Friday January 3 Ag News

Feeding Cows for Cold Weather
Steve Tonn, UNL Extension Educator, Washington County

The cold blast we had in December makes us think there is more cold weather ahead. When feeding cows we need to consider the effect of weather conditions. Dr. Glenn Selk, Oklahoma State University Emeritus Extension Animal Scientist, offers these tips for feeding cows in cold weather. The major effect of cold on nutrient requirement of cows is increased need for energy. To determine magnitude of cold, lower critical temperature for beef cows must first be estimated. For cows with a dry winter hair coat the lower critical temperature is considered to be 32 degrees F. In general, researchers have used the rule of thumb that cows' energy requirements increase 1% for each degree the wind chill is below the 32 degree lower critical temperature. Therefore the calculation example for a cow with a winter dry hair coat would be:

Step 1: Cow's lower critical temperature is 32 degrees F.
Step 2: Expected wind-chill from weather reports (let’s use 4 degrees wind chill in this example)
Step 3: Calculate the magnitude of the cold: 32 degrees - 4 degrees = 28 degrees
Step 4: Energy adjustment is 1% for each degree magnitude of cold or 28%.
Step 5: Feed cows 128% of daily energy amount. (if a cow was to receive 16 pounds of high quality grass/legume hay; then feed 20.5 pounds of hay during the cold weather event).

Research has indicated that energy requirement for maintenance of beef cows with a wet hair coat is much greater. Cows that are exposed to falling precipitation and have the wet hair coats are considered to have reached the lower critical temperature at 59 degrees F. In addition, the requirements change twice as much for each degree change in wind-chill factor. In other words, the energy requirement actually increases 2% for each degree below 59 degrees F. To calculate the magnitude of the cold when the cow is wet would be the difference between 59 degrees minus 4 degrees = 55 degrees. True energy requirements to maintain a wet cow in this weather would be 2% X 55 degrees or 110 % increase in energy (which would mean that over twice the normal energy intake is needed.)

This amount of energy change is virtually impossible to accomplish with feedstuffs available on ranches. In addition this amount of energy change in the diet of cows accustomed to a high roughage diet must be made very gradually to avoid severe digestive disorders. Therefore, the more common-sense approach is a smaller increase in energy requirements during wet cold weather and extending the increase into more pleasant weather to help regain energy lost during the storm.

Cows that were consuming 16 pounds of grass hay per day and 5 pounds of 20% range cubes could be increased to 20 pounds of grass hay offered per day plus 6 to 7 pounds of range cubes during the severe weather event. This is not a doubling of the energy intake but by extending this amount for a day or two after the storm may help overcome some of the energy loss during the storm and done in a manner that does not cause digestive disorders.

The fact that it is not feasible to feed a wet, very cold cow enough to maintain her current body condition, underscores the need for cows to be in “good” body condition at the start of winter.



Farm Bureau Identifies 2014 State Legislative Priorities

The Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation board of directors has identified the 2014 state legislative priorities for the organization. To be considered a priority issue it  must meet criteria ensuring the issue has statewide impact, is of significant interest to County Farm Bureaus and is meaningful to individual Farm Bureau members in the sense it impacts a farmer’s or rancher’s ability to operate their farm or ranch or affects their ability to be profitable.

The 2014 Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation state legislative priorities are:
-    Create a better tax climate for farmers and ranchers by seeking reductions to agriculture’s property tax burden, maintaining sales tax exemptions critical to agriculture, seeking repeal of the sales tax on agricultural equipment repair parts and seeking other tax relief consistent with Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation policy.
-    Protect agriculture’s interests in water use, water management, compliance with interstate compacts and seek broad-based funding to address the state’s water challenges.
-    Work to create a better climate in Nebraska for growing livestock production.
-    Work to reform state aid to K-12 schools to more equitably distribute the burden of financing education and assure any increased state aid goes to reducing property tax burdens in rural schools.
-    Work to assure assessed values for agricultural land better reflect the land’s agricultural use value.
-    Protect the rights of farmers and ranchers to use farming and animal care practices based on sound science to operate their farms and ranches in an efficient and profitable manner.
-    Assure regulations on farms and ranches are reasonable, based on scientific evidence and do not unduly burden or financially harm farmers and ranchers.

