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2016 Annual Progress Report Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari 6502 Quay Road AM.5 Tucumcari, NM 88401

Annual Progress Report - tucumcarisc.nmsu.eduMr. Bill Humphries Mr. Devin Kanapilly Mr. Justin Knight Mr. Robert Lopez, Chairman Mr. Franklin McCasland, Vice Chairman Ms. Marie Nava

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  • 2016 Annual Progress Report

    Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari 6502 Quay Road AM.5 Tucumcari, NM 88401

  • NOTICE TO USERS OF THIS REPORT

    This report has been prepared to aid Science Center staff in analyzing results of the various research projects from the past year and to record data for future reference. These are not formal Agricultural Experiment Station Report research results.

    Information in this report represents only one years research. The reader is cautioned against drawing conclusions or making recommendations as a result of data in this report. In many instances, data represents only one of several years results that will constitute the final formal report. It should be pointed out, that staff members have made every effort to check the accuracy of the data presented.

    This report was not prepared as a formal release. None of the data are authorized for release or publication, without the written prior approval of the New Mexico Agricultural Experiment Station.

    Dr. David Thompso ssociate Dean and Director Agricultural Experiment Station

    The College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences is an engine for economic and community development in New Mexico. ACES academic programs help students discover new knowledge and become leaders in environmental stewardship, food and fiber production, water use and conservation, and improving the health of all New Mexicans. The College's research and extension outreach arms reach every county in the state and provide research-based knowledge and programs to improve the lives of all New Mexicans.

  • 2016 ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT

    New Mexico State University Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari

    6502 Quay Road AM.5 Tucumcari, NM 88401-9661

    Leonard M. Lauriault, Editor Leonard Lauriault College Professor

    Forage Crop Management Scientist and Superintendent

    Murali Darapuneni, Ph.D. Assistant Professor

    Semi-Arid Dryland Cropping Systems

    Patricia Cooksey Associate Administrative Assistant

    Ashley Cunningham Agricultural Research Assistant

    Jason Box Farm/Ranch Manager

    Shane Jennings Research Lab Tech

    Jared Jennings Senior Laborer

    Anthony Williams Laborer

  • Table of Contents

    Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................................................iii

    Introduction.................................................................................................................................................... 1

    Annual Weather Summary.......................................................................................................................... 12

    Operational Revenues and Expenditures ................................................................................................... 16

    Livestock Research

    Tucumcari Beef Cattle Feed Efficiency Testing .......................................................................................... 20

    Evaluation of Winter/Spring Pastures for Beef Steers ................................................................................ 24

    Evaluation of Fall/Winter Pastures for Late Gestation to Early Lactation Beef Cows................................. 26

    Cropping System Research

    Alternative Crops in Winter Wheat-Based Cropping Systems.................................................................... 28

    Manure Incorporation in Strip Tillage Systems ........................................................................................... 31

    Evaluation of Spring Planted Cover/Rotation Crop Alternatives for Semi-Arid Cropping Systems............ 34

    Evaluation of Fall Planted Cover/Rotation Crop Alternatives for Semi-Arid Cropping Systems................. 36

    Reduced Tillage in Corn.............................................................................................................................. 37

    Cover Crops for Improving Sustainability of Winter Wheat - Sorghum – Fallow Cropping Systems.......... 39

    Forage Crop Research

    Alfalfa Planting Date.................................................................................................................................... 40

    Alfalfa Winter Irrigation................................................................................................................................ 42

    Effect of Valent Product AB-1880 on Alfalfa Growth .................................................................................. 45

    Improving Drought and Salinity Tolerance in Maize (Zea mays L.) by Introgression of Southwestern Developed Open Pollinated Landraces ...................................................................................................... 50

    Kochia Variety, Site, and Planting Date Evaluation .................................................................................... 53

    Crop Performance Evaluations

    Alfalfa Variety Testing in the Tucumcari Irrigation Project .......................................................................... 54

    Performance of Irrigated Forage Sorghum Under a Single-cut Silage System in the Tucumcari Irrigation’ Project ......................................................................................................................................... 56

    Performance of Irrigated Sorghum-Sudangrass in the Tucumcari Irrigation Project .................................. 58

  • Performance of Treated Municipal Wastewater-Irrigated Grain Corn in the Tucumcari Irrigation Project ......................................................................................................................................................... 60

    Performance of Cotton in the Tucumcari Irrigation Project

    Performance of Treated Municipal Wastewater Irrigated (Full Irrigation) and Dryland Grain Sorghum

    ......................................................................... 62

    in the Tucumcari Irrigation Project .............................................................................................................. 65

    Jujubes Cultivar Evaluation......................................................................................................................... 67

    Production Evaluation of Pinto Beans Under Irrigated Conditions ............................................................. 68

    Miscellaneous

    Evaluation of Yucca Fiber Harvesting Techniques ..................................................................................... 69

    Impact of Soil Salts and Irrigation Water Source on Cotton ....................................................................... 70

    Studies with failed Satisfactory Establishment or Completion in 2016 ....................................................... 73

  • Acknowledgements

    Several individuals and companies donated products and services to the Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari during 2016. Appreciation is expressed to the following persons and organizations for their contributions.

    Agricultural Science Center Advisory Committee

    Mr. Phillip Box Mr. Will Cantrell Mr. Donald Carter Mr. Calvin Downey Mr. Paul Estrada Mr. David Foote Mr. Cooper Glover Ms. Janet Griffiths Mr. Bill Humphries Mr. Devin Kanapilly Mr. Justin Knight Mr. Robert Lopez, Chairman Mr. Franklin McCasland, Vice Chairman Ms. Marie Nava Mr. Jim Norris Mr. Sean Reagan Mr. Cedar Rush Mr. Tom Sidwell Mr. Elmer Schuster

    ADM Seeds Chicago, IL ................................................................................................................. Pinto bean Seed

    Arch Hurley Conservancy District – Franklin McCasland Tucumcari, NM................................................................................................................ Field Day Meal

    Box Insurance Agency – Phillip Box Tucumcari, NM................................................................................................................ Field Day Meal

    Box Irrigation – Phillip Box Tucumcari, NM................................................................................................................ Field Day Meal

    Canadian River SWCD – Tommy Wallace Tucumcari, NM................................................................................................................ Field Day Meal

    Central Bean Co. Quincy, WA ........................................... 5 lbs. Lariat Pinto Bean Seed, 5 lbs. Max Pinto Bean Seed, & ...........................................................................................................5lbs. Stampede Pinto Bean Seed

    Citizen’s Bank – Cooper Glover Tucumcari, NM................................................................................................................ Field Day Meal

    Curtis & Curtis Seed & Supply, Blake Curtis Clovis, NM.................................................. Field Day Meal, 15 lbs. KS585 + Concept Grain Sorghum, ..........................................................................................................Hairy Vetch and Red Clover Seed

    Deer Creek Seed – Kristi Schraufnagel Windsor, WI............................................................................................... 30 lbs. Austrian Winter Peas

    Desert Mesa Insurance Agency, Beverly Choate/Justin Knight Tucumcari, NM............................................................................................................... Field Day Meal

    ii

  • Dickinson Implement - Dwight Haller Tucumcari, NM................................................................................................................ Field Day Meal

    Eastern Colorado Seed Co. Burlington, CO ..............................................................................50 lbs. Wonderleaf Pearl Millet Seed

    Farm Credit Services – Will Cantrell Tucumcari, NM................................................................................................................ Field Day Meal

    Farmers’ Electric Cooperative, Inc. – Lance Adkins Clovis, NM....................................................................................................................... Field Day Meal

    First Title Service LLC – Rex & Cyndie Kirksey Tucumcari, NM................................................................................................................ Field Day Meal

    FNB New Mexico – Corby Mackey Tucumcari, NM................................................................................................................ Field Day Meal

    Lois Grant ................................................................................................................................ 5 lbs. Tepary beans

    Gayland Ward Seed – Gayland Ward Hereford, TX............................................................................. 50 lbs. Winterhawk Winter Wheat Seed

    Green Cover Seed – Keith Berns Bladen, NE................................................... 10 lbs. Frosty Clover Seed & 10 lbs. Balady Clover Seed

    Kansas State University – Dr. Michael Stamm ...................................................................................................................200 lbs. Griffin Canola Seed

    Kelley Bean Co. Scottsbluff, NE .................................................................................... 50 lbs. Poncho Pinto Bean Seed

    Lowe's Grocery Store # 94 Tucumcari, NM................................................................................................................ Field Day Meal

    Meridian Seed Company Casselton, ND .............................................................................50 lbs. CDC Frontier Chickpea Seed

    Monsanto – Mark Myers Oxnard, CA..................................................................................................... 18 lbs. Pinto Bean Seed

    Monsanto – Kyle Lawles Oxnard, CA....................................................................15 lbs. Round-up Ready Spring Canola Seed .......................................................................................50 lbs. Round-up Ready Winter Canola Seed

    Pogue Agri Partners Inc. Kenedy, TX.................................. 25 lbs. Rongai Lablab Seed and 50 lbs. Iron & Clay Cowpea Seed

    Texas A&M University – Dr. Gerald Smith ............................................................................................................ 2 lbs. Overton R18 Rose Clover

    The Pampered Chef, Sherry Byrd, Consultant Clovis, NM....................................................................................................................... Field Day Meal

    iii

  • Tucumcari/Quay County Chamber of Commerce – Gail Sanders Tucumcari, NM................................................................................................................ Field Day Meal

    Tucumcari Federal Savings & Loan – David Hale Tucumcari, NM................................................................................................................ Field Day Meal

    Tucumcari LP Gas and Oil – Toni Foote Tucumcari, NM................................................................................................................ Field Day Meal

