(upbeat music) (upbeat music continues) - Hello everyone, and welcome to "SUNUP."

I'm Lyndall Stout.

Fall has officially arrived, and with the cooler temperatures mean there are more opportunities to get out on the ranch or just out having fun on ATVs.

But unfortunately, Oklahoma is one of the top states in the nation for ATV accidents.

So today we begin with SUNUP's Kurtis Hair getting an ATV safety lesson from 4-H. - We're joined now by Ravyn Bevard, our OSU extension 4-H youth safety coordinator.

And Ravyn, you know, for your job you're usually talking to youth about how they can stay safe on ATVs, but really everybody of all ages needs to know how to stay safe on ATVs.

- Absolutely.

So here recently I heard about a freshman.

She was about 14 years old and down in Southeastern Oklahoma, she actually was involved in an ATV accident and unfortunately she is no longer here today with us.

So really these safety tips that we're gonna be going over, they apply to all ages.

- So let's just dive right into the safety tips.

- Yeah.

- You know, before you even get on the ATV, what are some things that you need to consider?

- So the number one thing that we always talk about is you always want to make sure that you have a helmet on.

- [Kurtis] Obviously, yeah.

- If you don't follow any of the other safety tips, please make sure that you have a helmet on because a helmet can save your life and it only takes one time.

But other things that we really wanna make sure that people wear are safety goggles, because a little speck of dust can cause you to lose control of the machine without you realizing it.

Gloves protect your hands.

Also helps absorb some of the vibrations from the handlebars.

But also a long sleeve shirt.

And most people don't think about a long sleeve shirt because usually, you know, it's cool, you wanna feel the air, and it's, like it's nice weather to ride in.

But a long sleeve shirt is gonna protect you from the sun rays but also if you're riding through brush, it's gonna protect you from getting scratched up.

A long sleeve shirt, long pants, and the last thing would be closed toed shoes that go up and over your ankle to help give your ankle some additional support.

- So you know, you know actually getting on the ATVs, what are some safety tips that you need to consider there?

- Yeah, so we really like to talk about size to fit.

And so whenever you get on the machine and you're standing, you wanna make sure that there's at least six inches between your body and the seat of the machine.

But then when you sit down and you have your hands on the handlebars, you know, making sure that there is a, at least like a 90-degree angle in your elbows to make sure that you can really kind of push and pull those handlebars and you can control them.

But then when you're sitting, you know, reach all four fingers out and make sure that all four of your fingers go over those handlebars or over those brakes and make sure that you can actually fully pull them back.

- Also knowing what type of machine and how powerful it is is probably really important as well.

- Yeah, so knowing the age recommendation of the machine.

So all of your machines are gonna have the warning label on the side and it's gonna say, you know, like this machine right here is for 14 and up.

The machines that we have, the remaining of the machines that we have are for 10 and up.

So making sure that your age fits the age of the machine but also going through those checklists and making sure that your body fits the machine as well.

That way you can fully handle the machine.

Because even if you follow all these tips and the machine is still too big for you, you're not gonna have near as much control as what you would on a machine that fit you more correctly and you won't have near as much fun.

- And a lot of times, you know, families when they're out, you know, just you know, having fun out on their ranch or just on their land, a lot of times for younger kids they might be, you know, riding with an adult.

Is that something that you stress to maybe not do or is it just kind of just being, just really being extra aware of those safety tips?

- It is something that we very much, we stress do not let your child ride on the machine with you.

Do not ride double.

Do not let your child go out and ride double with their friends.

Every machine will say on the back of them that they are not made for two people.

And what happens is when you put another person on that machine, now you have raised that center of gravity and so now the center of gravity starts down here, but now it's way up here and so now it's gonna be a lot easier for you to tip the machine.

But also some of the things that we really stress in our classes is shifting your weight.

That's because ATVs are what we call rider active.

That seat is made long in order for you to be able to move your body with the machine, not for somebody else to be on the back of it with you.

- And OSU actually has an ATV safety course for 4-H-ers.

And just youth in general, right?

- Yeah, so I actually run the ATV safety program and so we offer a program.