Celebrating Nebraska Farm Bureau Membership
Forty-two Nebraska County Farm Bureaus achieved membership quota during the 2013 membership year. Shown below by regional director of membership districts are the representatives of the quota counties.

We extend a thank you to all of our volunteers and career agents for their efforts in this great accomplishment, Del Ficke, Nebraska Farm Bureau director of membership services, said.  “Congratulations to county leaders and career agents! It’s their leadership, innovative ideas and hard work that make consistent membership growth possible year after year,” Ficke said. “We had a strong presence from 42 counties who made quota this year. We tripled the amount we had last year. I hope we’ve turned the corner on membership and continue to grow in the coming years.”

Congratulations to these Counties -

Northeast District
Cedar County; Wheeler County; Dixon County; Knox County; Dakota County; Brown County, Madison County, Pierce County; and Rock County. 

Southeast District
Sarpy County; Lancaster County; Douglas County; York County; and Gage County.

Central District
Hamilton County; Merrick County; Garfield County; Nance County; Hall County; Polk County; Buffalo County; Custer County; Howard County; Blaine County and Colfax County

Northwest District
Scotts Bluff County; Keith County; Cherry County; Box Butte County; Logan County, McPherson County, Sioux County, and Thomas County.

Southwest District
Clay County; Frontier County; Hitchcock County; Perkins County; Harlan/Furnas County; Phelps County; Dawson County; Chase County and Red Willow County.

2013 Children’s Agriculture Book of the Year Selected
Nebraska Farm Bureau’s Ag Promotion Committee has selected “The Guardian Team” as the 2013 Children’s Agriculture Book of the Year for grades 4-5.  “The Guardian Team: On the Job with Rena and Roo,” by Cat Urbigkit, tells the story of how Rena, the runt of a litter of seven pups, and Roo, a one-year-old wild burro, have a close connection with the sheep they guard on a ranch in Wyoming. The bond between the dog and burro begins early on, but they must overcome their fear of each other before they can work together as livestock guardians. In this companion book to her award-winning “Brave Dogs, Gentle Dogs,” Urbigkit uses simple, informative text and eye-catching photographs to show how Rena and Roo develop into guardian animals.

Urbigkit is a news reporter and rancher. Her research in livestock protection has taken her from the sagebrush desert of Wyoming to the mountains of Bulgaria. She lives in Pinedale, Wyo.

The Ag Promotion Committee will donate a copy of the book and teacher’s guide for County Farm Bureau Learning Barns. If you would like to purchase a copy of "The Guardian Team: On the Job with Rena and Roo," contact Shanya Meyer at shaynam@nefb.org or 402-421-4747.



Make Disaster Preparedness a Priority for the New Year
Lindsay Chichester, UNL Extension Educator, Saunders County
Many ranches and farms spend a lot of time working on business plans, mission statements, employee training, goals, and financial management, but how many spend time discussing a disaster plan? Nebraska, along with neighboring states suffered catastrophic events in 2013; flooding, fires, blizzards, and drought. A disaster plan may not have saved acres of corn or numbers of cattle, but it may help people move forward, and be ready if there is a next time.

A disaster plan may help protect property, facilities, animals, and people. A good starting point in developing a plan is developing an emergency contact list. Some emergency numbers that you may want to include would be: employees, neighbors, veterinarians – both local and state, extension service, trucking company, brand inspector, highway patrol, and a contact person outside of the disaster area. It seems that we all know these numbers off of the top of our heads, but those stored in a cell phone may not be accessible; and in a high stress event, you may not be able to recall these numbers from memory. Also, think through where your livestock will go if they need to leave your premise; possible locations may include the local salebarn, the vet, or the neighbor’s place.

A livestock emergency readiness checklist may be a useful tool to develop. Some things to consider may be a backup source of power, sufficient fuel supplies – for a generator, equipment, and vehicles, fire extinguishers, livestock water and feed (enough for two to three days), on-farm veterinary aid, and access to livestock records and/or insurance policies – if needed. Often times, disasters are not covered by insurance companies, unless specifically listed in the policy. This may be a good time to review your policy.

