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