Agricultural News
Volume 1, Issue 1
Robbie Smith Agent for Agriculture/ Natural Resources
Bud Box—A Different Way to Work
2
Hemp Program Now Taking Applications for 2019
4
Fragipan
8
Ticks and Disease in Kentucky
9
Kentucky Beef Coonference
12
FSA News
14
EQIP
15
October and November 2018
Rob’s Report by Robbie Smith Late fall and winter are the times of year that we can breath a little and evaluate our operations to see what it is we are doing well and what it is we can improve upon. I am a strong advocate that we should learn something new every day of our lives. Fortunately, in this day of information, educating ones self is easier than ever. However, we need to remain diligent to the facts. What we might encounter on the web can sometimes be misleading . In Extension we feel that our role of community educator is as important as it ever was given the large amount of misinformation we can encounter daily. You can trust that the information you receive from us has been thoroughly researched and vetted as the best practice of the time. We too continue to learn each and every day and that shows up through refinements of methods and adjustments in practices when new information warrants a change. The following are a few options to continue your farm education. These training sessions also qualify for the CAIP educational component.
Structures for Housing and Feeding Cattle. Dr. Morgan Hayes with the UK College of Agriculture will discuss confinement cattle structures, orientation, and different approaches to feeding. She is an excellent young specialist and can answer many of your questions. This will be held on October 30th at 6:00pm in our office. Cattle Handling, Equipment and New Technology for the Cattle Industry. Dr. Josh Jackson, with the UK College of Agriculture will discuss new methods of handling cattle, equipment enhances, and new technology coming to the cattle industry. This will be held on November 26th at 6:00 pm in our office. BQA (Beef Quality Assurance) certification Monday November 12th at 10 am and again at 6:00 pm Managing Resistant weeds in our cropping systems January 22nd 2019 at 6:00 pm with Specialist Dr. Travis Legleiter
Page 2 Agricultural News
Bud Box—A Different Way to Work Cattle By Josh Jackson, Ph.D. Assistant Extension Professor Livestock Systems Working cattle shouldn’t be an extremely stressful experience for the cattle or the producer. To alleviate some of the issues that can be encountered with working cattle, care must be taken to ensure that a lowstress environment is achieved in your working facility. Maximizing welfare involves taking advantage of the animal’s natural behavioral responses. The flight zone, the minimum distance from the animal to induce movement is one of the more important behavioral concepts that cattlemen can understand. Each animal will have different points of balance and size for its flight zone. For most cattle, the size of their flight zone could be measured in feet, but for others, it may be fields. Moving into and out of the flight zone will allow you to manipulate the animal’s movement, which is important in any cattle working facility.
General Recommendations for Working Cattle Use methodical movements Use sorting sticks and paddles, not tobacco sticks
Work your cattle as quietly as possible; limit yelling
Be patient. (Sometimes it will just take a
while… UK beats Florida in football.)
When you evaluate your cattle working facility, consider your main components: Head gate, chute, working alley, crowding area, holding/ sorting pens, scale, and load out area. In the last newsletter, I analyzed the minimum specifications for a working facility. In this article, I will follow that up with a focus on the crowding area and an alternative, the bud box.
Funnel (or Straight-Sided) Crowding Pen A straight-sided crowding area is designed just as it sounds (Figure 2). This is the simplest type of crowding area. For this type of crowding area, one side is straight and the other is angled at about 30° to create a funnel. Having both sides of the crowding area angled sounds in theory like it would work well, but from a flow and functionality standpoint, one side must be straight. The widest portion of the funnel should match the width of the access alley (8-12 ft. as shown in Figure 2) that is leading to the crowding area. Additional gates would be essential to progressively push the animals through this crowding area.
Crowding Tubs Several different options for circular
Page 3 Volume 1, Issue 4 crowding tubs exist. There are 90°, 135°, 180°, 260°, and 360° tubs. Each cattle operation will have different spatial and budgetary constraints, so use the appropriate angled tub which fits into your layout. One of the primary differences for tubs, other than the angle, would be either the point of entry and exit for the animals. The exit point can be either along the circumference of the circle or along the radius line of the circle. There are several commercially available tubs that would function well for most producers. The goal of these systems is to allow cattle to travel along the inner circumference of the tub and use their natural behavior to follow this curve into the working alley.
