Jennifer Sansom-Little River Co. UADA Agriculture

06/05/2026

Little River County Livestock Producers: Get in touch with FSA @ 870-667-3172 asap to file your grazing loss.

Small ruminants are a head count. On cattle, a count is needed based on these splits:
1. cows/bulls,
2. weaned calves over 500 #, and
3. weaned calves under 500 #

Pic for attention.

05/28/2026

Several requests have been made this week concerning the 'Farmer ID card' acquisition process. For further guidance, please access https://atap.arkansas.gov/ and refer to the instructions located at the bottom of the webpage.

05/20/2026

This is all true even in far SW AR! Give Sherri Sanders UADA White County Agent’s post a read!

05/20/2026

We visited about the Asian Longhorn Tick last night at our Cattlemen’s meeting. This is a very large threat with no known “cure”. Theileria is a bigger issue to us than the New World Screwworm wil be!

Please take time to listen in! Or call me for more info!

❗🐄 Theileria has now been confirmed in 15 Arkansas counties, and the Asian longhorned tick that carries it in 10. Left unchecked, this tick-borne pathogen can cause weight loss, anemia, reproductive losses, and suppressed milk production in cattle, symptoms that can look a lot like anaplasmosis, making it easy to miss. 🔎

Our extension entomologist Kelly Loftin and animal health specialist Kirsten Midkiff will be hosting a free webinar this Friday, May 22 covering the latest county-by-county spread, infection rates among Arkansas cattle, tick and cattle management strategies, and the importance of testing and reporting + a live Q&A with veterinarians sharing their real-world experiences with theileriosis.

🗓️ Friday, May 22, 2026
⏰ 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
🔗 Register here: bit.ly/ALT-webinar-26

Read more about Theileria here 👉 https://bit.ly/Ark-theileria-ALT-webinar



Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology Arkansas Extension Beef Systems

05/18/2026

The Importance of China in Global and U.S. Beef Markets
Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist

The role of China in global beef markets has changed rapidly in the past two decades. China (including Hong Kong) was not a player at all in global beef markets as little as fifteen years ago but has risen rapidly to become the largest beef importer in the last decade (Figure 1). For many years, China was a large beef producing and consuming country but had almost no presence in global beef markets. Starting about 2013, rising beef consumption in China began to exceed domestic beef production leading for the first time to significant beef imports.

Although per capita beef consumption in China remains relatively low, roughly 13 pounds compared to 59 pounds in the U.S., the large population means that small increases in beef consumption represent large amounts of beef in total. As a result, China/HK quickly became the largest beef importing country, surpassing the U.S. by 2017 (Figure 2). As recently as 2022, China/HK accounted for over 35 percent of global beef imports.

Part of the growth in beef imports in China/HK included increased exports of U.S. beef to China. Hong Kong was a significant beef export market in the 2010s, representing as much as 16 percent of total U.S. beef exports, and was the number three export market. It was generally recognized that a portion of exports to Hong Kong were subsequently transshipped into China. After the U.S. achieved official access to China, beef exports began to grow, with exports to Hong Kong decreasing as expected (Figure 3). For this reason, data from China and Hong Kong are combined, although still reported separately.

In 2025, with tariffs in place and U.S. access to China revoked, exports to China/HK decreased sharply, although beef exports to Hong Kong increased to slightly offset the total decrease (due to different political responses in Hong Kong). The China/HK share of U.S. beef exports dropped from 18.7 percent (third largest) to 10.4 percent of total beef exports and fourth place among beef export destinations (Figure 4).

While China/HK quickly grew to be a major U.S. beef export market after 2020, the U.S. share of total China/HK beef imports has been relatively small. The U.S. share of total beef imports in China/HK peaked at 8.8 percent in 2022 and dropped to 3.7 percent in 2025. There is no doubt that China/HK generally represents significant beef export potential for the U.S. in the absence of political barriers.

Figure 4 shows the dramatic loss of China/HK beef exports in 2025 relative to other major beef export markets. Decreased beef exports to China/HK accounted for 68 percent of the total decrease in U.S. beef exports in 2025. The impact of this loss in U.S. beef market was largely unrecognized simply because the domestic U.S. market was so strong and trending higher. Under different market circumstances, the impact would be much more evident. Part of the future prospects for herd rebuilding and increased beef production in the U.S. will depending on maintaining and building robust beef export markets and China/HK will certainly be a key component.

