K-State Research and Extension Southwind District Agent Joy Miller

620-223-3720 or [email protected]

Just rattle off how many pounds you want to lose, what pant size you want to wear, how much weight you want to squat, or the date you need to look photo-ready and you are on your way. That is how most people set goals. Typical resolutions and goals often lead to feeling lost, confused, overwhelmed, and crushed by ‘should’. Continue reading for tips on how to create your 2020 blue print to build the skills you need to reach your goal this year.

When someone is asked about their fitness goals, most people start with the outcome(s) they want: lose 20 pounds, six pack abs, binge less often, bench press a certain amount of weight. Outcome goals describe how we want things to be at the end of the process. There is nothing wrong with starting with the end in mind but we may not have control on how things turn out.

Set a behavior goal to focus on the things you do have control over. They represent your commitment to practice a particular set of actions or tasks every day, as consistently and regularly as possible. Examples: Lose weight (outcome), eat until satisfied instead of stuffed at each meal (behavior). Squat more weight (outcome), squat 3 times a week at various intensities (behavior). Want a better relationship with a partner (outcome), have a date night once a week (behavior).

Both outcome and behavior goals are trackable. Behavior goals are usually more effective because they give you something to do and track each day.

Avoidance goals, you know the ones-stop drinking soda, absolutely no sugar, stop smoking. Avoid goals are nice and straightforward, seems logical they would push you away from something bad or something that threatens what you want to achieve. This type of goal is a lot of psychological work, taking up mental and emotional real estate and energy. All you think about is what you are not doing or shouldn’t do but really want to do.

Turn avoidance goals into approach goals. Approach goals pull you toward something desirable, focus on feeling good or about doing good for ourselves. Revisiting the stop drinking soda (avoid) an approach solution could be drink a glass of water with meals each day, the benefit may be headaches are gone.

Performance goals are similar to outcome goals and usually associated with external validation such as wanting to get good grades or win a competition. Performance goals can be fun for a while, pushing yourself to be your best. It can also be demotivating if they don’t work out. Just like outcome goals, performance goals are often limited by factors outside your control. Performance goals also put our happiness and satisfaction in the hands of someone or something else. This may be pleasing a coach or parent, beating a competitor, social media likes, etc.

Instead of setting performance goals, create mastery goals that emphasize the process of getting a little bit better each day at a particular skill. Mastery is gratifying because no matter what others think or do, you can still feel good about your own personal progression. Mastery goals involve words like ‘work on’, ‘build’, and ‘practice’.

To help with your health and fitness goals this year, visit Southwind.k-state.edu for upcoming programs such as Stay Strong Stay Health and Walk Kansas. The Southwind District has other upcoming events and resources to help you work toward your goals of health, finance, and overall well-being.

The amount of grain left in the field for cattle to eat after harvest has been reduced considerably in recent years through modern farming improvements. However, weather conditions can result in significant ear drop or plant lodging. Before turning cattle out for grazing, scout fields to look for piles of grain on the ground and determine if there is over 8-10 bushels of grain on the ground. If so, management should be taken to remove these piles prior to turning out cattle on the residue. Be sure that cattle have had access to plenty of hay before turning them out into cornfields, to keep hungry cows from gorging in grain.

Any grain available, in the field after harvest, would have the highest protein content followed by the leaves. The cob has the lowest protein and energy value. The stalk and husks have similar crude protein content, but more energy is available from the husks than the stalks due to the lower lignin content. In general, leaves from milo sorghum residue have higher protein content than corn leaves. The stalks of corn and sorghum are similar in protein, but digestibility is somewhat higher in sorghum than corn.

To ensure adequate residue to protect soil remains on the field after grazing, we can use animal weight and grain yield to determine the amount of grazing available. Cattle will readily remove approximately 15% of the residue (leaves and husk), but can be forced to remove more if desired. The goal should be to leave at least ½ of the total amount of residue on the field.

If corn yield is 180 bu/acre, a rule of thumb is to divide by 3.5 to get grazing days for a 1200-pound cow. In this case, 180 bu/acre corn residue should provide approximately 51 days of grazing (180/3.5 = 51) for a 1200 lb cow. The harvest index is similar for both corn and grain sorghum, so an 85 bus/acre dryland sorghum divided by 3.5, would provide approximately 24 days of grazing (85/3.5 = 24). A lactating cow or a heavier cow will consume more dry matter and the days of grazing would be adjusted downward. And of course, a smaller animal could graze longer.

Cattle will selectively graze the crop residue, eating the highest quality portions first, grain then leaves and husks. Depending on the stocking rate, amount of grain available, and nutrient demands of the cows, no energy or protein supplementation may be needed early in the grazing period for dry cows with a body condition score of 5 or more. Contact your local extension office for more information about body Condition Scoring. Southwind Extension District Agent Christopher Petty is available for farm visits to explain this process using your cow herd. Weathering and trampling will decrease quality over time and this loss is greater with moisture and high humidity.

Cattle will cause soil compaction in paths leading to and around a water source. These compacted areas will only be surface compaction in the top 2-inches of soil. These compacted areas can be remedied by shallow tillage or spreading manure on the trafficked area if no-till is used. Results on soil compaction from grazing have shown mixed results. A study near Bushland, TX found surface compaction in a no-till system reduced crop yield after several years of grazing. While grazing studies from Nebraska found no increase in compaction and increased crop yield. Studies from western Kansas found compaction to only occur in the top two inches when grazing occurred on wet soils and shallow tillage removed any compaction. Compaction will be less on frozen, dry, sandy soils. It is best to remove cattle from the field to a nearby perennial pasture if the field stays wet and not frozen. Also, the farmer should be open to using light tillage should compaction occur.

Nutrient removal from grazing – Another common concern about grazing residue is nutrient removal. Nutrient removal will vary by the type of animal, with a growing calf requiring more nitrogen than a mature dry cow. Dry cows will typically be used to graze residue, which will remove between 1 and 2 lbs of nitrogen per acre (depending on crop yield) and few other nutrients. Crop residue is low in phosphorus; thus, farmers will likely supply a free-choice mineral, resulting in an increase in the amount of phosphorus and calcium left in the field.

When used properly, harvested corn and milo fields can work effectively to decrease the amount of hay needed to feed hay throughout the winter months. Unfortunately, soybean stubble is of little to no value, and cannot be used in the same manner. For more information about grazing grain stubble, contact your local extension office.