Figure 3. Conceptual drawing of a wooden double alley
ever it takes to get back with the other animals in the herd.
Bud Box
The use of a bud box system is something that I’m seeing more producers in the state use. From a Double Alley behavioral standpoint, a bud box Use the gregarious nature of cattle to takes advantage of the natural your advantage when possible. tendency of cattle to go back/try to Moving a group of animals will be escape from the way they came. The easier than moving just one animal. last point in which the animals were There- fore, moving cattle from the located is the conceptual “safe place” crowding area to the chute will be for them. Thus, the desire to return. easier in a double alley as opposed to The width of the bud box should be 10 a single alley. The double alley takes -14 ft with the latter being the advantage of their natural instincts to preferred and 20-24 ft in length. The move together. Double alleys also desired length to width ratio for a bud allow for increased capacity and box should be 2:1. A few animals, queueing of animals (Figure 3). For approximately three, would be loaded most small farms here in Kentucky, a into the box. (Overloading will impede double alley would be a nice addition the movement of the cattle and make but not essential. Similarly, the it difficult to move them.) Cattle exit gregarious nature is why we always the bud box perpendicular to the suggest that producers try to never overall length of the bud box. leave one animal alone in a pen. The (Continued on page 4) animal, when left alone, may try what-
Page 4 Agricultural News (Continued from page 3)
For this system to function effectively, you would need to have at least a 20 ft working alley leading from the bud box to the working chute. That way an adequate number of animals can be queued to work from the bud box. Back stops would also be effective in assisting with moving animals by only allowing for one-way flows. An additional consideration is to add a walkthrough gate in the bud box, which will make it easier to transition from the bud box to the chute area. The bud box has been implemented by sever- al smaller producers to assist them in working animals themselves or with limited labor. Reliable and qualified labor is becoming increasingly difficult to find. If the facility is designed with this in mind, working cattle should not be as hard. The flow of cattle into a bud box is shown in Figure 4.
Final Thoughts At the end of the day, each type of crowding area or bud box should be functional, and the final selection comes down to the personal preference of the producer. On any working facility, some an- imals are going to be harder to work than others. If you can’t get an animal worked or even to the facility, it would be a good time to reevaluate why that animal is in your herd.
Hemp Program Now Taking Applications for 2019 The Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) has opened the application period for Kentuckians wishing to participate in the state’s industrial hemp research pilot program for the 2019 growing season. Applications may be downloaded from the KDA website at kyagr.com/hemp. Grower applications must be postmarked or received by November 30, 2018, at 4:30 p.m. EST. Processor/ Handler applications are preferred by November 30, 2018, with a final deadline of June 3, 2019. “In 2017, the Kentucky General Assembly passed Senate Bill 218, tasking the KDA with promulgating administrative regulations for the program. Program rules can be found in administrative regulations, as the law prescribes, in 302 KAR 50:020 – 50:080. KDA operates its industrial hemp research pilot program under the authority of state law (KRS 260.850-260.869) and a provision of the 2014 federal Farm Bill (7 U.S.C. § 5940) that authorizes state-managed hemp pilot programs.
Page 5 Volume 1, Issue 4
Strategic Management of Anaplasmosis in Kentucky Anaplasmosis is an unusual disease that is diagnosed in late summer and fall in Kentucky. The organism Anaplasma marginale lives in red blood cells and is considered “rickettsia-like” which means it depends on ticks for its survival. It is the only major tick-borne disease in the US that impacts cattle production. It is estimated to cost $400 per case due to lowered weaning weights, reproductive loss, lowered milk production, additional testing to export cattle, death loss, prevention and treatment costs. It is always found in the southern, southeastern and northwestern US where ticks survive year round but, due to interstate movement of cattle, the disease has now been reported in all 48 contiguous states. Transmission is by transfer of infected red blood cells from infected to susceptible cattle. Ticks (Dermacentor spp.) are “biological vectors” and are of great importance because A. marginale replicates within the tick and can be maintained there for up to a year. Deer are not currently believed to be carriers of the disease but they may enhance tick populations. A. marginale can also be spread mechanically by any transfer of blood including insects and by veterinary instruments. Typically biting insects (mosquitoes, horse flies, stable
flies) will cause a few sporadic cases to occur at first then a wave of sick animals 3-6 weeks later while spread via blood contaminated objects (such as needles or palpation sleeves) can cause a large number of cows to show signs 3-6 weeks after vaccinating or pregnancy checking. Recently intrauterine transmission (from cow to calf during pregnancy) was recognized in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters that can lead to fetal death and abortion. More importantly, calves born alive that were infected in utero are “persistently infected” and never develop clinical signs yet serve as a source of infection for the herd.