05/11/2026

When Fertilization is Appropriate for Fishing Ponds
One of the many characteristics landowners can manipulate with their ponds is water fertility. Done correctly, fertilization can boost fish populations, growth rates, and maximum size. Done carelessly, fertilization can intensify w**d problems, throw fish communities out of balance, and lead to oxygen problems, toxic algae, and fish kills.

Should You Fertilize
Most Arkansas pond owners should not be fertilizing their ponds. Much of the state has naturally fertile soil. You should only consider fertilization if you are motivated and able to harvest twice as many fish as typically recommended and can commit to maintaining the fertilization program indefinitely. Short-term fertilization is most often a waste of money, and abruptly ending fertilization after it has been provided for several months to years can wreck fish population balances that have become accustomed to it. Certain pond characteristics also make fertilization inappropriate. Do not fertilize if 1) the pond is consistently muddy, 2) a dense plankton bloom already exists, 3) aquatic w**ds are already established, 4) water flow through the pond is consistently high, 5) sunlight does not reach the pond, or 6) you are already applying fish feed daily. Fertilizing in these situations is at best a waste of money and at worst detrimental to the health of the pond.

Fertilizer Types
The two broadest categories of fertilizer are organic and inorganic. Organic fertilizers like alfalfa and cottonseed meal are relatively low in nutrient content compared to inorganic fertilizers. They also must decompose before the nutrients are available to plankton. This decomposition consumes oxygen and can lead to fish kills if overapplied. Organic fertilizers are acceptable for new and renovated ponds, but risky for ponds already containing fish. Inorganic fertilizers are more commonly used for ponds because they produce plankton blooms much faster, have more concentrated and consistent nutrient content, and present lower risks of oxygen problems. Pond fertilizers come in powdered, liquid and granular forms.

Application Techniques and Rates
Powdered fertilizers tend to be the easiest to apply. Simply open the bag and spread it around the surface of the pond or sprinkle it into the prop wash of a boat traveling around the pond. Liquid fertilizers produce blooms the fastest, but they must be diluted according to label instructions before applying them to the pond. Liquid fertilizers are highly concentrated, making them much denser than normal water. If applied to the pond straight from the jug with no dilution, the fertilizer will quickly sink and stay near the pond bottom. This is wasteful because the plankton we are trying to feed stay near the pond’s surface. Granular fertilizer also should not be applied straight to the pond. The granules sink to the bottom where they slowly dissolve. Much of the nutrients become trapped in the sediment, wasting the fertilizer. One way you can effectively use granulated fertilizer is to build a submerged platform within about 1 foot of the water’s surface to pour the fertilizer on. Another trick is to simply lay the fertilizer bag in the water near shore and cut an “X” into the upper side of the bag. These approaches allow wave action and currents to slowly dissolve the fertilizer near the water’s surface without losing it to the bottom mud.

Each fertilizer has a three number rating system called the NPK ratio representing the ratio of nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), and potassium (K) contained in the product. Newly built ponds are often deficient in nitrogen and phosphorous. Potassium is rarely limiting plankton blooms and is therefore often low to absent in pond fertilizers. Beginning with a 10-10-10, 20-10-0, 20-20-5, or similar fertilizer can help plankton blooms establish in new ponds faster than a phosphorous-heavy blend. When the water reaches 60°F in the spring, apply about 20 pounds per acre of these fertilizers every two weeks until the pond produces a plankton bloom that reduces water visibility to less than 24 inches (Figure 1). Once the bloom is established, shift to a phosphorous-heavy fertilizer like 10-34-0, 12-48-0, 0-46-0, or similar, and apply 4 to 8 pounds, or 0.5 to 1.0 gallon for liquid formulations, per acre only when the water clears to more than 24 inches of visibility. As the pond ages, you will likely need less fertilizer to initiate and maintain blooms. For older ponds, you can begin and maintain blooms with phosphorous-heavy blends as nitrogen supplies within the pond are usually sufficient.

Monitoring the Bloom
The “Secchi disk” is a tool used by casual and professional pond managers to measure water clarity (Figure 2). It is simply a flat disk painted in alternating contrasting colors lowered into the water at the end of a measured stick or pipe until the disk is no longer visible. The depth at which the disk disappears is recorded as the “Secchi depth.” Ideal plankton bloom density will produce a Secchi depth of 18 to 24 inches. Do not fertilize until the Secchi depth has increased to more than 24 inches.

What to Watch Out for in April:
Aquatic w**ds are growing now; herbicide applications are generally effective this time of year. DIY plant ID resources can be found at Texas A&M’s Aquaplant “Identify a Plant” directory https://aquaplant.tamu.edu/. The MP556 (https://www.uaex.uada.edu/publications/pdf/MP556.pdf) contains photos of most common problematic aquatic w**ds in Arkansas along with management guidance. There is also an aquatics section in MP44, covering herbicide selection and precautions.

