Cooperative Extension Service Nelson County 317 S. Third Street Bardstown, KY 40004 (502) 348-9204 Fax: (502) 348-9270 http://nelson.ca.uky.edu
RON’S RUMBLES The crop year is starting to wind down. We started to combine corn this week. It’s going to be interesting to see how everything yields. While we were never dry enough this year to hurt crops I’m afraid we may have had too much water for some crops. I’m not sure how much nitrogen got leached out. Tobacco looks good but we’ve had some weather that might cause house burn problems. While we struggled all year to get hay put up without getting it rained on there is a good fall cutting and weather has been great to get it cut. The bottom line is I think crops are going to be very good, but I’m not sure yet if they will be record breakers. On the livestock side cattle look really good. Pastures have been abundant all year and the calf crop looks excellent. Our dairy and hog folks had to put up with quite a bit of heat so milk and pork production probably dropped some this summer. Things (Continued on page 2)
Upcoming Events September 17—Durbin’s Old Time Threshing Day September 22—Beef Bash 2016, Princeton, KY October 19—Grazing Conference, Summerset, KY November 5—Central KY Premier Heifer Sale, Lebanon, KY September 19th—Rinse & Return 10:00-12:00
Ron Bowman County Extension Agent for Agriculture/Natural Resources
should get back to normal as temperatures cool and new grain starts getting fed. Prices received for commodities are going to make things a little more challenging. The upside is we’ve added a lot of grain storage in the last few years so holding crops and doing a good job of marketing should help profitability some. Remember it’s a very busy season. Try to stay as rested as possible and be safe. If I can be of help give me a call.
How To Shorten The Breeding Season Source: Les Anderson, UK beef specialist It’s pretty easy for most beef producers to understand that the more calves they sell, the more money they are going to make. Gross income and profitability are driven by the reproductive rate. So, reproductive management is an important but sometimes overlooked aspect of beef cow-calf operations. A high reproductive rate in the herd increases the number of calves and can also increase weights at market. A tight breeding season can lower labor costs and the overall cost of production by increasing feed and other efficiencies. The most limiting factor of reproductive rates in Kentucky is heat stress. Some 95 percent of beef operations in the state calve in the spring and still have endophyte-infected fescue in their pastures. That combination leads to the potential for heat stress in the summer, which results in lower pregnancy rates and calving rates. University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment studies have shown that as you extend your breeding season later into the summer, you reduce your chances of having high reproductive rates. Studies have shown that very few UK cows get pregnant after June 20. So it is important that most of the breeding is done within the first 30 days of the season. Most producers have cows that will need special attention. About a month before the breeding season, take pen and paper and head to the pasture. Write down the tag numbers of all your two2
year-old females. These cows are not going to be as reproductively efficient as older cows. Also, write down every thin cow, because they are less likely to be as reproductively sound as those carrying more weight. Finally, identify all your late-calving cows. These are the cattle that may need assistance to bring them into cycling. Addressing the needs of these cattle with some form of progestin can shorten the breeding cycle as well as increase the pregnancy rate in your herd. Producers can use progestin either through a feed supplement or an insert. It is important when using a feed additive to ensure that the cattle are actually eating the feed. A cycling cow already has progestin, so it is unnecessary to use it with them.
Preventing Mastitis in Dairy Heifers Before Calving By: Donna M. Amaral-Phillips Dairy heifers represent a major investment in a dairy herd’s future genetics, production, and financial welfare. Prevention and treatment of mastitis in breeding age and bred heifers can directly impact somatic cell count, production, and potential profit after calving. Dr. Steve Nickerson, in a recent DAIReXNET webinar entitled “Managing Mastitis in Bred Heifers” discussed the importance and ways to prevent and treat mastitis in dairy heifers. This article summarizes his major points within his webinar’s discussion. Heifers don’t get mastitis—Right? Few dairy heifers actually exhibit clinical signs of mastitis, such as a swollen quarter, before calving. However, in some herds greater than 75% of heifers between the ages of 12 and 15 months can have subclinical mastitis where the signs of a mastitis infection are not visible. When udder secretions are cultured, 30% of the quarters of heifers are infected with Staph. aureus with the other Staphylococcus species being the next most important contributors. Very few to no quarters are infected with 3
environmental bacteria or coliforms. Good news, 90 to 100% of Staph. aureus infections can be cured when they are treated during this pregnancy. Why should we be concerned? In pregnant heifers with Staph. aureus infections, scar tissue forms in the udder which reduces the amount of secretory tissue which can produce milk.