    Tucumcari General Insurance – C.J. Wiegel Tucumcari, NM................................................................................................................ Field Day Meal

    Valent Chemical Company – Chris Meador Lubbock, TX............................................................................................1 lb. Xentari & 1 qt. Evergreen

    Verdesan Life Sciences LLC – Kurt Seevers Kentland, IN .............................................. 1 lb. N-Dure Peanut/Cowpea/Lespedeza/Mung Bean Seed .................................................................................................. 1 lb. N-Dure Garbanzo/Chickpea Seed

    Warner Seed Co. Lubbock, TX........................................................................... German Millet Seed & Proso Millet Seed

    Watkins Products – Kathleen Box, Consultant Tucumcari, NM................................................................................................................ Field Day Meal

    Wells Fargo Bank NA – Sandra Mapes Tucumcari, NM................................................................................................................ Field Day Meal

    iv

  • Introduction The New Mexico State University Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari is located on U.S. Highway 54 three miles northeast of Tucumcari and Interstate 40, Exit 333. The center consists of 464 acres, with 170.9 acres having Arch Hurley Conservancy District water rights. In operation since 1912, the center is New Mexico State University’s oldest continuously operating off-campus research facility. Home of the annual Tucumcari Bull Test (also known as Tucumcari Feed Efficiency Test, LLC, TFET), which helps producers improve their beef herds, the center’s mission also includes developing forage and grazing systems for irrigated lands in the western USA and the evaluation of crops for local adaptation and semi-arid irrigated and dryland cropping systems. Historical research at the center evaluated trees for windbreak and farmstead plantings, which led to the establishment of over 50 species of trees and shrubs on the center grounds, making it an oasis of trees in a sea of native grassland.

    Significant events at the Agricultural Science Center in 2016 included: (1) Murali Darapuneni acquiring three graduate students, two of which will conduct a portion of their research at the center, (2) Patricia Cooksey receiving the NMSU ACES Malone Farms Endowed Staff Award Off-Campus, (3) an attendance of 134 at Field Day, (4) hosting nearly 250 students, teachers, and volunteers at a Kids, Kows, and More event, and (5) purchase of a telehandling forklift and a hay pickup truck using NM Capital Outlay funds. These and other activities hosted or participated in by the staff at the Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari along with the ongoing projects are described in this publication, which is available online at http://tucumcarisc.nmsu.edu/projects--results.html.

    Outreach Events, Productivity and Activities

    Beef Cattle Feed Efficiency Testing

    Due to growth of what had previously been called the Bull Testing Program into the Tucumcari Feed Efficiency Test, which is a year round program that includes a heifer test, information about this program will be presented in a separate article beginning on page 20 of this report.

    Field Day

    The center hosted its Annual Field Day on August 2, 2016, with 134 in attendance. The program, held in the Bull Test Sale Barn, included dinner, sponsored by local businesses and catered Del’s Restaurant preceded by a presentation by NMSU College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences new Dean, Dr. Rolando A. Flores (shown to the right), who was introduced by Dr. Dave Thompson, Associate Dean of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences and Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station.

    The field tour went to the center’s Highway Pivot and included the following presentations:

    • Marcy Ward, NMSU Extension Livestock Specialist/Roy Hartzog, President, Tucumcari Feed Efficiency Test, LLC: The GrowSafe System.

    • Shengrui Yao, NMSU Extension Fruit Specialist, Jujubes for eastern New Mexico. • Leonard Lauriault, NMSU Forge Crop Management Scientist: Perennial forage kochia. • Mark Marsalis, NMSU Extension Forage Specialist: Alfalfa planting dates. • Murali Darapuneni, NMSU Semiarid Cropping Systems Specialist: Cropping systems and

    rotations/cover crops.

    Dinner and refreshments were sponsored by the local businesses listed on page iii.

    Other Public Programs Hosted by the Agricultural Science Center in 2016

    On March 18, the center hosted a Quay County Fair steer and heifer tagging day.

    On April 22 & 29, the center provided soil pits for the Quay County 4-H Land Judging Team to practice in preparation for the National Competition in Oklahoma City. The Tucumcari FFA Chapter Home site Judging Team also used the soil pits to practice for the National Competition in Oklahoma City.

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    http://tucumcarisc.nmsu.edu/projects--results.html

  • An Earth Day community service project was held on April 28, 2016, for members of Tucumcari High School Senior Class.

    The center hosted Marcela Checco, undergraduate student from Brazil, on July 18-19, 2016, acquainting her with the research programs.

    On September 6, 2016, the center hosted a sprayer clinic to demonstrate sprayers for lease by the Canadian River Soil and Water Conservation District. The Quay County Cooperative Extension Service also collaborated on the program.

    On September 15, 2016, the center hosted a field laboratory lecture for the Mesalands Community College Range Science Class (see the article on Feed Efficiency Testing on page 20 for other interaction with classes from Mesalands Community College).

    In collaboration with the Quay County Cooperative Extension Service Office and coordinated by Joyce Runyan, the center hosted an all-day Kids, Kows, and More event for the fourth and fifth grade classes from Tucumcari, San Jon, Logan, and Grady on September 22, 2016, with presentations repeated in the afternoon for the outlying schools. Participants included 223 students, 13 teachers, 11 volunteers, and 6 presenters Presentation topics included:

    • More than a cow (Karen Kelling/Carolyn Bedford, New Mexico Beef Council) • Who lives in the rumen? (Ashley Cunningham, Agricultural Research Assistant, Agricultural

    Science Center at Tucumcari) • Soil nutrients and plant health (Murali Darapuneni) • Kids, Kows, and Kuds (Leonard Lauriault) • Portable milking parlor (Cody Lightfoot/Kelli Goodpasture, Southwest Dairy Farmers)

    The center also remained open for tours of the Eastern New Mexico Outdoor Arboretum. More details about these activities are given elsewhere in this report.

    Quay County Cotton Boll Weevil Control District

    The Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari continued to assist the Quay County Cotton Boll Weevil Control District (QCCBWCD) with its activities in 2016. In addition to cotton grown at the Agricultural Science Center, 1456 acres were grown in the county. Jason Lamb, Quay County Cooperative Extension Service Agent for Agriculture, scouted for boll weevil and pink bollworm using traps with no captures. Activities by QCCBWCD were mostly limited to maintaining an active organization so as to maintain a record of boll weevil activity in the area, in preparation for future cotton production in the area.

    Advisory Committee

    The Advisory Committee to the Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari met April 6 and December 16, 2016, at the PowWow Restaurant. Minutes of the meetings are available upon request at the center’s office.

    At the April meeting, Dr. Steve Loring, Associate Director of the New Mexico Agricultural Experiment Station gave an update on the University and the recent legislative session. Leonard Lauriault gave an update on the wastewater reuse project, his current research projects at the center, and the enhancement initiative. Murali Darapuneni gave an update on his current and proposed research programs. Advisory Committee members provided input for future research projects and decided to have a meeting in the fall to discuss the enhancement initiative and any legislative activity and to provide input for future research with the thought that it would give the center more time to address the input and develop research projects. This was what was discussed at the fall meeting.

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  • Personnel and Facilities

    Personnel

    Jenny Page was hired as a Laborer effective April 18, 2016, and only worked that one day.

    Herbert Anthony Williams was hired as a Laborer effective June 1, 2016.

    A list of temporary employees at the center in 2016 is shown below:

    Name Job Title Dates of Employment Alice Johnson Custodian 01/01/2016 – 12/31/2016 Sarah Brown Laborer 5/25/2016 – 7/15/2016

    Internal and External Connections

    Several College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences personnel from other locations worked cooperatively with staff at the Tucumcari center in 2016. These individuals included: Sangu Angadi, Leslie Beck, Sultan Begna, Jane Breen-Pierce, Owen Burney, Kenneth C. Carroll, Shad Cox, Tom Dominguez, David DuBois, Robert Flynn, Rajan Ghimere, Befekadu Goraw, Kulbhushan Grover, Steve Guldan, Robert Hagevoort, Charles Havlik, Omar Holguin, Mike Hubbert, John Idowu, Jason Lamb, Bernd Leinauer, Kevin Lombard, Clint Loest, Steve Loring, Mark Marsalis, Abdel Mesbah, John Mexal, Mick O’Neill, Curtis Owen, Chris Pierce, Tom Place, Gino Picchioni, Rich Pratt, Naveen Puppala, Ian Ray, Joyce Runyan, Aaron Scott, Eric Scholljegerdes, Brian Schutte, Manoj Shukla, Gerald Sims, Carol Sutherland, Dave Thompson, April Ulery, Frank Ward, Marcy Ward, Margaret West, Pei Xu, Shengrui Yao, and Jinfa Zhang.