It's about three hours long.

It's partially online and then it's in person.

They go through a full training and we teach them how to handle the machine.

- Alrighty.

Thanks, Ravyn.

And for more information about that course, just go to our website, sunup.okstate.edu and stay safe out there.

(upbeat music) - Welcome to another edition of the Mesonet Weather Report.

I'm Wes Lee.

Last week, the state did see rain, but not the widespread statewide rain event that was forecasted.

Most all parts of the map show rain on this five-day rainfall map from midweek.

- However, there are mostly light accumulations in the western 2/3.

The northeast region did have some one- to two-inch totals seen and a whopping 4.86-inch total for Miami.

The storms through Wednesday seemed to bring more severe winds and hail to portions of the southwest and central regions than much-needed rain.

Shallow soil moisture, so critical for wheat germination, seems to be holding up pretty well through most of the western wheat belt.

The green and yellow areas of this percent plant available water map from the surface down to four inches is showing adequate supplies.

The red areas, mostly in the east, show soils that are dry, even in the shallower surface zones.

Looking deeper down to 32 inches, there are a lot more issues showing up.

The brown and red colors can be seen almost statewide.

Only one part of the state around Walters in Cotton County is showing a full profile of water down to this depth.

Rain chances diminish and temperatures slightly above normal continue in the forecast for next week.

Gary's up next with a drought map that just won't go away.

- Thanks Weston, good morning, everyone.

Well, we've been getting some rain, but has that helped the drought monitor map?

Let's take a look.

Unfortunately, we have a worse map for the third week in a row.

I can't really believe that we didn't see the improvements that we were expecting, but the rain continues to fall where there's not a lot of drought from northwest Oklahoma down into east-central Oklahoma.

However, only the rains after Tuesday 7:00 a.m. are considered on this map, so maybe we'll see some improvements from the recent rains on next week's map.

But if you look at this map, you see a much larger area of that extreme drought, the dark red, down in the south-central and southeast Oklahoma.

Another casualty of that flash drought that continues to strengthen over the last 60-plus days.

So unfortunately, we'll wait again for another week for a better looking map.

The flash drought's also continuing to show up on our topsoil moisture map from the USDA.

This shows the percent short to very short from across the state.

72% of the state in short or very short.

It's actually down from 79 last week, so there was a little bit of improvement, but simply not enough just yet.

As I said, a lotta the rain has been falling where there's not drought, and look up Beaver up in far northwestern Oklahoma, in the eastern Oklahoma panhandle, 25.1 inches of rain to lead the state, absolutely incredible.

You will probably never see a panhandle site lead the state other than this year, and you're probably gonna have to wait a long time at least, because it doesn't happen very often.

Take a look at that on the departure from normal map for the last 120 days.

So the last four-month period.

14.8 inches above normal for Beaver so far in the last 120 days.

So an incredible amount of rainfall for Beaver.

And also, much of the northwestern quarter of the state, as you can see from this map.

And as we look at the year thus far rainfall, from January 1 through September 20, we see Beaver's had 29.6 inches of rain.

It might not seem like a lot to the folks across eastern Oklahoma, but for Beaver, that's already the fifth wettest year in their record dating back to 1896.

That's already the fifth wettest year in their record dating back to 1896 with three months, a little bit more than three months left to go.

So maybe they can beat their all-time record.

So a few more inches, Beaver can beat its record.

How 'bout other parts of the state?

Well, hopefully they get to add to their rainfall totals as well.

That's it for this time.

We'll see ya next time on the Mesonet weather report.

- The annual Rural Economic Outlook Conference is right around the corner.

Here's Dr. Rodney Jones with a preview.

- So this year, our Rural Economic Outlook Conference is October the 11th.

That is a Wednesday.

We'll start off at eight o'clock in the morning with a breakfast.

The program will start about 8:30 or 8:45 at the Alumni Center building there on the south edge of campus here in Stillwater.

This year, we're going to feature kinda what's going on in the policy arena, where we're at the negotiating stages of a new Farm Bill, and we're gonna focus a little bit on what's been happening in the weather and kinda some weather forecasts from some folks who have made a career of specializing in looking at agricultural weather.