There are generally four phases of disease: Incubation-This is defined as the time from exposure to the time that Anaplasma bodies are detected in blood and may vary from 3-6 weeks (or longer). The organism slowly reproduces in the bloodstream during which time the animal remains healthy. When approximately 1% of the RBCs are infected, there is rapid disease progression as the immune system tries to destroy the parasite and destroys red blood cells simultaneously. Outbreaks of Anaplasmosis in August, September, October, and November in Kentucky are actually associated with infection in June and July. (Continued on page 6)
Page 6 Agricultural News (Continued from page 5)
Developmental Stage-This is the stage when characteristic clinical signs appear lasting 4-9 days. These include:
Fever- Initial sign. (104-107 degrees) “Sudden death” in a highly susceptible or immune compromised animal such as a high producing dairy cow.
Aggressive behavior due to lack of oxygen in brain
Anemia-Pale around eyes, muzzle, teats
mia. No injectable antibiotic is formally approved for treatment so any form is extra label and must be used under the direction of a licensed veterinarian. Injectable tetracycline (Oxytetracycline at 5mg/lb. body weight IM or Long acting Oxytetracycline at 9 mg/lb BW IM) can be administered but prolonged milk and meat withholding times must be observed as directed by the prescribing veterinarian. Exercise caution when forcing an infected animal to move or get excited as quick death may result from lack of oxygen.
Convalescent Stage-This phase lasts Increased heart and respiratory rate due until normal blood values return and is characterized by an increase in RBC to watery/thin blood production. Recovery occurs over a 2 Yellow mucous membranes. 3 month span and cows frequently lose weight and/or abort calves during Lethargy/Weakness/Lags behind herd this time. (May fall and be unable to stand)
Off feed/Dehydration/Weight Loss Constipation/No chewing of cud Dramatic drop in milk production Reproductive disorders: abortion in cow/infertility in bull
Age Related Signs:
Clinical Case Treatment Treatment with tetracycline is essential in the clinical stage of disease as well as supportive therapy for the ane-
Carrier Stage-Animals that recover remain carriers for the rest of their lives unless cleared with long term antibiotics. No clinical signs are associated with this lifelong persistent infection so unidentified carriers are the most common source of infection for future outbreaks. Diagnosis of clinical cases is based on history (including geographic region), clinical signs, blood test results and post mortem lesions. Blood (serum) testing is the method of choice to detect the organism in carrier animals or (Continued on page 7)
Page 7 Volume 1, Issue 4 (Continued from page 6)
those with low parasite numbers (microscopically undetectable). The serum cELISA test is very reliable but it is not considered accurate during the initial 3-6 week incubation period. DNA analysis (real time PCR) gives extremely accurate results including in the first 3 weeks of infection but is relatively expensive. It is important to remember an animal may die from another totally unrelated disease (for example-milk fever) and also test positive to anaplasmosis due to the carrier state. Therefore a positive blood test result for anaplasmosis does not always mean it is the actual cause of disease or death.
Control Program Control in lactating cows is based on reducing vector transmission by using insecticide sprays, clean (disinfected) medical equipment, and using needles and palpation sleeves only once to decrease transmission between animals. However, once infected, strategies are based on the delicate balance between antibiotics, the cow’s immune response and the organism. Consult with your veterinarian for specific methods to treat and control this unique organism.