    Individuals from outside the NMSU College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, who worked cooperatively with center staff in 2016 were:

    New Mexico: Canadian River Soil and Water Conservation District: Supervisors and Chelsea Muncy Canadian River Riparian Restoration Project: Jack Chatfield City of Tucumcari: Jared Langenegger, Doug Powers, City Commission, and Calvin Henson Greater Tucumcari Economic Development Corporation, Patrick Vanderpool and Board of Directors Mesalands Commnity College: Staci Stanbrough and students of Animal and Plant Science Classes Northeast New Mexico Regional Water Planning Committee Ute Lake Watershed-based Planning Group New Mexico Department of Agriculture: Cary Hamilton New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs: Eric Blinman New Mexico Economic Development Department: Tim Hagaman New Mexico Transportation Department Quay County Government: County Commission, Larry Moore, and Richard Primrose Quay County Sun: Thomas Garcia Tucumcari Feed Efficiency Test, LLC dba Tucumcari Bull Test: Leadership and Members Tucumcari Public Schools: Kandi Hutchins, Jan Klinger, Tonya Hodges, and Doris Houlihan USDA: Kenneth Alcon (NRCS, Las Vegas, NM) and David Dreesen (NRCS PMC Los Lunas, NM)

    USA: Texas AgriLife Research and Extension: Jourdan Bell (Amarillo), G. Ray Smith (Overton), and Calvin

    Trostle (Lubbock) Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation: Lyn Vandiver University of Kentucky: Ben Goff University of Nebraska, Scottsbluff: Gary Hergert and Cody Creech University of Wisconsin – Madison: Francisco Contreras-Govea University of Wyoming: Jonathan Brant USDA: N.A. Cole and Prasanna Gowda (ARS, Bushland, TX), Aaron Miller (APHIS, Abilene, TX), and

    Blair Waldron (ARS, Logan, UT) West Texas A&M University, Canyon: Bob Stewart and Brock Blaser Valent USA Corporation: Chris Meador

    India: University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur: M.R. Umesh

    3

  • Tamil Nadu Agriculture University, Kumulur, Tiruchirappalli: K. Annadurai

    Mexico: INIFAP, Sonora: Alejandro Suárez and Luis Tamayo SENASICA: Mexico City: Gustavo Torres Universidad Autónoma de Baja California: Leonel Avendaño-Reyes, David Calderon-Mendoza, Francisco

    Loya-Olguín, and Rafael Villa-Angulo

    Pakistan: Faculty at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad

    Buildings, Grounds, and Facilities

    The Eastern New Mexico Outdoor Arboretum at the Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari remained relatively unchanged in 2016. While no trees were removed, more trees died due to the lack of irrigation. Fallen trees will be removed for firewood with smaller limbs chipped for mulch. The lilacs, honeysuckles, and smoketrees (both specimens of each type) and the skunkbush sumac had their bark mostly stripped off by grasshoppers. All plants still had green leaves at the end of the 2016 growing season. The Korean spirea and crabapple were among those that perished.

    For the Earth Day community service project on April 28, 2016, the Tucumcari High School seniors cleaned out the flower beds in front of the office, cleaned up the pollinator project, cleaned weeds from the weather yard, and picked up trash along the center’s US 54 road frontage.

    Other alterations and improvements to the grounds and facilities included replacement of the water line to the office and a new phone line to shop, in addition to those made to the feed efficiency testing facility already described.

    Irrigation Water

    The annual Arch Hurley Conservancy District assessment for 2016 was $14.00 per water right acre. The center had retained a credit of $1523.35 for pre-paid water from 2015. The total allocation for 2016 was 18 in/A or 256.35 acre-feet for the center, 72 acre-feet of which was delivered at $10/acre-foot. Water was first released into the canal on April 19, 2016, and turned off on October 31. While the water was initially allocated at 12 in/A, with another 6 in/A allocated in July, this was the first full 18-inch allocation from the Arch Hurley Conservancy District since 2001. The center retained a credit of $803.35 for prepaid water from 2016.

    Delivery of treated wastewater from the City of Tucumcari Wastewater Treatment Facility for irrigation was continuous in 2016 and total of 131.9 acre-feet were applied from January through December through the three center pivots. The total amount paid by the center to the City for that water was $15,020, including $9,000 for the water, under a 20-year contract for 300 acre-feet/year, and $6020 in electricity for pumping and labor to read the meters. Net returns from commercial hay production in 2016 that was possible due to the availability of this water was sufficient to cover the cost of this water. Also in 2016, wastewater delivery system upgrades were nearly completed using funds provided by the Agricultural Experiment Station to allow for greater storage capacity at the treatment plant. Every six months a semi-annual report is submitted to NMED showing monthly water use, meter inspection, and amount of nitrogen applied to the water use area. That report is available from the center upon request. Because the current permit expires in April 2017, an application for renewal was completed and submitted six months prior to that as suggested by NMED in October 2016.

    Sustainability and Environmental Stewardship

    Continuing with sustainability through recycling in 2016, staff at the Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari recycled 144.0 lb plastic; 61.0 lb tin cans; 38 ink or toner cartridges; and 709.8 lb paper and other fiber products. Purchased paper totaled 199.2 lb for 2016. Additionally, 40.6 gal of non-fuel petroleum lubricants were purchased in 2016 while none were recycled, although used oils are being stored for recycling.

    -

    4

  • Murali Darapuneni

    Randall Montgomery (Doctoral committee member): Blue corn evaluations under salt stress conditions. (January 1, 2016 - December 31, 2016).

    Gasper Martinez Jr. (Master’s committee co-chair): Cotton genotypes for salt stress environment (January 1, 2016 - December 31, 2016).

    Brad Crookston, Josh Machicek (Master’s committee member as adjunct faculty at West Texas A&M University in collaboration with Brock Blaser): Pearl millet response to irrigation, row spacing, and tillage in the texas high plains (January 1, 2016 - December 31, 2018).

    Leonard Lauriault

    Befekadu Goraw (Doctoral candidate: assisted with NM WRRI Student Water Research Grant in collaboration with Frank Ward): Economic performance of water conservation and storage capacity development to adapt to climate in the American Southwest – The Arch Hurley Conservancy District (April 2016 – December 2017).

    Muhammad Asif (Doctoral candidateexternal r eviewer of dissertation in collaboration with faculty at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan): Competition and management studies of Parthenium hysterophorus L. in forage sorghum (August 2016).

    Marcella Checco (Visiting Brazilian undergraduate): Acquainted her with ongoing crop and livestock research programs (July 18-19, 2016).

    Students

    Productivity Peer-Reviewed Publications

    Journal Articles

    Angadi, S., Umesh, M. R., Contreras-Govea, F., Annadurai, K., Begna, S. B., Marsalis, M. A., Cole, A., Gowda, P. H., Hagevoort, G. R., Lauriault, L. M.* (2016). In search of annual legumes to improve forage sorghum yield and nutritive value in the Southern High Plains. Online: Crop, Forage, & Turfgrass Management. https://dl.sciencesocieties.org/publications/cftm/pdfs/2/1/cftm2015.0182.

    Darapuneni, M. K., Angadi, S. V., Lauriault, L. M., Marsalis, M. et al. (2017). Grain sorghum water use efficiency and yield are impacted by tillage management systems, stubble height, and crop rotation. Crop, Forage, and Turfgrass Management. (Accepted November 28, 2016).

    Darapuneni, M. K. et al. (2017). Impact of planting date and seeding rate on forage and grain yields of dual-purpose wheat in central Texas. Crop, Forage, and Turfgrass Management. https://dl.sciencesocieties.org/publications/cftm/pdfs/2/1/cftm2016.06.0045.

    Darapuneni, M. K. et al. (2016). Effect of planting date on distribution of seasonal forage yields in dual-purpose wheat, oats, and ryegrass crops. Online: Crop, Forage, and Turfgrass Management. https://dl.sciencesocieties.org/publications/cftm/pdfs/2/1/cftm2015.0205.

    Hergert, G.W., Darapuneni, M. K. et al. (2017). Agronomic potential of using precipitated calcium carbonate on early plant growth and soil quality in the Intermountain West- Greenhouse Studies. Journal of Sugar Beet Research. (Accepted December 27, 2016,

    Cooperative Extension Service Publications

    Idowu, J., Angadi, S. V., Darapuneni, M. K., Ghimire, R. (2017). Reducing Tillage in Arid and Semi-Arid Cropping Systems: An Overview. In Press, Las Cruces, NM: Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, New Mexico State University. (Accepted November, 2016).

    Non-Peer-Reviewed Publications

    Agricultural Experiment Station Publications

    Lauriault, L. M., Ray, I., Pierce, C., Burney, O., Flynn, R. P., Marsalis, M. A., O'Neill, M. K., Cunningham, A., Havlik, C., West, M. (2016). The 2016 New Mexico Alfalfa Variety Test Report. Las Cruces, NM: Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, New Mexico State University. http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/variety_trials/AVT16.pdf

    Marsalis, M. A., Flynn, R. P., Lauriault, L. M., Mesbah, A., O'Neill, M. K. (2016). New Mexico 2015 Corn and Sorghum Performance Tests. Las Cruces, NM: Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative

    5

    http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/variety_trials/AVT16.pdfhttps://dl.sciencesocieties.org/publications/cftm/pdfs/2/1/cftm2015.0205https://dl.sciencesocieties.org/publications/cftm/pdfs/2/1/cftm2016.06.0045https://dl.sciencesocieties.org/publications/cftm/pdfs/2/1/cftm2015.0182

  • Extension Service, New Mexico State University. http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/variety_trials/15CornSorghumRpt.pdf

    Popular Press and Other Publications

    Darapuneni, M. K., Lauriault, L. M. (2016). Diversity in dryland winter wheat cropping systems. Madison, WI: ASA, CSSA, SSSA Annual International Meetings-Phoenix, AZ. November 6-9. https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2016am/webprogram/paper99915.html.

    Darapuneni, M. K., Lauriault, L. M. (2016). Manure application in strip tillage to improve resource use efficiency under dryland cropping systems. ASA, CSSA, SSSA Annual International Meetings-Phoenix, AZ. November 6-9. https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2016am/webprogram/Paper99651.html.

    Darapuneni, M. K., Lauriault, L. M. (2016) Crop diversity in winter wheat cropping systems. Proc. Western Society of Crop Science Annual Meeting, CSSA, Albuquerque, NM.

    Lauriault, L. M. (2016). Some of what I learned while on tour in New Zealand. Self-published email. Heyduck, R., Guldan, S. J., Lauriault, L. M., Falk, C. L., (2016). Relay intercropping turnips (Brassica

    rapa L.) and oats (Avena sativa L. into sweet corn (Zea mays L.) to enhance forage biomass and quality. Proc. Western Society of Crop Science Annual Meeting, CSSA, Albuquerque, NM.