A ranch or farm map may be of benefit to first responders and neighbors. This can be a basic outline of facilities with shop or barn names. Additionally, you may want to include bodies of running water (creeks, streams, rivers, etc.), fence lines, and power lines. If you need to dispatch help and those responding do not know where the calving barn is, it will slow response times. On the map you should also include the storage locations of herbicides, pesticides, or fuel. The location of these may dictate how an emergency is responded to and with what equipment.

Once your disaster preparedness plan is in place, communication is key! It should be shared with your family, employees, and others you think may be involved if a crisis strikes. While many of these things seem simple, they can be things that are overlooked in times of high stress. Additionally, having these materials in a location where others will know where to find them enables them to carry out your wishes if you are unable to be present. You should review this plan annually to ensure the information is current and relevant.

Some information that may be helpful in developing a disaster plan can be found at these links or by contacting the Nebraska EDEN (Extension Disaster Education Network) representative.
http://www.eden.lsu.edu
http://readyag.psu.edu/
http://www.ag.purdue.edu/extension/eden
http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/disaster



Nebraska Cattlemen Foundation Announces Availability of Youth Scholarships

The Nebraska Cattlemen Foundation (NCF) is accepting applications for scholarships from qualified youth in Nebraska who have an interest in the beef industry.  These scholarships will be awarded for the 2014-2015 academic year and are provided through contributions received by the Nebraska Cattlemen Foundation.  Applications are available on the Nebraska Cattlemen website (www.nebraskacattlemen.org) or can be obtained by calling the NCF office at 402.475.2333.  Completed applications are due March 1, 2014.

Scholarship recipients must be a high school senior or college student, have a "C" or higher grade point average, and be enrolled or intending to enroll full time in a college or university that offers a bachelor degree, an approved vocation or trade school, or a state accredited junior college.  Scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic achievement, beef industry involvement and goals/quality of application.  Refer to NCF application(s) for complete selection requirements.

NCF scholarships ($1,000 maximum) are available from the following funds:
-    Robert E. Lute II Memorial (High school senior or higher)
-    Frank and Shirley Sibert (High school senior or higher)
-    Bell Heller Memorial (High school senior or higher)
-    Donavan Yoachim Memorial (High school senior or higher)
-    Cattlemen’s Open (High school senior or higher)
-    Clarence and Lois Jean Hartmann (High school senior or higher)
-    Retail Value Steer Challenge Scholarship(s) (High school senior or higher)
-    Colonel Melvin Huss Memorial (High school senior or higher UNL animal science major)
-    Ron and Shirley Huss (High school senior or higher UNL animal science major)
-    Bill Pullen (Junior or higher UNL agriculture major)
-    Vance Uden Memorial (Junior or higher on UNL Senior Livestock Evaluation Team)
-    Nebraska Cattlemen Beef Pit (Junior or higher meat/food science major in Nebraska)
-    Martin Viersen Range Management/Conservation Memorial (Junior or higher range management/conservation/grazing systems major in Nebraska)



Western Iowa Coop Schedules Annual and Agronomy Meetings

It’s again time for Western Iowa Coop’s Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Mark your calendar today.  Meetings will be Tuesday evening, January 7th at 6pm at the Community Center in Correctionville, Iowa and again on Wednesday evening January 8th at 6pm at the Community Center in Onawa, Iowa.

Maximizing Alfalfa Output with the Right Inputs
Join us for this informative meeting on Tuesday, January 10th, at the Moville Community Center from 9am – Noon with a lunch will be provided.  Topics Include Fertility, foliar spray, increasing crude protein, relative feed value, and some information on new varieties available fall dormancy rating and winter hardiness.  We will also be discussing new methods for increasing product tonnage.  Presenter will be Jeff Jackson – from Brookings, South Dakota.  Jeff grew up locally and now works for Land-O-Lakes as their Alfalfa and Forage Specialist



Applications Open for Iowa Environmental Awards

Iowa businesses, organizations and citizens are invited to apply for the Governor's Iowa Environmental Excellence Awards. To download an application, go to www.iowadnr.gov/eeawards; applications are due March 28.

These awards are the premier environmental honors in Iowa, recognizing leadership and innovation in the protection of Iowa's water, land and air. Winners will be recognized by Gov. Terry Branstad at a reception in late spring.

Organizations are encouraged to submit their applications electronically to reduce paper waste. Complete instructions are included in the application packet.