How the UKVDL can help diagnose Anaplasmosis If you suspect anaplasmosis in your herd, the UKVDL recommends the cELISA test on serum to detect infection and active carriers. Your veteri-
narian can collect blood in a red top tube and remove the serum by spinning the collection tube down and transferring the serum to a labeled transfer tube. Specimens should be transported to the lab as soon as possible after collection (overnight ship with cold packs). It is also recommended that a blood sample (purple top tube) be submitted for a CBC with differential in order to identify A. marginale and to assess the anemia. The Anaplasmosis cELISA test costs $8/ sample and the CBC with differential is $10/sample (all fees quoted apply in -state only). An accession fee of $10 applies each time a batch of samples is submitted (non-Kentucky samples will be assessed an additional processing fee of $10.00 plus a 50% surcharge). Necropsy of suspicious cases is encouraged and food animal cases are capped at $20/adult case with a $10 accession fee for a total final cost of $30. Please visit the UKVDL web site for additional information at http://vdl.uky.edu.
Page 8 Agricultural News
Fragipan UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment soil scientists Lloyd Murdock, Tasios Karathanasis, Chris Matocha and John Grove found that annual ryegrass broke down soil fragipan in laboratory, greenhouse and field studies during the past six years.
researchers must have felt when they started no-till agriculture research,” Karathanasis said. “It was just amazing, especially when I learned about the economic benefits it could bring to producers.”
During a recent Fragipan Field Day at UK’s Research and Education “I’m more Center farm in excited about Princeton, this research participants heard than any other about the project I’ve laboratory worked on in discovery and my 45 years at saw a fragipan UK, because it layer in the soil. can help so They also learned UK soil scientist Lloyd Murdock shows many people,” about yield the fragipan layer in the soil in a pit at Murdock said. the UK Research and Education Center increase potential “It is something farm in Princeton. Photo by Stephen from annual that farmers Patton, UK agricultural communications. ryegrass, ways to can work into incorporate and their operations now to increase their control it and had their questions yields.” answered by project researchers, Fragipan is a cement-like layer in the other specialists from the college, soil that creates shallow soils with industry representatives and producers limited yield potential due to low already growing annual ryegrass on water-holding capacity. Soil fragipans their fragipan soils. are in 50 million acres across the Illinois farmer Junior Upton and the nation, including 2.7 million in Kentucky. Kentucky soil fragipans are late Mike Plummer, University of in some of the largest crop production Illinois soil scientist, first got the inkling that annual ryegrass might be doing areas of the state. something to Upton’s soil after he “When we found that annual ryegrass began noticing annual ryegrass’ deep broke down the fragipan, I liken it to the feeling that earlier UK (Continued on page 11)
Page 9 Volume 1, Issue 4
Ticks and Disease in Kentucky Ticks are external parasites that must have three blood meals during their life in order to develop and reproduce. The common species in Kentucky that bite humans also feed on a range of animal species. Ticks feed slowly. During the several days needed to ingest a blood meal, they may pick up pathogens from infected hosts. Ticks can pass these disease agents to susceptible hosts during their next blood meal. Ticks are common; fortunately, the incidences of tickborne diseases in the state are very low. Significant increases in wildlife populations, expanded ranges of some tick species, development of housing in rural areas, and the popularity of hiking and ecotourism have increased the potential for people to encounter ticks. Awareness and use of preventive measures to reduce exposure while working outdoors or enjoying outdoor activities are keys to reducing tick bites. Use repellents and check yourself frequently for ticks while and after being in areas where they may be active. Anaplasmosis is a bacteria disease that was recognized in humans in the mid-1990’s. Flu-like symptoms may develop 1 to 2 weeks after being feed upon by an infected tick. White-footed
mice, short-tailed shrews, and eastern chipmunks are among the reservoir hosts of this disease. Erlichiosis results from infection by one of several species of bacteria. Mild muscle aches, fatigue, and occasionally severe fever appear within 1 to 2 weeks after a bite by an infected tick. Ticks appear to have to feed for about 24 hours before disease transmission occurs. Whitetailed deer, elk, and wild rodents are reservoirs of the disease.
