RENOVATING
PASTURE AND HAY FIELDS/SOIL TESTING
Renovate
means to renew and improve. Lots of farmers have a great
opportunity here in the spring to renew and improve their
pasture and hayfields. This usually means adding needed lime
and fertilizer, controlling weeds , and planting a legume
such as red clover. The biggest benefits come as a result of
getting legumes established in grass dominated fields,
boosting both yields and quality of the forages produced.
We have a
great publication here at the Henry County Extension Office
on Renovating Hay and Pasture Fields, detailing all the
steps involved. The very first step is getting the soil
tested and making sure the fields have proper nutrients and
pH. Soil testing is available through the Extension Office
(845-2811), and we have some soil probes available for loan.
3/10/10
TIME TO REJUVENATE
PASTURES
Pasture Renovation in
Kentucky is generally defined as adding legumes to an existing grass
based pasture. Research indicates the addition of legumes adds yield,
increases quality, and reduces fertilizer needs because it manufactures
its own nitrogen. All in all, this is a win, win,win situation for the
producer, the pasture, and the animals which will utilize it later.
Most Henry County farms
already have the base forage in place. Our rolling land is permanently
dressed in fescue, bluegrass, orchardgrass, or timothy, or various
mixtures of all these cool season grasses. The dominant species is
fescue, which can cause some summertime problems due to the fescue
endophyte. The addition of legumes to fescue doesn’t get rid of the
endophyte problem, but it does plenty to lessen the effects simply by
diluting the amount ingested by the grazing animals.
Our recent Kentucky
Cattleman’s Association Conference featured an afternoon session on
Forages. This years theme was the Role and Importance of Clovers in
Kentucky. A survey indicates that as much as 50% of all clovers seeded
in Kentucky are seeded with the time honored method of ‘frost seeding’.
Frost Seeding can be done very simply by broadcasting clover seed on
heavily grazed ground during February or early March, when the freeze
and thaw action of the soil actually ‘moves’ the soil enough to get good
seed to soil contact. Most of you know what I mean when I say
‘honeycombed’ soil, which happens when moist soil is frozen. The small
round seed of the legume is well suited to work its way into the soil,
and clovers especially have a tolerance to freezing temperatures as they
germinate and grow.
One adage is to ‘Sow
Clover on Pasture Fields in February in dark moon, on a snow’. This
frost seeding technique works well, since February is usually going to
have several freezes and thaws. Sowing on a snow guarantees some
moisture, and it makes it easy to see where you’ve been. Dark moon is an
astrological sign, and research cannot prove it helps the process, but
neither can it prove it doesn’t.
If you would like a
higher quality pasture, with more yield, and a way to reduce nitrogen
needs on your farm, then target February as the month to sow clover. Sow
6 to 8 pounds of red clover seed per acre, and maybe add a pound or so
of white clover for permanent pasture situations. Use certified seed
which has performed well in Kentucky, and use soil sampling to insure
adequate pH, phosphorus, and potassium for top performance.
1/27/10
SIGNUPS END SOON
The Henry County
Extension Service is now taking signups for Master Grazer, Beef Series,
and our Innovative Tobacco Growers Program. Please contact us at the
Henry County Office at 845-2811 for details of these educational
opportunities and to register.
COMMON FIELDS
Some press has picked up
the information about a program called ‘Common Fields’. I have been told
that ‘Common Fields’ is a USDA name for a program targeting new and
beginning farmers. I’m also told by folks in the UK Department of Ag
Economics that the Kentucky version of this program is KY FARMSTART, and
is an in depth, 12 month program. In this region, we have been offering
a program called “Green Acres” for the past couple of years. If enough
people indicate interest in the new Kentucky FarmStart Program, we may
be able to schedule it here. Please contact us at 845-2811.
1/20/10
AGRICULTURE EDUCATIONAL
PROGRAM SIGNUPS
FYI, there are several
opportunities coming up early in the new year for Agriculture Education
through the UK Cooperative Extension Service. If you have an interest in
one or more of them, please contact us at the Henry County Extension
Office (845-2811) to let us know and get more information.
MASTER GRAZER 2010 –
March 18, April 1, and April 15, from 6 to 9 pm, locations TBA. We’ll
begin with one classroom session on fundamentals of plant and animal
interactions when grazing, then move outside for two field days and farm
tours to show pasture management along with fencing and water layouts
for efficient grazing.