Awards will be given for Overall Environmental Excellence, along with Special Project Awards in:
-- Air Quality
-- Energy Efficiency/Renewable Energy
-- Habitat Restoration
-- Waste Management
-- Water Quality
-- Environmental Education

The awards program is coordinated by the Iowa Governor's Office, the Department of Natural Resources, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, the Iowa Department of Economic Development, the Iowa Department of Education, the Iowa Department of Public Health and the Iowa Waste Reduction Center.

For more information and to download an application, go to www.iowadnr.gov/eeawards or contact Emily Bainter at 515-242-5955 or Emily.Bainter@dnr.iowa.gov.



Weekly Ethanol Production for 12/27/2013

According to EIA data, ethanol production averaged 913,000 barrels per day (b/d)—or 38.35 million gallons daily. That is down 13,000 b/d from the week before. The four-week average for ethanol production stood at 928,000 b/d for an annualized rate of 14.23 billion gallons. EIA monthly and weekly data indicate 2013 total calendar year production of approximately 13.27 billion gallons.

Stocks of ethanol stood at 15.6 million barrels. That is a 0.5% decrease from last week.

Imports of ethanol remained at zero b/d for the 13th straight week.

Gasoline demand for the week averaged 373.5 million gallons daily.

Expressed as a percentage of daily gasoline demand, daily ethanol production was 10.27%.

On the co-products side, ethanol producers were using 13.843 million bushels of corn to produce ethanol and 101,894 metric tons of livestock feed, 90,839 metric tons of which were distillers grains. The rest is comprised of corn gluten feed and corn gluten meal. Additionally, ethanol producers were providing 4.76 million pounds of corn oil daily.



New University Analysis: No Changes Needed to 2014 and 2015 Renewable Fuel Requirements

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposal to slash 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) blending requirements is unwarranted and economically irrational, according to a new analysis released today by Iowa State University’s Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD). The 16-page report shows that 2014 statutory RFS requirements could be easily met with no new investment in refueling infrastructure, and 2015 requirements could be achieved with only modest infrastructure investments.

In November, EPA proposed to reduce the 2014 requirement for renewable fuel by 10 percent from the statutory level of 14.4 billion gallons to just 13 billion gallons. The Agency cited the so-called E10 “blend wall” as the key factor in its decision to propose the cut.

According to CARD economists Bruce Babcock and Sebastien Pouliot, “…the assumption by EPA that a 14.4 billion gallon ethanol mandate in 2014 was not feasible is not correct. …meeting a 14.4 billion gallon ethanol mandate is feasible in 2014 with no new stations, modestly lower E85 prices, and judicious use of available carryover RINs.”

The analysis clearly details why setting the 2014 blending requirements below the so-called “blend wall” results in a self-fulfilling prophecy that stunts any future growth potential in domestic ethanol consumption. In essence, EPA’s proposal would kill the economic incentive provided by Renewable Identification Number (RIN) credits to expand E15 and E85 refueling infrastructure.

“Our results demonstrate that the number of stations that sell E85 will not increase until EPA sets ethanol mandates beyond E10 levels,” the report states. “If increased mandates need to wait for the stations to be built, mandates will never increase. …The key point is that creation of sufficient demand to meet ethanol blending targets that exceed E10 levels is contingent on EPA setting mandates sufficiently high to incentivize the investments in fueling infrastructure that allow the targets to be met.”

Setting the 2014 blending requirements at the levels envisioned by Congress would restore the economic incentive to expand E15 and E85 infrastructure and thus would help facilitate compliance with both 2014 and 2015 statutory requirements.

“Adopting a 14.4 billion gallon ethanol mandate would send a clear signal that EPA is not locked into keeping ethanol mandates below E10 levels. It would also increase RIN prices enough to incentivize investments in new E85 stations that would give EPA the freedom to move the ethanol mandate to 15 billion gallons in 2015,” the authors write. “The 14.4 billion gallon mandate level in 2014 is feasible to achieve even if no new E85 stations are added. Adding stations would lower the cost of meeting the 14.4 billion gallon mandate and, more importantly, would allow EPA to increase mandates by even more in the future.”

The analysis found that if EPA set the 2014 requirement for renewable fuel at 14.4 billion gallons, and no new E85 or E15 stations were added, RIN prices could be expected to average 69 cents each. However, adding 500 additional E85 stations in 2014 would reduce RIN prices to just 18 cents apiece.