Lyme Disease is caused by a bacterium transmitted by the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. In most cases, the tick must be attached for several hours before transmission occurs. A characteristic bulls-eye rash may accompany the typical flulike symptoms. If not treated, Lyme disease can spread to the heart, nervous system, and joints. Whitefooted mice are an important reservoir of the disease. Red meat allergy may appear as a skin rash or anaphylactic reaction that occurs 3 to 6 hours after eating beef, pork, or lamb. The reaction can occur in people with a history of strong reactions to tick bites (redness and itching at bite sites that last for weeks) or many bites from a single (Continued on page 10)
Page 10 Agricultural News (Continued from page 9)
incidence. They produce antibodies to proteins in the saliva of feeding lone star ticks. The common sugar (alpha-gal) that causes the reaction is not present in chicken, turkey, or fish. This antibody has been found in up to 20% of people tested who live where the lone star tick is common.
American dog ticks are likely to carry the pathogen, even in areas considered highly endemic. Dogs are susceptible to infection but the disease is rarely diagnosed in cats.
Avoiding Tick Bites The best strategy to reduce the potential of contracting tick-borne diseases is to avoid tick bites. Here are some tips:
Southern tickAvoid walking through uncut associated rash fields, brush and other areas illness (STARI) produces likely to harbor ticks. Walk in a rash similar to that of the center of mowed trails to Lyme disease along with avoid brushing up against flu-like symptoms (fatigue, Female lone star vegetation. headache, fever, and joint tick. pain). STARI has not been Use a repellent that contains linked to chronic joint, neurologic, or 20 to 30 percent DEET on exposed cardiac symptoms seen with Lyme skin. Always follow product disease. The cause of STARI is instructions. unknown; however, distribution of Use products that contain permethrin the disease coincides with the range to treat clothing and gear, such as of the lone star tick. boots, pants (especially the cuffs), Spotted fevers (a group including socks and tents. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Tuck long pants into your socks and (RMSF) are bacterial diseases boots. Wearing light-colored pants transmitted by infected American makes ticks easier to see. dog ticks. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, abdominal pain, In areas where there are ticks, check vomiting, and muscle pain. A rash yourself, children and other family also may develop. Rocky Mountain members for ticks every 2 to 3 hours spotted fever can be a severe or and upon returning home from hikes even fatal illness if not treated in the and outdoor activities. Examine behind first few days of symptoms. ears, hair, neck, legs and around the Reservoir animals include deer waist. mice, meadow voles, and other small mammals. Less than 1% of (Continued on page 11)
Page 11 Volume 1, Issue 4 (Continued from page 10)
(Continued from page 8)
If you let your pets outdoors, check them often for ticks. Ticks can “hitch a ride” on your pets, but fall off in your home before they feed. Tick collars, sprays, shampoos, or monthly “top spot” medications help protect against ticks.
roots in his field. The corn that followed it yielded better than in other fields. The UK team later confirmed this rotation was lowering the fragipan depth on his farm. Upton shared his story at the field day.
“Everything happened by accident,” Upton said. “When I started, I only Testing Ticks for Disease had about 5 inches of topsoil before I Anyone with concerns about exposure would hit the fragipan. I was trying to to ticks and possible disease get through dry weather. I got a grant transmission should consult their and started studying no-till and cover physician to determine the best course crops. Then a representative of of action. Most tick-borne diseases Oregon Ryegrass asked me to try can be averted by early intervention annual ryegrass as a cover crop.” with an antibiotic. Dave Fischer is a beef producer from Several laboratories will test ticks for Indiana who has planted annual selected diseases. Contact information ryegrass on fragipans soils on his is available at http:// farm for the past eight years. www.tickencounter.org/tick_testing/ Murdock visited Fischer’s farm and labs. found that he had lowered the fragipan depth by 14 inches and had Here are some points to consider: annual ryegrass roots 29 inches Testing ticks for disease is not a deep. substitute for diagnosis by a physician. “It floored me, but at the same time, I However, the results may be useful in had noticed that these fields seemed deciding on the value of treatment in to not dry out as fast compared to the absence of disease symptoms. what they used to and to neighboring A positive test result for ticks does not fields. We were hanging in there a lot longer during drought periods,” mean that disease transmission Fischer said. “I would plant it just occurred. An infected tick may not because of the forage, but the have fed long enough to transfer the addition of breaking up the fragipan pathogen. has just been super.” Be sure that you understand the testing capabilities, costs, and proper shipping procedures for samples.