Scabs on these teats were caused by horn flies
These heifers produce 10% less milk their first lactation. To put this another way, milk Photos courtesy of Dr. Steve Nickerson, University of production could be reduced Georgia by 2000 lbs as a first-calf heifer (assuming she would have produced 22,000 lbs of milk as a first-calf heifer). Thus, protocols for heifers related to udder health need to be developed with your veterinarian’s input to prevent new infections and to cure existing infections. How do heifers get mastitis? The teat skin is exposed to bacteria starting shortly after birth. These bacteria can penetrate the keratin plug, gain entry into the udder, and cause an infection. Also, horn flies can bite the teats, causing an irritation with the formation of scabs on the teats. These scabs provide a place for bacteria to colonize and grow. Horn flies also place additional bacteria on the teats and scabs. Can these infections be prevented? Dairy heifers, like the lactating herd, need an udder health program to prevent new mastitis infections as well as a treatment program to cure existing infections. These protocols must be developed with the help and advice of your veterinarian since the use of antibiotics in heifers is an extra-label use of these drugs. Specifically, Dr. Nickerson recommended the following for you to discuss with your veterinarian based on his research: 4
a. Control horn flies!!! In herds with fly control, the number of heifers with infections was less than half the rate of those without fly control. The number of heifers with Staph. aureus infection was reduced 10-fold in herds with fly control. b. To cure existing infections: With the advice of your veterinarian, use either a dry cow therapy 30 to 60 days prior to calving or a lactating cow-antibiotic therapy tube 14 days pre-calving. This protocol is an extra-label use of drugs. All antibiotic treatment protocols must be carried out under a valid veterinary-client-patient relationship (VCPR) where a licensed veterinarian familiar with your herd prescribes this treatment and the antibiotic to use. When infusing the products recommended, remember to use alcohol swabs to disinfect the teat and teat end, partially insert the infusion tube cannula, and then dip teats with a post-milking teat dip when done. c.To prevent new infections: Use an internal teat sealant, Orbeseal™ or Teatseal®, 30 days before expected calving date and remove at the first milking after calving. Be sure to (1) clean the teat, especially the teat end, with an alcohol swab, (2) compress the area at the base/top of the teat, (3) partially insert the cannula, (4) slowly infuse contents so sealant remains in the teat, and (5) dip teats with post-milking teat dip. If an antibiotic therapy is used, treatment should be completed before using a teat sealant and post-dipping teats.
Prepare Now for Optimum Pastures and Hayfields in 2017 Have you ever given advice and then not taken that advice yourself. I’m sure my kids could tell you a few stories about that. At almost every forage meeting I speak at I emphasize the importance of soil testing hay and pasture fields. I say something like: “if you do not take a soil test, then how do you know if you are over-fertilizing or under-fertilizing.” If you over-fertilize, then you are spending money that could be used for other things. If you under-fertilize, you are giving up forage production and usually growing weeds, like bromestraw. 5
Since I don’t have a farm, my grass production is in my backyard. Every other year or so I apply a bag (35 lbs) of 10-10-10 to the 5000 sq feet of grass in the backyard whether it needs it or not. That’s about 35 lbs/acre each of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (N,P,K). I also apply a few bags of pelleted lime. Then every fall (usually October) I apply the equivalent of 40 lbs/acre N in the form of urea. The fall N application doesn’t grow more grass, but it helps the existing bluegrass and fescue produce new shoots for next year and strengthen root systems going into the winter. I have decided to follow my own advice. Until this past year I just never got around to soil testing, or one time I took a sample and put it aside and it never got to the lab. So in early September I took soil cores to 4” deep from several places in my yard, mixed them together, and dropped them by the Jessamine County extension office. Then about a week later, I got anxious and since I was sure that my pH and fertility was low, I was on my way to the local Ag Store to buy 8 bags of pelleted lime at $4 per bag (about 1 ton per acre). And while I was at it