“This drop in RIN price represents more than a $7 billion drop in the total value of RINs that would be used for compliance in 2014. The cost of adding the addition stations would be $65 million,” according to the report. “This dramatic decrease in the total cost of RINs from adding new E85 stations is what gives EPA the tool they need to incentivize the investments that would facilitate expanded ethanol mandates.”

In closing, the authors express bewilderment over the intent of the proposed rule, stating, “…it would be difficult to interpret EPA’s proposed fundamental shift in policy as anything except a reduction in overall support for biofuels, however nuanced one might want to interpret the intent of the proposed rule.”

The new paper, along with several other recent analyses on the RFS, is available on the CARD web site... http://renewablefuelsassociation.createsend1.com/t/y-l-thukdhd-hyutwydj-o/.



Informa Boosts Corn, Bean Production

Private analytical firm Informa Economics boosted its year-end 2013 corn production estimate to 14.16 billion bushels.  That's 173 mb higher than USDA's November estimates.  To reach its corn production estimate, Informa increased both its harvested acreage estimates and its yield forecasts.  Informa pegged 2013 harvested acreage at 87.6 million acres, up about 380,000 from USDA's current estimate. Informa estimates national average corn yield at 161.6 bushels per acre, up 1.2 bpa.

Informa boosted its year-end 2013 soybean estimate to 3.33 bb, 71 mb higher than USDA's November estimates.  Informa increased the national average yield to 44 bpa, 1 bpa increase from USDA's November estimate.

SOUTH AMERICAN PRODUCTION
Informa also released updated estimates for global crop production, which included a 2 million metric ton reduction to Argentina's soybean output and a 2.75 mmt cut to Brazilian corn production.

Argentina's expected to produce 57.5 mmt of soybeans, which is 2 mmt less than Informa's previous forecast but still 8.2 mmt larger than last year's production. It's also higher than USDA's December estimate of 54.5 mmt. Soybean planting was 81% complete by Dec. 26 and is typically completed by mid- to late-January, Informa said.

Informa left its Brazilian soybean production forecast unchanged at 88.5 mmt, which if realized would be 7 mmt higher than last year. USDA last estimated Brazilian production at 88 mmt. While there are early reports of harvest in central and western Mato Grosso, the bulk of Brazil's crop is still blooming.

Corn production estimates for Brazil were trimmed 2.75 mmt to 67.4 mmt overall, reflecting a small winter corn crop than Informa previously expected. Brazil's main corn crop is expected to produce 31.3 mmt while the winter crop (planting usually begins in January) is expected to total 36 mmt. Informa expects Brazilian farmers will use fewer inputs, thus reducing yields, because of lower global prices. In December, USDA estimated Brazilian corn production at 70 mmt.

Informa forecasts Argentine corn production at 25 mmt, which is unchanged from Informa's previous forecasts but 1 mmt below USDA's latest estimates. The corn crop was 77% planted by late December and development is running about three weeks behind average due to dry planting conditions in September and October.



USDA Dairy Products November 2013 Production Highlights

Total cheese output (excluding cottage cheese) was 941 million pounds, 2.9 percent above November 2012 but 3.1 percent below October 2013.  Italian type cheese production totaled 415 million pounds, 7.8 percent above November 2012 but 4.0 percent below October 2013.  American type cheese production totaled 355 million pounds, 2.7 percent below November 2012 and 3.7 percent below October 2013.  Butter production was 143 million pounds, 0.1 percent below November 2012 and 2.3 percent below October 2013.

Dry milk powders (comparisons with November 2012)
Nonfat dry milk, human - 100 million pounds, down 13.6 percent.
Skim milk powders - 56.4 million pounds, up 26.1 percent.

Whey products (comparisons with November 2012)
Dry whey, total - 75.1 million pounds, up 3.1 percent.
Lactose, human and animal - 83.6 million pounds, up 4.2 percent.
Whey protein concentrate, total - 42.1 million pounds, up 17.5 percent.

Frozen products (comparisons with November 2012)
Ice cream, regular (hard) - 52.3 million gallons, down 3.3 percent.
Ice cream, lowfat (total) - 24.8 million gallons, down 9.9 percent.
Sherbet (hard) - 2.53 million gallons, up 2.7 percent.
Frozen yogurt (total) - 4.43 million gallons, down 8.5 percent.