    Lauriault, L. M., Marsalis, M. A. (2016). Performance of perennial cereal rye in New Mexico Proc. Western Society of Crop Science Annual Meeting, CSSA, Albuquerque, NM.

    Marsalis, M. A., Lauriault, L. M. (2016). Spring and Summer Planting Date Effects on Yield of Alfalfa in New Mexico. Proc. Western Society of Crop Science Annual Meeting, CSSA, Albuquerque, NM.

    Presentations at Public Conferences or Meetings

    Cunningham, A.E., Quay County Private Applicators Workshop, Quay County Cooperative Extension Service, Tucumcari, “Broom snakeweed and Sagebrush Management” (December 1, 2016).

    Lauriault, L. M., Quay County Private Applicators' Workshop, Quay County Cooperative Extension Service, Tucumcari, "Blister beetles and other alfalfa insect problems" (December 1, 2016).

    Lauriault, L. M., 7th Annual Forage Growers Workshop, NMSU Valencia County Cooperative Extension Service, Los Lunas, "Weed management during cool-season pasture stand removal and grass-legume mixture establishment" (November 29, 2016).

    Lauriault, L. M., Lincoln University Animal Science faculty and students, Lincoln University, Lincoln, Canterbury, New Zealand, "Research update: Forage Management Science, etc." (October 31, 2016).

    Trostle, C., Lauriault, L. M., Southwest Dairy Day, Dalhart, TX, “What’s New in Alfalfa” (October 20, 2016).

    Lauriault, L. M., Tucumcari Sprouts Garden Club, Tucumcari, NM, "The Eastern New Mexico Outdoor Arboretum" (October 11, 2016).

    Lauriault, L. M., C3RP Mills Canyon Tour, Canadian River Riparian Restoration Project/Canadian River Soil and Water Conservation District, Mills Canyon, "Sprayer Demonstration" (October 5, 2016).

    Lauriault, L. M., Kids, Kows, and More, Quay County Cooperative Extension Service, Tucumcari, "Kids, Kows, and Kuds" (September 22, 2016).

    Cunningham, A.E., Kids, Kows, and More, Quay County Cooperative Extension Service, Tucumcari, “Who lives in the rumen?” (September 22, 2016).

    Darapuneni, M. K., Kids, Kows, and More, Quay County Cooperative Extension Service, Tucumcari, " Impacts of soil nutrients on plant growth and deficiency symptoms of plant nutrients " (September 22, 2016).

    Cunningham, A.E., Sprayer Clinic, Canadian River Soil and Water Conservation District/ Canadian River Riparian Restoration Project/ Quay County Cooperative Extension Service, Tucumcari, “Sprayer components and operation” (September 6, 2016).

    Lauriault, L. M., Sprayer Clinic, Canadian River Soil and Water Conservation District/Canadian River Riparian Restoration Project/Quay County Cooperative Extension Service, Tucumcari, "Navigating the CRSWCD Sprayer Rental Agreement" (September 6, 2016).

    Lauriault, L. M., Field Day, Sustainable Agriculture Science Center, Alcalde, "Grass for hay and/or grazing" (August 11, 2016).

    Lauriault, L. M., Field Day, Sustainable Agriculture Science Center, Alcalde, "Sorghum - sudangrass for cover cropping" (August 11, 2016).

    Darapuneni, M.K., Field Day, Agricultural Science Center, Tucumcari, "Cropping Systems & Rotations" (August 2, 2016).

    6

    https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2016am/webprogram/Paper99651.htmlhttps://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2016am/webprogram/paper99915.htmlhttp://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/variety_trials/15CornSorghumRpt.pdf

  • Lauriault, L. M., Field Day, Agricultural Science Center, Tucumcari, "Perennial Forage Kochia" (August 2, 2016).

    Heyduck, R., Guldan, S. J., Lauriault, L. M., Falk, C. L., Annual Meeting of the Western Society of Crop Science, Western Society of Crop Science, Albuquerque, NM, "Relay intercropping turnips (Brassica rapa L.) and oats (Avena sativa L. into sweet corn (Zea mays L.) to enhance forage biomass and quality" (July 13, 2016).

    Lauriault, L. M., Marsalis, M. A., Annual Meeting of the Western Society of Crop Science, Western Society of Crop Science, Albuquerque, NM, "Performance of perennial cereal rye in New Mexico" (July 12, 2016).

    Marsalis, M. A., Lauriault, L. M., Annual Meeting of the Western Society of Crop Science, Western Society of Crop Science, Albuquerque, NM, "Spring and summer planting date effects on yield of alfalfa in New Mexico” (July 12, 2016).

    Lauriault, L. M., NM AgExpo, NMSU Roosevelt County Cooperative Extension Service, Portales, NM, "Recent research and observations on alfalfa management in eastern New Mexico" (March 18, 2016).

    Lauriault, L. M., Guadalupe County Irrigated CROP Seminar, NMSU Guadalupe County Cooperative Extension Service, Santa Rosa, NM, "Alfalfa renovation and rotation options" (March 1, 2016).

    Lauriault, L. M., Marsalis, M. A., Southwest Hay & Forage Conference, New Mexico Hay Association, Ruidoso, NM, "Alfalfa planting date effects" (January 14, 2016).

    Grants and Contracts

    Funded:

    Lauriault, L. M. (Principal), Sponsored Research, "Evaluation of Yucca Harvesting Techniques", Sponsoring Organization: Mississippi State University, Sponsoring Organization Is: Other, Research Credit: $2,499.00, PI Total Award: $2,499.00, Current Status: Funded. (May 1, 2016 - September 30, 2016).

    Not Funded

    Darapuneni, M.K. (Co-Principal), Carroll, K.C. (Co-Principal), Xu, P. (Co-Principal), Schutte, B.J. (Co-Principal), Sims, G.K. (Co-Principal), Idowu, O.J. (Co-Principal), Grover, K. (Co-Principal), Angadi, S. (Co-Principal), Picchioni, G. (Co-Principal), Lauriault, L.M. (Co-Principal), Shukla, M.K. (Principal), Sponsored Research, "RII Track-2 FEC: Infrastructure Development for Enhancing Arid and Semi-Arid Systems (IDEAS) for Food and Water Security", Sponsoring Organization: National Science Foundation, Sponsoring Organization Is: Other, Research Credit: $594,622.30, PI Total Award: $5,946,223.00, Current Status: Not Funded. (September 1, 2015 - January 31, 2016).

    Lauriault, L. M. (Principal), Sponsored Research, "Improving Alfalfa Cultivar Selection by GIS Mapping of Fall Dormancy and Winter Survival Index Zones and Modeling Seasonal and Annual Yield", Sponsoring Organization: Oregon State University, Sponsoring Organization Is: Other, Research Credit: $29,912.00, PI Total Award: $29,912.00, Current Status: Not Funded. (January 11, 2016 -December 31, 2017).

    Wang, H. (Co-Principal), Ghimire, R. (Co-Principal), Darapuneni, M.K. (Co-Principal), Xu, P. (Co-Principal), Idowu, O.J. (Co-Principal), Stringam, B. (Co-Principal), Ward, F. A. (Co-Principal), Shukla, M. K. (Principal), Sponsored Research, "Managing the Salt to Achieve Local and Transregional Sustainability in Water and Food Systems", Sponsoring Organization: University of Wyoming, Sponsoring Organization Is: Other, Research Credit: $188,876.10, PI Total Award: $1,888,761.00, Current Status: Not funded. (August 1, 2016 - July 31, 2020).

    Xu, P. (Co-Principal), Grover, K. (Co-Principal), Marsalis, M. A. (Co-Principal), Lauriault, L. M. (Co-Principal), Shukla, M. K. (Principal), Sponsored Research, "Use of nontraditional water resources for sustainable food security", Sponsoring Organization: USDA/NIFA/ Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, Sponsoring Organization Is: Other, Research Credit: $1,497,913.20, PI Total Award: $9,986,088.00, Current Status: Not Funded. (February 1, 2016 - January 30, 2020).

    Pending: None

    Other Proposals

    Funded:

    Darapuneni, M.K. “AES Graduate Research Awards,” Agricultural Experiment Station-NMSU, $40,000.00, Description: Graduate student will be starting Spring, 2017, Status: Funded, Effective Start Date: December 2016, Effective End Date: December 2018.

    7

    http:40,000.00http:9,986,088.00http:1,497,913.20http:1,888,761.00http:188,876.10http:29,912.00http:29,912.00http:5,946,223.00http:594,622.30http:2,499.00http:2,499.00

  • Darapuneni, M.K. “Turkish Scholarship-Graduate Funding,” Turkish Government, $50,000.00, Description: Will start his program Spring, 2017. The amount is funded for his Masters program, Status: Funded, Effective Start Date: December 2016, Effective End Date: December 2018.

    Darapuneni, M.K. NSF RII5-Integrating “Underutilized water and energy resources as pathways towards a sustainable future”. National Science Foundation RII5, Description: Multi-state project, Status: Not Funded, Effective End Date: November 2016.

    Darapuneni, M.K. Western SARE Funding, Western SARE, “Diversity in dryland winter wheat cropping systems to enhance productivity and sustainability.” Status: Research credit: $100,000. Not Funded.

    Lauriault, L. M. "Fee-based alfalfa variety testing, 2016," Multiple seed companies, $4850.00, Description: Entry fees for alfalfa varieties planted in one year and compared for the next three years at various NMSU locations across the state, Status: Funded, Effective Start Date: April 1, 2016, Effective End Date: December 31, 2019.

    Lauriault, L. M. "Fee-based corn and sorghum variety testing, 2016," Multiple seed companies, $1150.00, Description: Entry fees for corn forage and grain varieties planted annually and compared at various NMSU locations across the state., Effective Start Date: April 1, 2016, Effective End Date: December 31, 2016.