1/13/10
CATTLE MANAGEMENT
As we go into the
winter, Dr. Roy Burris, UK Beef Specialist, offers some timely tips for
cattle farmers.
If you have a SPRING
CALVING HERD, divide the herd into groups for winter feeding, First-calf
heifers, second-calvers and thin mature cows should be separated from
the remainder of the dry cows which are in good body condition. Begin
feeding the lowest quality forage to dry cows which are in good
condition during early winter and save the best hay for calving time or
for weaned calves.
Body condition is
important, plan an adequate winter program for cows to be at least body
condition score 5 (carrying some flesh with ribs covered) before the
calving and breeding season. This will help them to breed early in the
spring. Thin cows should be fed to regain body condition prior to
winter. Don’t let cows lose weight/condition.
For a FALL CALVING HERD,
have a Breeding Soundness Evaluation (BSE) performed on bulls (even if
you used them this spring). Observe performance of bulls during breeding
season. Watch cows for return to estrus, if you see several in heat, try
to determine the cause and consider changing bulls. Breeding can be
accomplished very nicely on stockpiled fescue pasture; otherwise, cows
with calves should be fed 25-30 pounds of good quality hay or its
equivalent. Supplement with grain, if needed, and minimize hay waste.
Cows shouldn’t be allowed to lose body condition.
All cattlemen might
consider some General Management chores such as installing some
geotextile fabric/gravel feeding areas before you begin hay feeding to
minimize waste, and soil testing pastures to check for fertility and pH.
These are tight economic times, and these are inexpensive ways to
stretch limited dollars.
12/16/09
WILLIG IS KFGC FORAGE
SPOKESPERSON
The Kentucky Grazing
Conference was held on October 28 at the Western KY Research and
Education Center, sponsored by the Forage and Grassland Council (KFGC)
and the UK Extension Service. One of the highlights of the Grazing
Conference was the Forage
Spokesperson Contest. Congratulations to Caldwell Willig of Oldham
County, who was this year’s winner.
Most Henry County Cattlemen know Caldwell as the farm host of the 2008
Regional Cattleman’s Field Day. The following is an overview of
Caldwell’s diversified farming operation: Located on 300 acres along the
Ohio River, Rivercrest Farm raises Angus – Tarentaise cross beef cattle.
The farm consists of approximately 115 acres of pasture and 75 acres of
river bottom which is leased for row crop production. The balance of the
farm is in woodlands.
Pastures include 6 acres
of grazing type alfalfa, 5 acres of eastern gamagrass, 2 acres of
bermudagrass, with the remainder in cool season grasses and ladino
clover. Pastures are rotationally grazed using portable electric fencing
and both permanent and portable waterers. Rivercrest Farm has a herd of
75 cows divided between spring and fall calving. In addition to raising
and selling freezer beef, the farm produces and sells eggs from a flock
of 50 laying hens. This farm also had its first harvest this October of
pasture raised Cornish cross broiler chickens.
Caldwell will represent
KFGC at the American Forage and Grassland Council annual conference in
June of 2010 in Springfield, Missouri.
CUTTING ASH CONTENT
In your haymaking
operation, if you have clouds of dust trailing your rake, you’re
probably adding unnecessary ash to your forage. What is ash? Simply put,
it’s dirt. A certain amount of ash is unavoidable. Grass plants contain
about 6% ash, and alfalfa holds nearly 8%. But the harvesting and
handling of hay or silage, on average, adds 4% more ash, for an average
of 10-12% ash, and can be a limiting factor for beef gain or milk
production, according to Dr. Dan Undersander of the University of
Wisconsin.
To limit the amount of dirt you get in your hay, here are some
suggestions:
• Cut the crop at least
3-3½” high. If you cut alfalfa shorter you get a little more tonnage,
but as you go below 3”, especially when the soil is dry, you’re going to
be picking up more dirt.
• Change your disc mower knives from standard to flat. The standard
knife has a 14-degree angle and it creates a little vacuum. On first
cutting when the ground is wet, it doesn’t make any difference; on
second and third, when the ground is dry, you can easily pick up 1-2%
ash.