Panama Canal Expansion Overruns Threaten 2015 Completion

The consortium at the heart of a historic Panama Canal expansion project threatened this week to suspend work due to financial problems caused by a $1.6 billion cost overrun.

The group issued a statement giving the Panama Canal Authority 21 days to settle the dispute, arguing that the Authority is responsible for covering the added costs, but said it will continue working in the meantime, reports international news sources.

Canal Administrator Jorge L. Quijano responded with his own communique saying the Authority will continue to demand the companies "respect the contract that they themselves accept and signed." He said the purpose of the consortium's warning was "to force the organization to negotiate outside the terms established in the contract."

Grupo Unidos por el Canal is formed by Spain's Sacyr Vallehermoso, Impregilo of Italy, Jan De Nul of Belgium and Constructora Urbana SA of Panama. It won the contract to design and build a third set of locks with a $3.2 billion bid in 2009.

Panama has estimated the full expansion program will cost $5.2 billion, with the new, wider locks allowing the 50-mile canal to handle ships far larger than those that can now navigate the century-old waterway.

Officials now say the work should be finished by June 2015. Officials say the overall expansion work is 72 percent finished, with the locks themselves at 65 percent.



Cold Weather Effects on Wheat

Conditions have been unusually cold throughout Kansas during most of the start of winter. During the first blast of cold weather, there was little or no snow cover. This means in places soil temperatures have been colder than normal, leaving some producers wondering if these conditions will leave wheat fields susceptible to winter die-off?

According to a recent update from K-State's agronomy department, there are several factors to consider when evaluating the outlook for winter survival of wheat:

How well has the wheat cold hardened?
Wheat plants are able to develop good winterhardiness when temperatures through fall and early winter gradually get colder. That was the case this fall meaning the wheat should be adequately cold hardened in most cases. Had temperatures remained unusually warm late into the fall then suddenly dropped into the low teens, plants would be less likely to properly cold harden and will have been more susceptible to winterkill.

How well developed is the root system?
Where wheat plants have a good crown root system and two or more tillers, they will tolerate cold better. If plants are poorly developed going into winter, with very few secondary roots and no tillers, they will be more susceptible to winterkill or desiccation, especially when soils remain dry. Poor development of secondary roots may not be readily apparent unless the plants are pulled up and examined.

How cold is the soil at the crown level?
Winterkill is possible if soil temperatures at the crown level fall into the single digits. If there is at least an inch of snow on the ground, the wheat will be protected and soil temperatures will usually remain above the critical level. Also, if the soil has good moisture, it's possible that soil temperatures at the crown level may not reach the critical level even in the absence of snow cover. But if the soil is dry and there is no snow cover, there may be the potential for winterkill, especially on exposed slopes or terrace tops, depending on the condition of the plants.

Is the crown well protected by soil?
If wheat is planted at the correct depth, about 1.5 to 2 inches deep, and in good contact with the soil, the crown should be well protected by the soil from the effects of cold temperatures. If the wheat seed was planted too shallow, then the crown will have developed too close to the soil surface and will be more susceptible to winterkill.

Is there any insect or disease damage to the plants?
Plants may die during the winter not from winterkill, but from the direct effects of a fall infestation of Hessian fly. Many people are familiar with the lodging that Hessian fly can cause to wheat in the spring, but fewer recognize the damage that can be caused by fall infestations of Hessian fly. Wheat infested in the fall often remains green until the winter when the infested tillers gradually die.

Damage from winter grain mites, brown wheat mites, aphids, and crown and root rot diseases can also weaken wheat plants and make them somewhat more susceptible to injury from cold weather stress or desiccation.

If plants are killed outright by cold temperatures, they won't green up next spring. But if they are only damaged, it might take them a while to die. There are enough nutrients in the crown to allow the plants to green up, but the winter injury causes vascular damage so nutrients that are left cannot move, or root rot diseases kill the plants. This slow death is probably the most common result of winter injury on wheat.

Direct cold injury is not the only source of winter injury. Under dry soil conditions, wheat plants may suffer from desiccation. This can kill or weaken plants, and is actually a more common problem than direct cold injury.