    Lauriault, L. M. "Fee-based cotton variety testing, 2016," Multiple seed companies, $804.64, Description: Entry fees for corn forage and grain varieties planted annually and compared at various NMSU locations across the state., Effective Start Date: April 1, 2016, Effective End Date: December 31, 2016.

    Lauriault, L. M. "Fee-based alfalfa variety testing, 2015," Multiple seed companies, $6,225.00, Description: Entry fees for alfalfa varieties planted in one year and compared for the next three years at various NMSU locations across the state, Status: Funded, Effective Start Date: April 1, 2015, Effective End Date: December 31, 2018.

    Lauriault, L. M. "Fee-based alfalfa variety testing, 2014," Multiple seed companies, $5,250.00, Description: Entry fees for alfalfa varieties planted in one year and compared for the next three years at various NMSU locations across the state, Status: Funded, Effective Start Date: April 1, 2014, Effective End Date: December 31, 2017.

    Lauriault, L. M. "Jujube cultivar evaluation, selection and promotion in New Mexico," USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant (through NMDA), $60,000.00, Description: This project focuses on jujube cultivar selection, evaluation and marketing in New Mexico., Status: Funded, Effective Start Date: October 1, 2015, Effective End Date: September 30, 2017.

    Lauriault, L. M. "Fee-based alfalfa variety testing, 2013," Multiple seed companies, $4,350.00, Description: Entry fees for alfalfa varieties planted in one year and compared for the next three years at various NMSU locations across the state, Status: Funded, Effective Start Date: April 1, 2013, Effective End Date: December 31, 2016.

    Lauriault, L. M. "Capital Outlay," 2014 New Mexico Legislature, $75,000.00, Status: Funded, Effective Start Date: July 1, 2014, Effective End Date: June 30, 2016.

    Other Activities

    Jason Box Arch Hurley Conservancy District: Attended and participated in monthly meetings whenever possible as

    an interested party. New Mexico Environmental Department: Maintained and submitted semi-annual reports for wastewater

    use at station including total water usage, nitrogen fertilizer applications, and septic tank conditions.

    Ashley Cunningham Mesalands Community College: Provided field research lessons at station for students in Staci

    Stanbrough Plant and Animal Science classes Responded to and recommended weed management programs to two local residents.

    Murali Darapuneni Member of Plant and Environmental Sciences Department Undergraduate Student Recruitment and

    Retention Committee. (August 2015 - Present). Responded to questions from New Mexico residents regarding crop rotation/selection/ management

    practices. Associate Editor, American Society of Agronomy, Editor, Madison, WI, USA, Made decisions

    (Reject/Accept) on 6 manuscripts during 2016 (August 2016 - August 2018). Reviewed 16 manuscripts for four scientific journals.

    8

    http:75,000.00http:4,350.00http:60,000.00http:5,250.00http:6,225.00http:50,000.00

  • Leonard Lauriault Attended Southwest Hay and Forage Conference, New Mexico Hay Association, Ruidoso, NM, USA

    (January 12-13, 2016). Conducted employee chemical safety training for Tucumcari Public School janitorial staff (April 8, 2016). Participated and provided input to Federal Highway Administration/New Mexico Department of

    Transportation regarding the US 54 Corridor Study pertaining to I-40 Exit 333 to MP 306.2, which includes the entrance to the Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari by email and at a public meeting (May 6 and September 7, 2016).

    Judged Agricultural Products, Quay County Fair, Tucumcari, NM, USA (August 17, 2016). Coordinated NMSU’s statewide alfalfa variety testing program. Responded to over 75 miscellaneous questions from New Mexico residents, including NMSU NRCS, and

    FSA personnel, as well as residents and extension personnel in other states. New Mexico Beef Cattle Performance Association/Tucumcari Feed Efficiency Test, LLC. Assisted with

    test weigh days and sale. Continued program to distribute forage nitrate toxicity screening test kits to all interested AES and CES

    personnel in New Mexico. Canadian River Soil and Water Conservation District: Attended and participated in monthly meetings whenever

    possible as an interested party; supervised maintenance and handled reservations for two seed drills and a tree-planter owned by the District for use by producers; assisted with the development of a rental agreement for two ATV-mounted sprayers.

    Set up booth display about the activities of the Agricultural Science Center at the Quay County Fair (Tucumcari, August 17-20, 2016), as well as at the center’s Bull Sale (March 12, 2016) and Field Day (August 2, 2016).

    Reviewed 2 manuscripts for scientific journals and served as the external reviewer for a PhD Thesis for a candidate at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.

    Member of Northeastern New Mexico Regional Water Plan Steering Committee. Member of Ute Reservoir Watershed-Based Planning Committee. Member of AOSCA C655.4 National Alfalfa & Misc. Legumes Review Board. Member of ACES Dean Search Committee. Member of Plant and Environmental Sciences Department, Extension Animal Sciences and Natural

    Resources Department (College Rank Spring Review), and College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences Promotion and Tenure Committees.

    Professional Development Activities and Other Meetings Attended Not Previously Mentioned

    Jason Box Continuing Education, “Summer Crops Field Day”. Bushland, TX (August 10, 2016). Continuing Education, “Rancher Leasing Workshop”. Amarillo, TX (June 23, 2016). Continuing Education, “Farm Implements in Action Webinar”. Tucumcari, NM (May 17, 2016). Continuing Education, “Quay County Weed Workshop”. Tucumcari, NM (March 30, 2016). Continuing Education, “High Plains Assc of Crop Consultants Meeting”. Lubbock, TX (March 1-2, 2016). Continuing Education, “High Plains Irrigation Conf”. Amarillo, TX (February 4, 2016). Continuing Education, “Sugarcane Aphid Webinar”. Tucumcari, NM (February 1, 2016). Continuing Education, “Llano Estacado Cotton Conf”, Muleshoe, TX (January 29, 2016).

    Ashley Cunningham Continuing Education, “Private Pesticide Applicators Workshop”, Quay County Cooperative Extension

    Service, Tucumcari, NM, USA (December 1, 2016). Continuing Education, “Field Day”, Agricultural Science Center-Clovis, Clovis, NM, USA (August 3, 2016) Continuing Education, “Sprayer Application Clinic”, Quay County Cooperative Extension Service,

    Tucumcari, NM, USA (September 6, 2016). Completed Training, Public Pesticide Applicator’s License Exam, New Mexico Department of Agriculture

    (April 26, 2016).

    Murali Darapuneni Seminar/Workshop, "Prairie Partners/Llano Estacado NM Natural Resource Meeting", Prairie

    Partners/Llano Estacado, Tucumcari, NM, USA (December 6, 2016). Continuing Education, "ASA, CSSA, and SSSA meetings", Tri Societies, Phoenix, Arizona, USA

    Attended meeting to present cropping systems research, developing network and potential colorations, and learning new developments in research area of my expertise. (November 6- 9, 2016).

    9

  • Continuing Education,, "NM WRRI Meeting - Center for the Development and Use of Alternative Water Supplies", WRRI-New Mexico, Las Cruces, NM, USA (August 15, 2016 - August 16, 2016).

    Continuing Education, "Annual Field Day-Bushland", ARS-USDA & Texas AgriLife, Amarillo, Texas, USA (August 10, 2016).

    Continuing Education, Annual Field Day-Clovis", Agricultural Science Center-Clovis, Clovis, NM, USA (August 3, 2016).

    Continuing Education, "Western Crop Society Meeting", Tri Society, Albuquerque, NM, USA (July 12-13, 2016).

    Leonard Lauriault Continuing Education, "8th Annual Northeastern New Mexico Prairie Partners Meeting", El Llano

    Estacado RC&D, Tucumcari, NM, USA (December 6, 2016). Continuing Education, "Quay County Private Applicators Workshop", NMSU Cooperative Extension

    Service, Tucumcari, NM, USA (December 1, 2016). Continuing Education, "Forage Growers Workshop", NMSU Valencia County Cooperative Extension

    Service, Los Lunas, NM, USA (November 29, 2016). Continuing Education, "RCPP Range Monitoring for Brush Control", Regional Conservation Partnership

    Program, Tucumcari, NM, USA Description: Assisted Kert Young in setting up monitoring sites (control or treated for mesquite) at two ranches in Quay County and in making initial evaluations of forage yield, plant species, and brush density and cover). (November 9, 2016 - November 11, 2016).

    Continuing Education, Tour of New Zealand dairy, beef, and sheep operations and agri-businesses, American Forage and Grasslands Council, New Zealand, approximately 64 hours spent learning about New Zealand's agricultural economy, environmental concerns, and farming practices. (October 30, 2016 - November 4, 2016).

    Conference Attendance, "78th Annual Grassland Conference", New Zealands Grasslands Association, Timaru, Canterbury, New Zealand, approximately 16 hours spent learning about New Zealand grassland management under irrigation and rainfed conditions in an academic setting. (November 2, 2016 - November 3, 2016).

    Continuing Education, "Forage Sorghum Field Day", Texas AgriLife Research and Extension, Bushland, TX, USA (September 8, 2016).

    Continuing Education, "Field Day", NMSU Agricultural Science Center at Clovis, Clovis, NM, USA (August 3, 2016).

    Memberships

    Jason Box None

    Ashley Cunningham Crop Science Society of America, Scope: National. American Society of Agronomy, Scope: National. Soil Science Society of America, Scope: National. Weed Science Society of America, Scope: National.

    Murali Darapuneni American Chemical Society, Invited Member, Scope: International. Crop Science Society of America, Scope: International. American Society of Agronomy, Scope: International. Soil Science Society of America, Scope: International. The Association of Agricultural Scientists of Indian Origin, Scope: International. Sigma-Xi Scientific Society, Scope: International.