• Keep rake tines from scraping the ground.
12/9/09
FIREWOOD BASICS
With the surge in energy
costs recently, wood for heating is making a big comeback in Henry
County and even our more urban neighbors. Wood can provide an economical
and enjoyable way to heat your home, and it pays to know a thing or two
about purchasing and using this natural resource.
The first question often asked is what kind of wood to buy. Knowing if a
species is a high or low density wood can have a big impact on the
amount needed. Low density woods such as yellow poplar, silver and red
maples, and buckeye, contain a greater amount of air between the cell
walls. High density species such as oak, black locust, hickory, ash and
beech produce more heat per unit volume because they contain more wood
and less air in their cellular structures. The more economical purchase
will be high-density woods that generate more heat.
Another factor to
evaluate is how well the wood was seasoned. Wood comes from living
plants which means they contain water. The moisture in unseasoned wood
can account for up to 50 percent of its weight. Energy generated from
burning wet wood goes toward evaporating the moisture within the wood
itself and can greatly diminish its heat producing capacity. Seasoned
wood has been allowed to air dry for 6 to 12 months which removes the
largest percentage of water. Well-seasoned firewood is gray in color,
has splits in the ends of the logs and looks weathered. Round logs split
into smaller sections yield more surface area and speed the drying
process.
Knowledge of how
firewood is measured is a third important piece of information to learn
in order to get the most from your wood-burning dollars. Terms used for
describing a volume of wood include cord, face cord, rick, and
truckload. The only ‘official’ measurement is the standard cord which
measures128 cubic feet of wood, generally measured as a pile 8 feet long
by 4 feet tall by 4 feet deep. The term face cord refers to a stack of
wood 8 feet long by 4 feet tall, but only as deep as the wood is cut, so
a face cord of 16" wood actually is only 1/3 of a cord, 24" wood yields
1/2 of a cord, and so on. Webster defines a rick of wood simply as a
pile of wood, but locally most folks use rick as being a face cord.
Obviously, truck sizes vary tremendously, but most pickups won’t haul a
full cord. Adding to the confusion is the fact that the size and shape
of individual logs and how carefully they are stacked influences the
actual volume regardless of the weight purchased. It is very important
that you get all of this straight with the seller before agreeing on a
price.
The best firewood
produces the greatest heat value at the lowest cost. For more
information about firewood and fireplace and heating stove safety,
contact the Henry County Extension Service at 845-2811.
12/02/09
MARKETING SPRING BORN
CALVES
With fall upon us,
Henry County beef farmers will soon begin making marketing plans for
spring-born calves. Even with a much better forage situation this
summer, many cow-calf producers have struggled to cover rising costs
on a softer calf market, said UK Agricultural Economist Kenny
Burdine a couple of weeks ago at the Master Cattleman Marketing
Session held in Henry County.
Many cow-calf
producers sell calves at weaning each year, regardless of what the
market is doing. But, Burdine warned that weaning and
preconditioning those calves can potentially increase their market
value and also allow the producer to add some additional pounds
before sale time.
Fall 2008 turned out
to be a tough time for preconditioning programs like CPH-45. Forage
was scarce, so most producers primarily fed calves with purchased
feeds during the preconditioning period. Then the other shoe dropped
from August to December as the overall calf prices sharply fell in
response to mounting concerns about how the economy would affect
demand. Even though the price premiums were as strong as they
usually are, the overall price drop from weaning time to sale time
left many beef producers in situations where they were not able to
cover their preconditioning costs and weaning value. In other words,
many would have been better off had they sold calves at weaning
time, according to Burdine.
Burdine encourages
producers to look at 2009 with a fresh set of eyes and not base this
year's decision strictly on last year. The calf market is stronger
than it was last winter, and feed prices will likely be lower. So,
he encourages farmers to sit down and work through a breakeven.
Considerations include the value of the calves at weaning time, the
extra feed required to keep the calves gaining about 2 pounds per
day, mineral, medicine, labor, interest and any other legitimate
expense, and finally the anticipated value of the heavier calf at
sale time.
If preconditioning
is considered profitable in 2009, then begin looking to the CPH-45
type offerings. While preconditioning for health is considered a
plus for the buyer, the grouping of large numbers of like size and
color calves is another reason for the premium prices at CPH-45
sales, allowing smaller farmers a marketing boost.