So we have a few outside speakers coming in.

We have some of our folks.

Okay, we'd encourage you all to join us at the conference.

You can find out more about it directly off of the SUNUP web page.

There will be a link directly to our registration page that will have the agenda and registration information.

Try to get registered before the 4th of October.

You get a little better price on that.

I think it's $50 before the 4th and 75 after the 4th.

But you can find out more about that on the SUNUP website.

(light country music) - Well the corn and sorghum harvests are underway, and soybean harvest is just right around the corner.

So Kim, with all that in mind, what's happening with prices?

- Well, if you look at the corn market, you know, we dropped off from $5.50.

That's for harvested delivered corn.

Down to around- - Oh, $4 and 50 cents up, it's up around 4.65, somewhere in that range.

You look at what's going on around the world in corn, you're looking at record corn production in the world and in the United States.

So, well, the world is just right at that record.

You look at any stocks, they're increasing for both the world and the United States, and they're above average.

And that's why we have these prices down around 4.65.

Remember, the average Oklahoma harvest price is $4 and 80 cents.

If you're looking at the soybean market, we're looking at record production in the United States, about right at last year, but record world stocks, we're looking at increasing ending stocks for the world, decreasing ending stocks for the United States, so you'd expect relatively high bean prices.

Our average somewhere around 10.90 to $11 at harvest time.

We're looking at oh, 12.50, 12.60 right now for soybean prices.

- So let's shift to input costs now, you know, past couple years we've been following it.

Fertilizer and fuel costs are really high.

Are those prices coming down at all?

- Well, fertilizer prices have come down, fuel prices came down, but they're still relatively high.

You look at 46-0-0 now, this is in northern Oklahoma, about $5 and 30 cents a ton.

28-0-0 around $300, 18-46-0 around 6.70.

If you're looking at diesel prices for the farm, diesel around 3.85 and then road diesel around 4.15.

So we've got our fuel prices staying high, possibly getting higher, and our fertilizer's down, but I think they've stabilized at these ranges.

- You know, producers are getting out, cleaning up their fields, getting ready for wheat planting if they're not already planting.

So what's 2024 wheat prices looking like?

Well, if you look at the 2024 prices, somewhere around $6 and 50 cents, a little higher in the panhandle, a little lower, probably 20 or 30 cents in southern Oklahoma.

Current price around 6.65, around the same in the panhandle.

Again, lower.

If you look what's causing these prices, you've got near-record world production, essentially about the same as last year.

The United States, our production course, 1.75 billion, our average around 1.8 last year, 1.65.

Throwing out those numbers like that, I think the important thing is that world NE stocks are going down while U.S. NE stocks are going up a little bit.

They're both below average and I think that's why we have above average prices.

- We just need a little more rain.

- That's gonna help and we need that 24 crop to look good and a relatively good price.

- Alrighty, thanks, Kim.

Dr. Kim Anderson, grain marketing specialist here at Oklahoma State University.

(mellow music) - Good morning, Oklahoma and welcome to Cow-Calf Corner.

This week's topic is the Oklahoma Quality Beef Network.

We are fortunate to be joined by Paul Vining, coordinator of the OQBN sales.

This is an interesting thing for producers in Oklahoma.

It's an opportunity to capture some premiums whenever we're gonna be selling our weaned calves, if we stick to some protocol and manage 'em accordingly.

We're pretty well documented at this point, aren't we, Paul, about the premiums producers have received out of this program over the years.

And I guess as we get started, what kind of premiums have producers been seeing going through the OQBN sales?

- Well, so far prices have been strong, as you know, just looking at the overall cattle market.

Over the past several years, over the past 11 years or so, we've seen premiums average about $13 per hundred weight.

So if that's a 500 pound calf, you're making around $65 just on the premium from OQBing alone.

So that certification does add some value.

So far we've sold a few calves in some outside sales.

I've helped some guys and the premiums have been really strong, so they're happy and I'm happy and it's a good year.

- As we get into that checklist of things that a producer would need to follow in order to get calves into an OQBN sale, what are those management practices that we need to work through?