    Leonard Lauriault Western Society of Crop Science, Scope: International Crop Science Society of America, Scope: International. American Society of Agronomy, Scope: International. New Mexico Hay Association, Ex-officio Director, Scope: State. American Forage and Grassland Council, Scope: National. Sigma-Xi Scientific Society, Scope: International.

    10

  • Certifications:

    Jason Box New Mexico Beef Quality Assurance Trained Producer, New Mexico Livestock Board. First Detector Certification, National Plant Diagnostic Network. Public Pesticide Applicator’s License. Private Pesticide Applicator’s License for Rodent Control. NMSU Assurance of Actual Training, IACUC. Agricultural Science Center Hazard Communication Standard. Worker Protection Standard, Pesticide Handler (through May 1, 2020). Forklift Certification

    Ashley Cunningham Public Pesticide Applicator’s License NMSU Assurance of Actual Training, IACUC. Agricultural Science Center Hazard Communication Standard. Worker Protection Standard, Pesticide Handler (through May 1, 2020). Nuclear Gauge Safety and Use.

    Murali Darapuneni HAZMAT, CPN Neutron Gauge (August, 2014 - Present). HAZMAT, CPN Neutron Gauge. (August, 2014 - Present). Nuclear Gauge Safety Certification CPN. (August 26, 2014 - Present). Neutron Gauge Operation, New Mexico State University. (January 1, 2016 - December 31, 2016). Agricultural Science Center Hazard Communication Standard. Worker Protection Standard, Pesticide Handler (through May 1, 2020).

    Leonard Lauriault Preparing Communities for Animal, Plant, and Food Incidents: An Introduction, National Center for

    Biomedical Research and Training Academy of Counter-Terrorist. Certified Forage and Grassland Professional, American Forage and Grassland Council (through

    December 31, 2017). Public Pesticide Applicator’s License. Private Pesticide Applicator’s License for Rodent Control. NMSU Assurance of Actual Training, IACUC. Agricultural Science Center Hazard Communication Standard. Worker Protection Standard, Pesticide Handler (through May 1, 2020).

    Farm Staff: NMSU Assurance of Actual Training, IACUC. Agricultural Science Center Hazard Communication Standard. Worker Protection Standard, Pesticide Handler (through May 1, 2020). Forklift Certification

    Faculty and Staff Awards and Recognitions: Patricia Cooksey: NMSU ACES Malone Farms Endowed Staff Award Off-Campus (April 29, 2016).

    11

  • Annual Weather Summary

    The first documented weather observations in the Tucumcari area were from a weather station near the Tucumcari Post Office. That station was operational from December 1904 through February 1913. The Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari began recording daily precipitation in January 1912. Air temperatures were first recorded on May 26 of that year. The weather station at the center has remained in continuous operation since its establishment in 1912. An updated historical summary of weather observations at the Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari was published as an Agricultural Experiment Station Research Report in early 2003. This report contains summary information relative to weather conditions at the center through 2002. The report is available from the Agricultural Science Center office or online at: http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/research/weather_climate/RR751.pdf. In addition to the precipitation and weather records, the center has maintained records on wind movement since 1918. Above ground pan evaporation has been measured since 1953. Maximum and minimum soil temperatures, at a four-inch depth, have been recorded since 1977. Maximum and minimum water temperatures in the evaporation pan were first recorded in 1981.

    Total precipitation for 2016 was 11.97 inches, 4.82 inches less than the long-term average of 16.79 inches, and less than half that reported in 2015, although it was consistent to 2014 and 2013 (Table 1).

    Table 1. Summary of monthly precipitation amounts (inches) recorded at the NMSU Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari, 1905-2016.

    Month 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 Average January 0.01 1.44 0.01 0.40 0.00 0.39 February 0.94 0.89 0.03 0.88 0.22 0.51 March 0.08 0.38 0.22 0.00 0.09 0.77 April 0.67 1.93 0.21 0.01 0.18 1.17 May 1.30 4.02 2.42 0.82 1.51 1.99 June 3.28 2.07 4.00 1.13 0.93 2.02 July 1.11 7.56 2.54 1.23 0.33 2.80 August 2.33 2.03 0.82 0.92 0.97 2.84 September 0.41 1.31 2.73 4.28 1.42 1.64 October 1.39 0.81 0.19 0.26 0.38 1.34 November 0.08 1.23 0.37 0.43 0.00 0.67 December 0.37 2.85 0.38 0.11 0.50 0.64 Total 11.97 26.52 13.92 10.47 6.53 16.79

    Above average amounts of precipitation were recorded in February, June, October, while the remaining months were well below average. Record high and low amounts of precipitation, by month, are shown in Table 2. No precipitation records were set in 2016.

    Table 2. Highest and lowest monthly precipitation amounts (inches) recorded at the Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari 1905-2016.

    Month Maximum Year Minimum Year January 1.68 1999 0.00 2012 February 2.40 1912 0.00 2006 March 3.69 1919 0.00 2013 April 4.89 1997 0.00 1996 May 8.72 1921 0.00 1927 June 6.39 1919 0.00 1947 July 11.28 1950 0.24 1987 August 8.38 1933 0.12 1951 September 7.23 1941 0.00 1948 October 7.51 1923 0.00 2016 November 4.00 1905 0.00 2012 December 4.27 1959 0.00 2005 Note: Where minimum records are shared by more than one year, only the most recent

    year is listed.

    12

    http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/research/weather_climate/RR751.pdf

  • The mean maximum temperature for 2016 was 75ºF, which was 2ºF higher than the long-term average. Mean minimum temperature for 2016 was 45ºF and the mean annual temperature for 2016 was 60ºF, both of which were 1ºF above the long-term average.

    Table 3. Summary of mean monthly temperatures at the NMSU Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari, 1905-2016.

    Date 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 Average 1905-2016

    ----------Mean Maximum Temperature (°F)----------January 53 49 56 52 60 53 February 63 57 56 57 57 57 March 70 65 66 57 71 65 April 73 75 75 71 81 73 May 81 75 82 81 86 81 June 93 91 91 96 98 91 July 100 94 93 94 97 93 August 91 92 93 95 96 91 * September 88 91 82 85 88 85 * October 83 73 79 74 75 75 ** November 66 63 61 60 70 62 ** December 53 55 55 51 58 53 * Annual 75 71 71 74 73 73 **

    ----------Mean Minimum Temperature (°F)----------January 24 24 22 24 28 24 February 30 26 26 28 29 27 March 35 35 32 31 39 33 April 41 42 42 38 48 42 May 51 49 51 52 55 51 June 62 62 62 64 65 61 July 68 66 64 66 69 65 August 63 64 64 66 66 63 September 58 62 58 61 57 56 October 49 49 47 42 44 44 * November 38 33 30 34 36 33 * December 25 28 25 24 27 25 Annual 45 43 44 44 47 44

    ----------Mean Temperature (°F)----------January 38 36 39 38 44 38 February 47 42 42 43 43 42 March 53 50 49 44 55 49 April 57 58 58 54 64 58 May 66 62 66 66 70 66 June 78 76 76 80 82 76 July 84 80 79 80 83 79 August 77 78 79 80 81 77 * September 73 76 70 73 72 71 * October 66 61 63 58 59 60 ** November 52 48 45 47 53 47 ** December 39 49 40 38 43 39 Annual 60 57 59 58 62 59 * Note: *Indicates 1 year of missing data

    **Indicates 2 years of missing data Some records from previous years have been corrected

    The lowest recorded temperature in 2016 of -5ºF was recorded on December 18th, which was a new record for that date. The highest temperature for the year, 108ºF, was recorded on July 11th, which also was a record for that date. Record highs also were recorded on July 18th (106ºF) and July 23rd (105ºF).

    13

  • Record highs were tied on July 12th (104ºF) and July 22nd (104ºF). Highest and lowest recorded temperatures and mean temperature extremes are shown in Table 4. July 11th was the hottest day of record for July and October set a record for monthly mean maximum temperature breaking the record of 82ºF set in 1979.

    Table 4. Highest and lowest recorded temperatures (°F) and mean temperatures (°F), by month, at the NMSU Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari, 1905-2016.

    Daily Record Extremes (1913-2016) Monthly Mean Extremes (1905-2016)

    Month Highest Temp Date

    Lowest Temp Date

    Highest Max Year

    Lowest Min Year

    January 80 01/16/74 -22 01/13/63 62 2006 12 1963 February 83 02/27/02 -16 02/07/33 67 1976 17 1929 March 92 03/12/89 -3 03/05/48 75 1974 24 1965 April 97 04/26/12 12 04/03/20 81 2012 37 1983 May 103 05/24/00 25 05/06/17 90 1996 46 1983 June 109 06/28/13 37 06/01/19 99 2011 55 1983 July 108 07/11/16 52 07/05/95 101 2011 61 1967 August 108 08/21/07 49 08/29/88 100 2011 57 1965 September 105 09/01/11 30 09/26/70 92 2010 51 2006 October 97 10/04/00 12 10/30/93 83 2016 39 2009 November 90 11/09/06 -2 11/28/76 71 1999 26 1929 December 82 12/17/80 -18 12/31/18 66 1980 17 1983 Annual 79 2011 41 1963 Note: Where records are shared by more than one year, only the most recent year is listed.

    The last spring temperature of 32ºF in 2016 was recorded on April 30th (Table 5). The first temperature of 32ºF in fall was recorded on November 9th. Average last spring and first fall freeze dates are April 4th and October 14th, respectively. The 2016 growing season was 193 days, 1 day shorter than the long-term average. The longest and shortest growing seasons on record are 225 and 136 days, respectively, which were recorded in 2015 and 1945, respectively.

    Table 5. Summary of last spring and first fall temperatures of 32°F and 28°F and growing season at the NMSU Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari 1913-2016.