I was going to buy a couple of bags of 10-10-10 at $12 per bag. Just before heading out though I checked the mailbox, and there was my soil test report. To my surprise the P and K Nutrients Removed per levels were in the very ton of hay high range (675 lbs P and 499 lbs K/acre) N P2O5 K20 and the pH was fine at Forage Crop lbs removed per ton 6.5. Not only did I not 50 14 55 need to buy any lime, Alfalfa hay but the P and K levels Grass/legume hay 35 12 53 were high enough that Fescue hay 35 18 50 I probably do not need any fertilizer (except N) for 10 years or more. Apparently the previous owner of our property must have added a fair bit of fertilizer over the years. So my soil test saved $56 dollars in lime and fertilizer just this year alone. If you over applied the same rate of commercial lime and fertilizer I was about to on your pasture or hayfield you would have saved almost $100 per acre. I hope your soil test report shows you do not need much fertilizer, but you may like the KY farmer who got back the soil test report on 6
his grass hay field this spring. It showed P in the low range (12 lbs/A), K in the very low range (90 lbs/acre), and pH of 6.0. This farmer definitely needed to add P and K and lime according to the soil test recommendations and then add N in the spring to enhance grass growth. Or he could frost seed red and ladino clover to obtain free nitrogen from nitrogen fixation. An additional rule of thumb for hay production is to apply fertilizer based on how much is removed from the field. On page 4 of UK’s AGR-1 publication “2014-2015 Lime and Nutrient Recommendations” crop nutrient removal values are listed. For example, a 5 ton crop of alfalfa removes 250 lbs/acre of N, 70 lbs/acre of P and 275 lbs/ acre of K. Fortunately, the nitrogen removed in alfalfa hay is replaced for free by nitrogen fixation. So how do I take a soil test? Soil tests should be taken every 3 years in pastures and every year for hay fields. Separate samples and separate analysis should be done for each pasture and hay field or unique areas in the field. For example, a feeding area or shaded area where livestock spend extended periods of time build up manure and may have much higher nutrient levels. Spring and fall are the best times to perform a soil test. Take soil samples at a depth of approximately 4inches in 10 to 12 different areas of the field. Samples need to be thoroughly mixed in a plastic bucket and then a representative amount put into a soil sample bag provided by your county extension office and clearly labeled. The sample bag can then be returned to the county extension office and they will ship it to the UK Soil Testing Lab. Your county agent will send back the results and will assist you in interpreting results and developing a fertility program for each field. For more information on how to take soil samples, refer to UK AGR-16 “Taking Soil Test Samples”. Weed Control Fall is a great time of the year for weed control. The UK publication AGR-207 “Broadleaf Weeds of Kentucky Pastures” shows pictures of weeds on one side and a chart on the other side with a list of the weeds, the herbicides that will control each one, and the time of the year that is best to spray. For weeds that grow or germinate in cooler months like Bull, Musk and Plumeless 7
thistle the time to spray is Oct-Nov or Feb-March. Spraying during these months kills the thistle plants when they are small. On the other hand, weeds like Buttercup and Poison Hemlock often do not germinate until late winter, so the most effective time to spray is March-April. Other problem weeds only grow in the summer months so the best time to spray Tall Ironweed is June-August or to spray Ragweed is May-July. Spray at the right time and use the recommended products and soon your pastures and hayfields will be almost weed free. Remember though, that the best weed control is good grazing and cutting management and a well fertilized forage stand has the best chance to outcompete weeds. Forage Seeding Dates Normally fall is considered an ideal time to seed cool season forages. For example, AGR-18 “Grain and Forage Crop Guide for Kentucky� shows that October 1 is the cut-off date for seeding Tall Fescue. From this same publication, the recommended deadline for seeding clovers and alfalfa is September 15. Fortunately, clover establishes well by frost seeding in February. Now is a great time to soil test the pasture or hay field where you want to add clover and then apply lime, P and K according to soil test recommendations. That way, the pH has time to increase prior to seeding and the fertilizer is already in place.