We have some real
good opportunities for CPH-45 sales this year, with the usual
monthly sales at Bluegrass Stockyard in Lexington, and a new sale at
Producers Stockyard in Owenton on Monday, November 23. Whichever
sale you decide on, remember to observe all CPH-45 rules from the
specific sale site, and make sure to wean 45 days in advance.
Contact the Henry County Extension Office (845-2811) to get details.
9/30/09
DEALING WITH THE EMERALD
ASH BORER
Many of you have seen
the big purple boxes swinging from Ash trees this spring and summer. The
purpose of these Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) traps were to find out if these
Ash tree killing insects had made it into Kentucky from the states to
the north. They had. Without using the traps, we now have 7 counties
with confirmed EAB presence, and while Henry County is not one of the
seven, we are in the Quarantine area. What does this all mean? The
following information and philosophy is from UK Tree Specialist Dr.
William Fountain.
The initial infestations
appear to have occurred in Michigan five to eight years ago. The option
of confining it or eradicating does not exist, and there are no
resistant Ash trees. EAB is responsible for the death or removal of over
20 million trees in Michigan alone. As this insect has moved through
states to our north, all untreated ash trees have succumbed or are
infected. At this time management is our only option for protecting
valuable trees.
Though they may be
genetically the same, urban and forest trees are economically different
and must be managed accordingly. It is economically impractical to
protect large numbers of trees in woodlots. The discussion of timber
management will be discussed at a later time. Here, we’ll discuss the
many Ash trees which are an important component of farmsteads and our
urban and suburban landscapes.
The obvious signs of EAB
infestation are small (1/8 inch) D- shaped holes, dieback of the crown
and woodpeckers feeding on the larvae. The first feeding by EAB larvae
is usually in the crown of the tree. By the time feeding and the
resulting exit holes can be seen at eye level, it is generally too late
for the tree to be saved.
Ash trees can be
protected by specific insecticides. The best treatments currently
available contain imidacloprid, applied by injection (professional) or
drench (homeowner). There are advantages and disadvantages to either
method. Insecticides applied by these two methods are considered to be
protectants. Specifically, they are must effective when they are applied
before the insect begins to feed in the tree. If a tree has lost more
than 50% of its crown it is probably too late to save the tree. These
insecticides must be applied on a regular basis for as long as the owner
wishes to keep the tree.
Making intelligent
decisions on which trees to treat and which to remove necessitates
knowing (1) the size of the tree and (2) the perceived value of the tree
to the owner. Protection is going to be expensive and, with the
materials currently available must be treated on a regular basis and at
the proper time of year. Generally, trees should be treated well prior
to the emergence date of the EAB larvae (approximately mid May).
Young newly planted
trees (1 to 2 inch trunks) are generally considered not to be worth
treating. If these trees were installed as an important part of the
landscape design, remove them and replace with a resistant species. If
they were installed as part of a large planting and will not be missed
if they are lost, they can be left and either removed when they become
infected or treated should cheaper and more effective become available.
Old and declining trees
(over 22 inches in diameter) are so large that it is difficult to get
enough of the pesticide into the tree to effectively protect the tree.
If a large tree is especially valuable to a landscape it can be
protected with the intention of providing some lesser degree of
protection with the thought that more effective insecticides will be
coming onto the market.
Young and maturing trees
(4 to 18 inches in diameter) are generally worth protecting, especially
if they are considered to be a valuable component of the landscape.
There are three reasons why this is especially true for trees in the
upper end of this size range. Trees on the south side of a home or in a
livestock pasture are valuable not only for the beauty they add but
especially for the shade they will provide in the coming decade. Shade
from trees reduces utility bills. Secondly, air conditioners in houses
that are shaded do not work as hard and, last longer. Thirdly, treating
to prevent EAB infection is cost effective. The cost of treatment to
large trees over a period of a couple of decades is going to be less
than the cost of removal. When you add the cost of a replacement tree
and the decade of higher utility bills it can be an obvious decision.
There are going to be a
lot of questions about Ash trees in the coming months and years. We will
continue to try to explain the facts and the options through the UK
Cooperative Extension Service. The local Extension Office can be reached
at 845-2811.
7/29/09
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