an unsafe manner.

Set your sights early for weaning calves

Pre-planning for weaning includes getting cattle into an area where you can ride or walk through them and get calves used to people before you wean.

April 25, 2022

Heather Smith Thomas

Sometimes weaning early can be beneficial, but for success you need to plan ahead and be set up to do it properly.

Dogs sniff out potato diseases

April 10, 2022

Heather Smith Thomas

“Using Agriculture Conservation Dogs to detect PVY and BRR” was a symposium topic at the annual Idaho Seed Potato Growers seminar in January. Andrea Parish gave the presentation/demonstration, using dogs she trained to sniff out potato diseases.

Preventing grass tetany in beef cattle

March 23, 2022

Heather Smith Thomas

The cause of grass tetany (also called grass staggers, milk tetany, lactation tetany, magnesium tetany, winter tetany, wheat pasture poisoning, crested wheatgrass poisoning, barley poisoning) has been poorly understood, yet death losses cost producers millions of dollars.

Mobile butchers in great demand

March 10, 2022

Heather Smith Thomas

Kortney Bahem and her husband, Daniel Lousignont, own and operate L&L Meats LLC – a mobile butchering business in Homedale, Idaho.

Biochar: How soil can store more carbon

February 28, 2022

Heather Smith Thomas

Biochar is a supercharcoal made by heating any residual biomass – for example, corncobs, husks or stalks, potato or soy residues, grass hay, rice or wheat straw, woody forestry residues, etc. – with little or no oxygen.

Pregnancy loss: Non-infectious causes

February 24, 2022

Heather Smith Thomas

Sometimes accidents of gestation or other factors terminate pregnancy. Immediately after conception, when the tiny embryo is traveling down the oviduct into the uterus, it is fairly safe from harmful influences, but after it reaches the uterus a few days later, it becomes more vulnerable.

Clearing the air on calf diphtheria

January 24, 2022

Heather Smith Thomas

Respiratory problems in cattle include diphtheria, the infection or inflammation of vocal folds of the larynx (voice box) at the back of the throat.

How long will baleage keep?

December 31, 2021

Heather Smith Thomas

Baleage (as opposed to harvesting forage as bales or silage) has advantages for many producers.

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