So the calves need to be weaned at least 45 days.

They need to be raised on the ranch of origin.

Bull calves need to be castrated, calves with horns need to be de-horned, and two rounds of vaccinations.

So two rounds of respiratory vaccines with at least one of 'em being modified live.

And we have three different protocol options.

You can check online or talk with me and two rounds of black leg.

So two rounds of clostridial and should be good to go.

- And producers need to be BQA certified.

- Yes, producers do need to be BQA certified, so you can get your BQA certification online or stop in at your local extension office and we have some great educators that can help you get that.

But yes, need to be BQA certified to participate in OQBN.

- And as far as documentation that we follow these practices, how do we go about getting that done?

- Well, we have a third-party verification, so an extension educator or area livestock specialist will come out to your farm, your ranch, and look at your calves, review your protocol, review your enrollment form and your vaccination record.

- And conclude that you've met all the certifications, the requirements, and sign off on it.

So that's our third party verification, and that's where, really, OQBN kind of stands out and differs from a lot of other programs, is that we do have that third party verification and support to help you and confirm that you've met all the requirements.

- Sure.

And Paul, the question we always get back to, we know producers can get a premium for doing this.

Why does that stocker yearling operator want to pay that premium?

What's the benefit of these calves going on through the chain?

- Great question, and that's really kind of the point and the highlight of the program, is that those calves do remain healthier once they leave the ranch of origin.

So when they go to the next phase of production, they remain a lot healthier.

Studies have shown that percentages of bovine respiratory disease are less in these preconditioned calves, and it really just bolsters the reputation of the cow-calf producer and the organization as a whole, so.

- I know we got several sales lined up.

I think that first one comes up in early November.

It's at OKC West?

- Yes, the first sale's November 7th at OKC West.

We have nine other sales at some other stockyards around the state.

So we're not limited to those sales.

Those sales are special.

We advertise those sales.

I'll be at those sales to help promote the program, but if you choose to sell at a outside sale, that's no problem.

I can print a certificate with all your information on it, how many days weaned, the vaccinations that you've given, and you can sell it at your sale of choice.

- But all that information is on your OQBN website.

So producers, different parts of the state can find a sale that may work for them in their region and know that weaning date in order to have those calves weaned for at least 45 days prior to that sale.

And basically anything anybody needed to know about OQBN sales, you've got documented on that website.

- That's correct, yes.

Everything you would need to know about the program is there on the website.

If you have any questions or have trouble finding or navigating that webpage, you can contact me.

My information's on there.

We have some great area livestock specialists.

Their information is also on that webpage, and they're a great help to work with, as well.

- Great.

Paul, I appreciate your time, and as always, we appreciate you guys being with us.

Thanks for joining us on "Cow-Calf Corner."

We'll see you next week.

(upbeat music) - On the subject of value-added programs, now, specifically when it comes to calf management, here's Dr. Eric Devuys.

- Good morning, I'm Eric Devuys from the Department of Agricultural Economics.

I'm a professor and Extension Specialist.

This morning I wanna talk to you a little bit about value-added programs.

I wanna revisit some research that we did about 10 years ago looking at how individual practices affected returns to cow-calf producers and the probability that they would pay off.

So usually when you hear a number, that this practice will give you, say, $5 premium in the sale barn, it doesn't come with the probability that you're actually gonna get it because not everybody is gonna earn that premium.

So we looked at a bunch of data that we'd collected from sale barns around the state of Oklahoma that included both value-added sales and regular Wednesday sales, Tuesday sales, whenever the sale happened to take place, and analyzed that data to look at each of these practices.

The practices we looked at were weaned 30 days to 45 days, vaccinated, two rounds of vaccines, de-horned, and then we looked at them in bundles.

So weaned and vaccinated, weaned, vaccinated and de-horned, weaned, vaccinated, de-horned and a third party certification that these health management protocols were followed.

What we found was that each of them was profitable when we penciled it out, and the probability returns in all cases was greater than 50%, that you would get a positive net return from implementing them.

And as we added practices, generally the returns went up.