    Average 1913- Record Extremes

    2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2016 Earliest Year Latest Year 32°F or less Last in Spring 30-Apr 26-Mar 15-Apr 24-Apr 4-Apr 4-Apr 24-Mar 1943 15-May 1945 First in Fall 9-Nov 6-Nov 11-Nov 19-Oct 27-Oct 14-Oct 17-Sep 1965 19-Nov 1989 Growing Season (Days) 193 225 210 169 207 194 136 1945 222 1989

    28°F or less (Hard Freeze) Last in Spring 2-Apr 6-Mar 15-Apr 3-May 4-Apr 26-Mar 6-Mar 2015* 6-May 1917 First in Fall 18-Nov 12-Nov 11-Nov 6-Nov 27-Oct 25-Oct 8-Oct 1970 27-Nov 2001** Number of Hard Freeze-Free Days 230 251 210 187 206 213 169 1917 256 2001

    Note: *Also in 1935 **Also in 1965 & 1923

    The last snowfall in spring 2016 was recorded on March 27th. The first snowfall in winter 2016 was recorded on December 18th. Total snowfall in 2016 was 5.14 inches. The last snowfall in spring has occurred as late as May 18th in 1935 and 1980. The first snowfall in winter has been recorded as early as October 8th in 1970.

    Summaries of pan evaporation and wind run at the center are shown in Table 6. Daily and season total evaporation were near their respective long-term averages and the season total was

    14

  • well below the record set in 2011 (97.44 inches). April to September wind speeds were slightly below average and well below the record of 7.7 mph for April to September set in 1918. May and June were considerably windier than average. June was the windiest for that month since 1954 (6.7 mph), but well below the 1946 record of 7.5 mph. August wind speed was well below the long-term average.

    Table 6. Summary of pan evaporation (inches) and wind run (average miles per hour) at the NMSU Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari, 1918-2016.

    Pan Evaporation Wind Run 2016 1953 - 2016 2016 1918 - 2016

    Daily Monthly Daily Daily Daily Month Total Average Average Average Average Average

    …………………….inches……………………. mph mph April 9.88 0.33 10.75 0.36 4.2 5.7 May 12.71 0.41 12.56 0.41 4.5 5.1 June 13.11 0.44 13.96 0.47 3.5 4.8 July 17.52 0.57 13.51 0.44 4.6 3.9 August 10.30 0.34 11.57 0.37 3.7 3.5 September 10.09 0.34 9.25 0.31 4.3 3.8 Season total/average 73.61 0.41 71.50 0.39 4.13 4.47

    15

  • Operational Revenues and Expenditures

    The Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari received $100,392.00 in operational funds in FY 2015-2016. (Table1).

    The center billed itself $21,741.00 for vehicle and equipment use based on established mileage rates and hourly charges for vehicles, tractors, and other equipment.

    The alfalfa variety testing program generated $4,850.00, the corn & sorghum variety test generated $2,435.00 and the cotton variety test generated $797.00 in FY 2015-2016.

    The center’s operational expenditures in fiscal year 2015-2016 totaled $261,169.00 (Table 1). Furniture / Equipment ≥ $5000.00 was the largest expenditure ($81,644.00).Farm/Ranch Services which includes tractor hours, vehicle mileage, vehicle fuel use, and irrigation services was the second largest expenditure [$49,526.00). Although Tractor/Vehicle Use is in the expenditure category of Table 1, it is a revenue source for the Tractor/Vehicle Index (101507). The third largest expenditure was Furniture / Office Equipment ≤ $5,000.00 ($13,895.00).

    Expenditures for Other Supplies (which includes non-office supplies, irrigation supplies, and pest control supplies, etc.) was $9,413.00 in FY 2015-2016. Total for seed and chemicals purchased was $12,600.00,

    Major purchase during the 2015-2016 Fiscal Year are listed in Table 2.

    Prior to the end of the fiscal year, the center was advised of a 2.5% budget cut for the 2016-2017 fiscal year due to a revenue shortfall at the state level.

    16

    http:12,600.00http:9,413.00http:13,895.00http:5,000.00http:49,526.00http:261,169.00http:2,435.00http:4,850.00http:21,741.00http:100,392.00

  • 17

    Tabl

    e 1.

    NM

    SU A

    gric

    ultu

    ral S

    cien

    ce C

    ente

    r at T

    ucum

    cari,

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    roxi

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    min

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    ion

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    newa

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    igat

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    tal

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    s M

    gmt.

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    ping

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    Day

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    12

    1851

    12

    0435

    12

    1771

    12

    4581

    12

    3736

    10

    1507

    10

    7346

    90

    2395

    90

    3124

    12

    4497

    12

    0176

    12

    0592

    12

    4129

    RE

    VENU

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    tion

    70,3

    92

    15,0

    00

    15,0

    00

    100,

    392

    201

    4-20

    15 C

    arry

    over

    17

    ,146

    75

    0 33

    ,600

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    ,217

    1,

    280

    39,5

    58

    (48)

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    ,650

    63

    ,600

    17

    6,75

    3 S

    ales

    /Fee

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    11,7

    66

    11,7

    66 P

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    2,12

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    5,12

    5 C

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    438

    1,43

    8 Ir

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    9,94

    0 V

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    21

    ,741

    21

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    Sa

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    8,

    995

    8,99

    5 TO

    TAL

    REVE

    NUES

    79

    , 387

    28

    ,912

    15

    ,000

    15

    ,000

    2,

    187

    55,3

    41

    10,2

    17

    3,40

    5 3,

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    39,5

    58

    (48)

    20

    ,589

    63

    ,600

    33

    6,14

    9 EX

    PEND

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    Tem

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    14,5

    96

    3,92

    2 65

    2 (2

    60)

    18,9

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    1,45

    5 79

    2 13

    2 2,

    379

    Ove

    rtim

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    537

    537

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    187

    1,64

    8 3,

    679

    778

    7,31

    6 F

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    1,00

    0 SU

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    2,72

    8 2,

    728

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    21

    4 5,

    467

    167

    5,66

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    252

    152

    944

    4,40

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    2,47

    8 3,

    216

    658

    1,09

    4 30

    10

    1,

    670

    (49)

    30

    7 9,

    413

    Fuel

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    374

    62

    436

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    nito

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    332

    8 34

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    70

    31

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    3,61

    0 6,

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    277

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    1,01

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    4 12

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    36

    1 11

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    48

    150

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    237

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    127

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    6,51

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    1,24

    1 18

    9 85

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    288

  • 18

    Tabl

    e 1. (

    cont

    inue

    d) N

    MSU

    Agric

    ultu

    ral S

    cienc

    e Cen

    ter a

    t Tuc

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    ppro

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    ture

    s by I

    ndex

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    2015

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    6Ad

    min

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    ion

    Fora

    ge

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    nd

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    i Tr

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    Field

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    rage

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    rali

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    Irrig

    atio

    n Ca

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    . Cr

    oppi

    ng

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    ures

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    acem

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    tal

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    12

    1851

    12

    0435

    12

    1771

    12

    4581

    12

    3736

    10

    1507

    10

    7346

    90

    2395

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    3124

    12

    4497

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    0176

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    12

    4129

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    1,0

    74.06

    70

    1 2,2

    80

    3,599

    40

    1 8,0

    54 C

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    145.9

    4 18

    4 70

    49

    44

    9 V

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    0 TO

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    SUPP

    LIES

    & M

    ATER

    IALS

    37

    , 639

    12,37

    7 9,8

    78

    7,491

    2,1

    84

    14,82

    4 0

    2,012

    1,1

    50

    6,387

    -2

    60

    708

    0 94

    ,389

    SERV

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    46

    0 12

    8 50

    27

    2 11

    (4

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    873

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    1,4

    32

    1,432

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    86

    0 86

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    1,727

    1,7

    27 P

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    n 39

    39

    Rep

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    Bldg

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    0 10

    0 R

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    Rep

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    aint.E

    quip

    ment

    48

    8 94

    3 61

    7 2,0

    48 M

    embe

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    p 48

    5 48

    5 U

    tiliti

    es -

    Elec

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    5,280

    1,4

    73

    6,754

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    24

    56

    1,179

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    g 52

    0 52

    0 S

    emin

    ar/Tr

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    g 1,1

    96

    1,196

    Veh

    icle I

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    ance

    64

    5 64

    5 A

    dver

    tisin

    g 43

    7 43

    7 S

    ales T

    ax

    39

    (7)

    8 39

    Pro

    f/Con

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    vices

    34

    0 53

    2,8

    45

    3,237

    Lab

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    lysis

    1,380

    34

    8 54

    6 3,4

    45

    341

    2,146

    8,2

    06 F

    arm/

    Ranc

    h Se

    rvice

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    . Mile

    ag

    23,83

    3 2,6

    40

    3,943

    3,1

    83

    280

    15,64

    7 49

    ,526

    Fre

    ight

    58

    58

    Ma

    inte

    nanc

    e Agr

    eeme

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    opier

    28

    7 10

    4 12

    40

    3 C

    ompu

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    oftw

    are

    140

    436

    577

    TOTA

    L SE

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    ES

    39,64

    3 3,1

    16

    5,121

    7,5

    00

    53

    4,440

    0

    0 34

    1 2,7

    74

    232

    17,12

    1 0

    80,34

    0 Fu

    rn/E

    quip

    ment

    >= $5

    000

    18,04

    4 63

    ,600

    81,64

    4 TO

    TAL

    EQUI

    P. &

    CAP

    . OUT

    LAY

    0 0

    0 0

    0 0

    4,795

    0

    0 18

    ,044

    0 63

    ,600

    86,43

    9 TO

    TAL

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    77

    ,282

    15,49

    3 14

    ,999

    14,99

    1 2,2

    37

    19,26

    4 4,7

    95

    2,012

    1,4

    91

    27,20

    5 -2

    8 17

    ,829

    63,60

    0 26

    1,168

    EN

    DING

    BAL

    ANCE

    2,1

    05

    13,41

    9 1

    9 (4

    9)

    36,07

    7 5,4

    22

    1,393

    1,5

    09

    12,35

    3 (2

    0)

    2,760

    0

    74,98

    0

  • Table 2. Listing of major purchases paid for during FY 2015-2016, NMSU Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari.