Page 12 Agricultural News
Page 13 Volume 1, Issue 4
Page 14 Agricultural News
FSA & NRCS News USDA Market Facilitation Program USDA launched the trade mitigation package aimed at assisting farmers suffering from damage due to unjustified trade retaliation by foreign nations. Producers of certain commodities can now sign up for the Market Facilitation Program (MFP). USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will administer MFP to provide payments to corn, cotton, dairy, hog, sorghum, soybean, wheat, shelled almond, and fresh sweet cherry producers. An announcement about further payments will be made in the coming months, if warranted. The sign-up period for MFP runs through Jan. 15, 2019, with information and instructions provided at www.farmers.gov/mfp. MFP provides payments to producers of eligible commodities who have been significantly impacted by actions of foreign governments resulting in the loss of traditional exports. Eligible producers should apply after harvest is complete, as payments will only be issued once production is reported. A payment will be issued on 50 percent of the producer’s total production, multiplied by the MFP
rate for a specific commodity. A second payment period, if warranted, will be determined by the USDA. For a list of initial MFP payments rates, view the MFP Fact Sheet. MFP payments are capped per person or legal entity as follows:
A combined $125,000 for eligible crop commodities
A combined $125,000 for dairy production and hogs
A combined $125,000 for fresh sweet cherries and almonds
Applicants must also have an average adjusted gross income for tax years 2014, 2015, and 2016 of less than $900,000. Applicants must also comply with the provisions of the Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation regulations.
Crop reports for hay and pasture are due by November 15 and small grams are due by December 15. Please call the FSA office to schedule an appointment at 502-3488664. (Continued on page 15)
Page 15 Volume 1, Issue 4 EQUIPMENT REVOLVING LOAN PROGRAM The Kentucky Division of Conservation administers the Equipment Revolving Loan Program, which has been in effect since 1948. Equipment eligible for loans through the program include dozers, backhoes, no-till drills, precision applicators for agriculture chemicals and other equipment suited for conservation work. Application for loans are submitted by the Nelson County Conservation District to the Kentucky Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Loans can be requested for up to two-thirds of the purchase price including sales tax. The one-third down payment can be satisfied by either trade in or cash. Once loans are approved by the Kentucky Soil and Water Conservation Commission, the Division of Conservation sets up the terms of the loan, repayment schedule and reporting requirements in a contract with the local Conservation District. The loan terms include zero percent interest per annum on the outstanding balance, payments are required monthly or need to be made current at the end of each six-month period and loans can be repaid on a 3-7-year payment plan.
The Division of Conservation holds the title to all equipment until the loan is paid in full. At that time the lien will be released to the conservation district
and may be transferred to the contractor. Contractors must give priority to conservation work. If no conservation work is available, contractors can use the equipment for any work not specifically forbidden by the contract. Contractors must report monthly the type and amount of work completed. If you have any questions or would like to apply, please contact Gale Hundley, Administrative Secretary, Nelson County Conservation District at 502-348-3363, ext. 3. Gale can also be reached by e-mail at gale.hundley@ky.nacdnet.net.
Soil Erosion and Water Quality Cost Share Program These cost share funds are administered by Conservation Districts with priority given to animal waste problems and agricultural district participants where pollution problems have been identified. Practices eligible for cost share funding are Livestock: Animal Feeding Operations; Livestock: Pastureland; Cropland; Forestland; Streambank and Nutrient Management. For more information on the Cost Share Program, visit the Nelson County Conservation District, located at 2001 Buchannan Blvd, Bardstown or call the office at 502348-3363, extension 3.
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Phone: 502-348-9204
317 S 3rd St Bardstown, KY 40004
Nelson County
«DPBarcode»
«AddressBlock»
«EndorsementLine»
PERMIT #028
NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID BARDSTOWN, KY