The biggest returning packages were weaned, vaccinated, and de-horned had a expected return of $49 a head with a 68% probability that you would earn at least a positive return.

The overall biggest, weaned, vaccinated, de-horned and third party certified had an expected return of almost $59 a head, with a probability of a positive return of at least 79%.

The easiest practice to implement is a 45-day weaning period, so where you're just gonna pull the cattle in, we're gonna wean 'em.

We recommend a fence line weaning or a paddle that goes clips into their nose.

These things reduce the stress on the calf, reduce the stress on the mama cow, and so that calf is gonna gain weight quicker than one that's just weaned and gonna take five to seven days before they really get back on gaining weight.

And that generally has a pretty good return.

We penciled that out at about $31 a head with a 62% probability that that was gonna earn a positive return.

So if you're gonna do just one thing that's actually, you gotta do it anyways, you gotta pull those calves, sort 'em off of the mama cows anyways, that's one that's pretty low cost and has a significant return associated with it.

If a producer's interested in participating in the Oklahoma.

- Quality beef network sales.

Contact your local cooperative extension educator.

We'll have those sales coming up.

They'll be on the SUNUP website here.

And you can find out more information there.

(gentle music) - So for most of Oklahoma this year, we've had a lot of rain.

And in some parts we've had just continuous days of rain.

And with rainy weather, you sometimes get some diseases that we don't often see.

And one of those is what we call rain scald or rain rot that you'll see in the skin of cattle and other animals as well.

This is caused by an organism called Dermatophilus congolensis.

Interesting name.

Dermatophilus means skin-loving.

And congolensis comes from the military veterinarian from Belgium that was in the Congo in 1915 and discovered this disease.

So we named it congolensis for Congo.

When there's this continuous rain and moisture, and you get this continuous wetting of the skin, eventually that skin barrier will break down and this organism will take advantage of that and start to grow.

What you will see is little circular lesions, kind of rough areas of hair.

We sometimes see this hair kind of tough up almost like a paintbrush look.

And you'll get some scabbing or crusting on top of those.

If you pull one of those off, you'll see a very reddened area and maybe even some puss in those areas.

Sometimes these crusts can also be mistaken for warts when they're not.

You also can get large numbers of these that will just make almost, just a large area of crust on the body of these animals as well.

These crusts will eventually separate from the skin, and you'll see just a bald spot on these animals, little circular bald spots afterwards.

Usually it's not a serious disease.

On rare occasion, we'll have some animals that have some severe problems with it.

And if these lesions happen to get on the udder or teats, these calves will have problems nursing, because the mothers won't want, because of the pain it causes.

This organism is transmitted by direct contact between animals and also biting insects will also transfer this organism to other animals.

We diagnose this based on clinical science and also a lot of times we'll just take a, what we call an impression smear, where we'll take a microscopes slide and just touch that lesion or that area that's underneath those crusts.

We'll stain it, look under the microscope, and we'll see these neat little circular cells.

They line up and we call 'em railroad tracks.

Other ways it can be diagnosed is through culture or histopathology.

As far as treatment goes, if it gets warm and dry, these a lot of times will just spontaneously go away.

If they don't, usually antibiotics are very effective in treating this disease.

Again, you can use antibacterial soaps or shampoos to kind of soften those crusts up and clean those animals up as well.

(gentle music) - Finally today, a shout out to our colleague, JJ Jones, who is the AG Economist for OSU Extension in southeastern Oklahoma.

JJ was recently elected to serve as Vice President of the National Association of County Agricultural Agents.

He'll serve in the position for a year.

JJ's been with OSU extension for 29 years and specializes in assisting livestock producers with all aspects of their financial matters.

Congratulations, JJ.

And that'll do it for our show this week.

A reminder, you can see us anytime on our website and follow us on YouTube and social media.

We leave you today with some of the sites and sounds of the recent new frontiers AG tailgate.

New Frontiers is the capital campaign behind the new state-of-the-art agriculture building currently under construction on campus, which will open next summer.

(gentle music continues) (indistinct crowd chatter) (gentle music continues) (indistinct crowd chatter)