Pond Management Tasks for April:
Fertilization and feeding programs should be underway. It is time for aquatic dye for w**d/algae control. Be aware that during the rainy season dyes will need to be reapplied regularly to maintain effective concentration. Begin herbicide applications for troublesome w**ds. This is a favorable time for fish stocking (species and numbers depend on the client’s situation and pond conditions). Now that weather is nice, people will resume fishing so harvesting largemouth bass (10-15 lbs/acre/yr for normal ponds, 25-35 lbs/acre/yr for bass-crowded or highly productive ponds) is encouraged. Harvest of bluegill less than about 7 inches in length up to about 25 lbs/acre/yr is acceptable. Aggressive harvest of all crappie caught, especially from ponds smaller than about 25 acres is encouraged. Crappie are s*xually mature at about 6 inches and can spawn prolifically (often resulting in overpopulation in small ponds) so aggressive harvest of eating-size crappie often does not result in crippling the spawning capabilities of the fishery. Begin mowing grass on dams and levees to keep brush and saplings from developing. Keep drains and spillways clear of debris and clogs so that they are working efficiently during the rainy season. Turn on aerators if they have been off for the winter. For diffused aeration systems, follow the startup schedule of: Day 1, run 30 minutes then turn it off the rest of the day. Day 2, run 1 hour. Day 3, run 2 hours. Day 4, run 4 hours. Continue doubling the run time each day.

Scott Jones
Small Impoundment Extension Specialist / Instructor II
Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries
University of Arkansas Pine Bluff

05/10/2026

Horn flies cause stress, reduce grazing, and harm cattle health. Integrated pest management is key to control.

05/05/2026

🍓We had an odd discovery today in a Strawberry bed.
Thanks to Dr. Amanda McWhirt, we have a diagnosis. It’s Vivipary! It's an odd phenomena where the seed germinates while still on the mother plant. It doesn’t hurt anything but the producer can’t sell the fruit.

05/04/2026

Nitrogen Fertilizer Economics in Cow–Calf Operations
Paul Beck Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Beef Cattle Nutrition Specialist

Nitrogen fertilizer has always been one of the most powerful tools available to forage-based cattle producers, but it is also one of the most expensive. Nitrogen is produced from natural gas, so fertilizer prices tend to rise and fall with energy markets. As fertilizer costs increase, the key question for cow–calf producers is not “Can I afford to fertilize?” but should be “Under what conditions does fertilization provide a payback?” and “Can I afford not to fertilize?”

For bermudagrass, Old World bluestem, and other warm-season perennial pastures nitrogen remains one of the most reliable inputs for increasing forage production. A good rule of thumb is that each pound of nitrogen applied will produce 30 to 40 pounds of additional forage under adequate moisture and soil fertility conditions. That response has been remarkably consistent over time and across operations.

However, the economics change as fertilizer prices increase. At $800 per ton of urea, nitrogen cost is 87 cents per pound, the cost of additional forage runs up to $60 to $80 per ton, depending on application efficiency and growing conditions. That is significantly higher than what many of us were used to just a few years ago. The decision to fertilize should therefore be based on the value of the forage produced, not just the cost of fertilizer.

One useful way to think about nitrogen fertilizer in cow–calf systems is in terms of calf value. In stocker systems, each pound of nitrogen can produce roughly 1.5 to 2 pounds of additional gain. In cow–calf operations, the response is less direct but still meaningful through improved carrying capacity and weaning weights. A practical guideline is that a calf value–to–nitrogen cost ratio of 2.5 indicates fertilization is economically justified. At current fertilizer price levels and with a 500-lb calf valued at about $5.00 per pound, the economics strongly favor fertilization in many operations, with a calf value–to–nitrogen cost ratio exceeding 5.

If fertilizer budgets are tight, producers still have options. The first is to apply nitrogen strategically rather than uniformly. Target fields with the highest yield potential, adequate soil fertility, and reliable moisture. The second is to improve forage utilization. Better grazing management, timely rotation, and maintaining proper stocking rates can increase the amount of forage harvested by cattle rather than lost to trampling or excessive maturity.

Nitrogen fertilizer is an investment not just an expense. When cattle prices are strong, the economics often favor maintaining fertility programs, even in periods of high input costs. The key is to match fertilizer use with forage demand, manage pastures efficiently, and make each pound of nitrogen work as hard as possible.