    Index Description Cost

    124129 2013 Wagner Caterpillar TL943C Telehandler $63,600.00 107346 $4,795.00 $68,395.00

    121851 Centrum Sound MegaVox Pro 8001 PA System $1,671.32

    121851 36" Variable Speed Evaporation Cooler $2,899.00

    121851 Parts for the John Deere Swather Sections, knives, bolts, and kit hold down $928.59

    112140 Replace telephone cable to the shop $1,967.65

    121771 Miller Bobcat Welder $3,500.00

    112140 Repairs to the domestic well $4,198.90

    120592 Annual Irrigation Assessment - AHCD $2,392.60

    120592 City of Tucumcari Treated Effluent Wastewater $9,000.00 120592 Electric to deliver wastewater $3,610.10 120592 Operation, maintenance, repair/replacement

    including meter reading $1,420.00

    100174 Instrotek-Repairs to the neutron probe $2,000.00

    101507 JD3 converter for the John /Deere 5400 tractor $1,145.00

    101507 Versatile Construction - picked up equipment in Kansas and delivered it to ASC-Tucumcari $2,844.61

    101507 400 display, flowmeter, control valve, GPS Speed sensor, extension cable, and flow cable for the Wylie Sprayer $2,915.00

    120592 Irrigation water 161.70 af @ $10 per af $1,617.00

    121771 Fencing for summer pastures $2,281.78

    124581 Hand Sampling tools $762.00

    124581 Parts for the neutron probe - cable assemblies, pair of stop assemblies, and collar access $700.50

    Grand Total $114,249.05

    19

    http:114,249.05http:2,281.78http:1,617.00http:2,915.00http:2,844.61http:1,145.00http:2,000.00http:1,420.00http:3,610.10http:9,000.00http:2,392.60http:4,198.90http:3,500.00http:1,967.65http:2,899.00http:1,671.32http:68,395.00http:4,795.00http:63,600.00

  • Tucumcari Beef Cattle Feed Efficiency Testing

    Investigators:

    M. Ward1, S. Jennings2, J. Box2, J. Jennings2, A. Williams2, P.L. Cooksey2, L.M. Lauriault2, and A.E. Cunningham2

    1New Mexico State University, Department of Extension Animal Sciences and Natural Resources, Las Cruces, NM 88003

    2New Mexico State University, Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari, NM 88401

    Summary:

    Many New Mexico cattle producers struggle to understand the value of genetic selection for production improvement. Many make their purchasing decisions of bulls and females based on price rather than quality. There is a large learning curve needed to be addressed to help New Mexico cattle producers remain competitive. Currently, many New Mexico calves are discounted in price. Part of the reason for this financial discount is calf quality, due to poor genetic potential.

    The pure bred sector of the beef industry is another area that requires attention. Also called seedstock operators, pure bred cattle breeders supply the genetics to the commercial cattle producer. For cattle quality to improve, educating the seedstock producers is just as important.

    Objective:

    To educate commercial cattle producers in New Mexico on how they can select for genetic improvement. This education should lead to producers making more educated decisions when buying herd replacements and appreciate the value of investing in good genetics. For the seedstock operator, to provide an outlet where they may gain specific information on how their cattle compare to others to help them improve the genetic potential of their herds.

    Background:

    The Tucumcari Bull Test and Sale is an NMSU supported program funded by the New Mexico Beef Cattle Performance Association (NMBCPA). With 2016 being its 55th year, this collaborative effort includes Marcy Ward, NMSU Livestock Extension Specialist, NMSU Quay County Agent for Agriculture, Jason Lamb, staff at the NMSU Tucumcari Agricultural Science Center, and 10 New Mexico cattle producers. This activity helps to accomplish both educating the commercial producer and seedstock producer alike.

    In the past, beef producers who raised pure bred cattle brought young bulls of varying breeds to the Tucumcari Agricultural Science Center every October. The bulls were fed and their performance was monitored for 120 days. Feed efficiency was calculated on a pen basis reflecting up to 4 bulls. At the conclusion of the data collection period, the data was compiled and disseminated to the public, and the bulls were sold at the annual Tucumcari Bull Sale in March.

    The purpose of the Tucumcari Bull Test was to generate valuable information that allowed beef cattle producers to make educated decisions to improve the genetics within their herds. The sale portion of the activity, also provided participants of the test an outlet to promote and sell their cattle.

    Outcomes:

    In 2015, under the guidance of Dr. Ward and cooperation of Leonard Lauriault and the Tucumcari Agricultural Science Center, participating producers invested in a digital feed intake monitoring system to improve the quality and reputation of the test. The Growsafe® System measures individual animal feed intake with the use of radio frequency identification. As a result, producers now know exactly what each of their animals consumed on a daily basis. This information is then used to determine an animal’s efficiency in utilizing feed, which is highly heritable. This technology provides an invaluable service to pure breed producers in the state to evaluate the efficiency of their cattle.

    With all the improvements made to the facility and test, members of the NMBCPA reorganized to form an LLC called the Tucumcari Feed Efficiency Test, LLC (TFET). They not only invested their own money to purchase the Growsafe technology, but also made much needed improvements to the facility itself. These

    20

  • positive changes have allowed for program expansion to where cattle can be evaluated for feed efficiency and performance for 10 months out of the year. The original Tucumcari Bull Test and Sale, however, remains intact. Two additional test periods have been added, that will be used exclusively for data collection and efficiency evaluation.

    When Dr. Ward assumed the role of test director, she also saw an opportunity to work with the local community college. She recruited the help of Mesalands Community College Animal Science instructor, Staci Stanbrough. As a result, Mesalands students have played an active role in the data collection process and Ms. Stanbrough was able to incorporate the Tucumcari Feed Efficiency Test into her curriculum. The greatest outcome of this opportunity has been the hands on learning experience students have gained. This partnership has been mutually beneficial for all involved.

    Outputs:

    The ACES-NMSU Tucumcari Bull Test and Sale Website is the primary source of information dissemination of performance data, genetic information, and pedigree information. Sonja Jo Serna, ACES Media Specialist, serves as the primary administrator of the website, and Dr. Ward provides content. For the 120-day test, four performance reports, pedigrees of each animal, and their genetic information are made available on the website every year. These reports and genetic information are used by both the test participants and potential buyers to help make educated decisions on how to improve the genetics within their herd. A hard copy catalog is also generated to promote the bulls consigned to the Tucumcari Sale. The catalog contains the same information as the website, but is distributed through the mail to over 1000 producers from NM, TX, CO, and OK.

    The Tucumcari website is available year round. Therefore, Dr. Ward will continue to provide content through this outlet as a source of information for cattle producers looking to learn more about efficiency in cattle.

    Every March producers from around the region come to the Agricultural Science Center for the auction sale to buy bulls that had been performance-tested. The information collected during the test is put on display and made available in handouts on sale day.

    Impacts:

    The collaboration of Dr. Ward with the Agricultural Science Center, Mesalands Community College, and the involved producers has expanded the scope and scale of the test and has improved its reputation.

    In 2013 the gross sales were approximately $137,600 with approximately 75 producers attending the Tucumcari Bull Sale. Additionally, until 2015, sales per bull at the Tucumcari Bull Sale were consistently $300-$500 lower than other productions sales in the state.

    This year, 2016, was very productive for the Tucumcari Feed Efficiency Test with over 100 producers were in attendance, representing five states. Given a declining cattle market, the bulls still sold well in the Spring sale with gross sales totaling $421,200, driven predominantly by market and volume, as well as the combination of improved cattle quality, incorporation of the new technology, and the overall increase in number of bulls for sale. These factors have now made the Tucumcari Bull Sale more competitive.

    The other audience to consider are the visitors to the website and sale catalog pages. During the months of October 2015 through March 2016, 1182 people used Google to find and visit the Tucumcari Bull Test website. The 2016 sale catalog was also posted on the American Angus Association website. There were over 2000 visits to the catalog page when published.

    One week after the sale, 64 heifers were brought to the station for efficiency testing. They were fed for 60 days, and were bred at the facility, towards the end of the testing period. Dr. Adam Summers, NMSU reproductive physiologist, and one of his graduate students were allowed to use the heifers in a research project studying antral follicle counts and fertility. This was an excellent example of producer and research collaboration.

    Also in the Spring of 2016, Newt McCarty (NMSU Agriculture Agent for Valencia County) introduced a program for his county where young people are partnered with producers. The goal is to give the young person an opportunity to raise and care for a production heifer, with training and input from NMSU and the producers. Many of the members of the TFET organization contributed heifers to the project. As a result, in 2017, 11 heifers from this program will be brought to the facility in April to be fed and bred

    21

  • alongside the other group of 64 production heifers. This will be a great learning opportunity for the participants and great exposure for the center.

    In June, 48 yearling bulls were brought to the Tucumcari Feed Efficiency Testing facility. This session was strictly for performance data collection. As this program continues, Dr. Ward intends to compare efficiency of bulls on feed in the summer versus winter months and its effects on Residual Feed Intake.

    This program continues to grow, with a waiting list of new producers wanting to bring bulls for testing in the facility. The traditional 2016/2017 Tucumcari Bull Test will be recorded as the biggest test in the program’s 56-ye