What Impact Has Potential Record Corn & Soybean Crops Had on Future Prices? The August Crop Production is the first survey of farmers and first in-field measurements of the growing crops to project yield and production. The August WASDE incorporates the August Crop Production projections into the supply/demand forecasts. USDA surprised the corn and soybean markets by projecting record yields and production for both crops. The August Crop Production report projects the US yields at 175.1 and 48.9 bushels per acre, respectively, for corn and soybeans. Similarly, the report projects the US corn and soybean crops at 15.15 and 4.06 billion bushels, respectively. These record production estimates are bearish fundamentals for both markets. What is the outlook for both markets and how did the commodity futures market react to such 8
bearish information? If a record corn crop is harvested, total corn supplies for 2016-17 are projected to be 16.91 billion bushels which is 1.51 billion bushels more than last year. Demand is projected to be strong with feed demand and exports projected to increase 475 and 250 million bushels, respectively, over the 2015-16 marketing-year. The U.S. is benefiting from production problems in Argentina and Brazil which is effectively removing both countries from the corn and soybean export market until they harvest crops in Spring 2017. Ending corn stocks are projected to increase to 2.409 billion bushels which would be a stocksuse ratio of 16.6%, if realized. This abundance of corn will pressure prices lower to stimulate use. The projected U.S. marketingyear average (MYA) farm price is $3.15/bushel which is $0.45/ bushel lower than the 2015-16 price (Table 1). A potential record soybean crop does not have the same impact in ballooning ending soybean stocks as it did for the corn market. The 2016-17 soybean supply is projected to increase by 201 million bushels with use increasing by 127 million. Ending stocks are projected to increase to 330 million bushels which would be 75 million bushels more than in 2015 (Table 2). Given the strong use projections, 330 million bushels is not a significant cushion to absorb any production problems in the US or in South America. As a result, the 2016-17 US MYA farm price is projected at $9.10/ bushel which would be a $0.15/bushel increase over the 2015-16 MYA price, if realized (Table 2). Why the bullish response to 9
bearish news? There’s the rub. There is a saying in the grain markets that “Big Crops get Bigger” meaning that production estimates tend to increase throughout the fall into the final report. The 2016 corn crop is definitely a big crop. With the August corn yield estimate 7.1 bushels/acre greater than the statistical model projections in the July WASDE, there is some sentiment in the market that this is the biggest production estimate for 2016 and further estimates will show a smaller sized corn crop. The memory of the 2010 corn crop is still fresh as that corn crop was rated 70% good or excellent most of the year. For comparison, the US corn crop has been rated at 74-75% good or excellent throughout 2016. The 2010 corn harvest revealed a light test weight crop causing USDA to reduce the 2010 yield by 9.2 bushels from the August estimate to the October production estimate. Will this happen in 2016? The farm press is already reporting the anecdotal evidence of ears not filled completely (tip back) and that the stands are not nearly as even when walking in the field as compared to viewing from the road. The other driver of the bullish reaction is the much better than expected demand for both corn and soybeans. Exports for both crops are much stronger than what was projected by USDA last February in their Agricultural Outlook forum. As stated several times before, the soybean market does not have much cushion to absorb any lower projected yield for the 2016 US crop or any production problems with the upcoming South American crop. By the way, the USDA projections of the corn crop has increased 66% of the years (1965 to 2015) from the August report to the final projections in January. Will there be enough yield and harvested 10
area adjustments in upcoming reports to make 2016 a year that is in the 34% of big crops becoming smaller? For more information about the August 12th reports and a discussion of risk management alternatives for the corn and soybean markets, download the August Crops Marketing and Management Update from the Department of Agricultural Economics’ website: http://www.uky.edu/Ag/AgEcon/extmkt.php Todd D. Davis, todd.davis@uky.edu Assistant Extension Professor
CONSERVATION DISTRICT COST SHARE PROGRAM The Nelson County Conservation District are currently accepting requests for cost share funding under the Kentucky Soil Erosion and Water Quality Cost Share Program until October 31, 2016. The Kentucky Soil Erosion and Water Quality Cost Share Program was created to help agricultural operations protect the soil and water resources of Kentucky. This program is a result of House Bill 377 that was passed in the 1994 General Assembly. This bill established annual cost share funds to be administered by conservation districts with priority given to animal waste related problems and agricultural district participants where pollution problems have been identified. Initial funding for the program will be provided by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. Funding for practices will be approved by the Soil and Water Conservation Commission at the Kentucky Division of Conservation, located in Frankfort, as funds are available. For more information stop by the conservation district office located at 2001 Buchannan Blvd in Bardstown, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Phone: 348-3363, extension 7338.
USDA/NRCS ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PROGRAM (EQIP) The USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in 11
Kentucky is encouraging landowners, farmers and producers to visit their local NRCS office now to receive information and apply for conservation technical assistance and possible financial funding opportunities. The application process for NRCS’s conservation programs is continuous, but funding selections for specific programs are made throughout the year. For the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) the first application cutoff period date for consideration for 2017 funds is November 21, 2016. Applications received after November 21, 2016, will be held until the next application cut off period, which will be March 20, 2017. EQIP is a conservation program that provides financial and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers who face threats to soil, water, air, and related natural resources on their land. Through EQIP, NRCS develops contracts with agricultural producers to voluntarily implement conservation practices. Persons engaged in
Livestock Watering Facility
livestock or agricultural production and owners of non-industrial private forestland are eligible for this program. Eligible land includes cropland, pastureland, private nonindustrial forestland, and other farm or ranch lands. For more information on programs please contact your local NRCS off at 502/348-3363.
Woodland Exclusion Fencing
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