AGRICULTURE NEWS April 2015 Cooperative Extension Service Owen County 265 Ellis Hwy Owenton, KY 40359 (502) 484-5703 Fax: (502) 484-5704 www.owen.ca.uky.edu Steve Musen County Extension Agent Agriculture and Natural Resources @kyagstem Vegetable Gardening Basics Class – April 16, 2015 Thursday April 16th, 2015 From 6:30-8:00 pm Owen County Extension Office There is nothing quite like the taste of fresh, homegrown vegetables. Growing your own vegetables can help put inexpensive and healthy food on your table while providing an opportunity for the whole family to get outdoors and get active. Whether you are an old hand at growing vegetables or just getting started for the first time, the Vegetable Gardening Basics class offers something for everyone. Come prepared to learn from other gardeners and share your own experience and ideas. Of course, growing healthy vegetable requires healthy soil so all class participants will receive as FREE SOIL TEST! Just bring a quart of air-dried soil from your garden area and within a couple of weeks, you will receive your fertilizer and lime recommendations for maximum production. The class is limited to 30 participants so don’t wait! Call the Owen County Extension Office to reserve your spot. Time To Think About Spring Weather Safety After record snowfall and bitterly cold temperatures, most Kentuckians welcome the transition into spring. Still, changeable weather is one of the harbingers of the season, and often it comes in the form of high winds and blustery conditions. Even though tornadoes can occur in any season, they are most common in spring, along with downbursts and windstorms. Make a tornado emergency plan for both work and home. Keep a weather radio in good working condition with extra batteries and make sure you and your family know what precautions to take in your home, a car, open country or other situations that may arise. A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that descends from a thunderstorm. These violent storms form thousands of feet above the earth’s surface usually during warm, humid, unsettled weather and typically in conjunction with a severe thunderstorm. Along with rain, dust and debris are sucked into the center of the air column and form the distinct funnel shape that identifies a tornado. Wind speeds, ranging from 40 to more than 300 mph, can be extremely destructive. A tornado can level a building, lift a railroad car off its tracks and strip asphalt from pavement. Derecho (straight-line) windstorms and downbursts also come from thunderstorms. Derechos are rapidly moving, large-scale and long-lived wind events associated with bands of thunderstorms or showers. Winds ranging from 57 to more than 100 miles per hour can topple 18-wheelers and blow down trees. Downbursts are much smaller and are formed by high winds that funnel down to the surface from the upper levels of thunderstorms. Both can cause serious damage and can be life threatening, so even when just a thunderstorm watch or warning has been issued you should always be prepared. In your home or any sturdy building, take shelter in the lowest level away from any windows, preferably under a sturdy object to protect yourself from falling debris. In your car, you should attempt to drive to shelter. If this is not possible, exit the vehicle and take cover by laying down in a ditch or low-lying area with your hands over your head. If a low-lying area is not nearby or you cannot exit your vehicle, strap on your seat belt, cover your head and keep your body below window level. In a mobile home, even if it is tied down, always evacuate and take cover in a low-lying area and cover your head. Special considerations for livestock producers include moving livestock to high ground in case of heavy rain and potential flash flooding. If moving livestock is not possible, open gates so they can escape high water. You should take precautions against lightning strikes by preventing animals from herding under isolated trees and moving them away from other large conductors that may attract lightning. Sources: Tom Priddy and Matthew Dixon, U.K.Ag Meteorologists; Roy Burris, U.K. Extension Beef Specialist Freeze Free Dates in Northern Kentucky Last Occurrence of Spring Freeze Median Early 10% 90% Late 4/21 4/03 4/08 5/05 5/10 Upcoming Events in Agriculture April 7 April 16 April 18 April 21 Master Cattleman Program (2nd Session) Kenton County Extension Office Vegetable Gardening Basics 6:30 pm, Owen County Extension Office Young Producers Field Day 6:30 pm, Eden Shale Farm, Owenton KY Master Cattleman Program (3rd Session) May 7 May 16 May 20-21 Carroll County Extension Office Pasture Management Field Day Eden Shale Farm, Owenton KY A.I. Field Day Eden Shale Farm, Owenton KY Kentucky Grazing School Woodford County Extension Office For Information on any of these programs, please contact the Owen County Extension Office Grass Tetany Myths Debunked Beware of “Dr. Google”- Grass Tetany Myths Debunked Although the Internet provides a wealth of good information, all too often it contains false or misleading advice because no one directly oversees the content nor questions its validity. Often it is difficult to separate the good from the bad, especially when the author’s credentials seem credible and the journal or magazine seems reputable. With the prefix “Dr.” and a long list of possible suffixes (DVM, PhD, MD, Board-Certified), the reader is willing to believe and accept “expert” conclusions, even if drawn only on observation and never tested critically or reviewed by other experts in the same field. Blanket statements such as “wrestling is real”, “Elvis is alive”, “the IRS is here to help you” and “salt prevents grass tetany” all contain some grain of truth yet should also raise a flag of doubt. While the debate over wrestling, Elvis and the IRS may never be solved, the prevention of grass tetany has been thoroughly studied and high magnesium mineral supplementation is the clear winner. What is “Grass Tetany” and when are cattle susceptible: Grass tetany, also known as spring tetany, grass staggers, wheat pasture poisoning, winter tetany or lactation tetany, is due to a low level of magnesium (Mg) in the blood. Absorption is completely dependent on the amount obtained from the diet. Deficiencies occur most often in beef and dairy cows in early lactation grazing lush pastures high in potassium (K+) and nitrogen (N+) and low in magnesium (Mg++) and sodium (Na+). Affected cattle may also have low blood calcium concurrently. Typically grass tetany occurs when grazing ryegrass, small grains (i.e. wheat, rye) and cool season perennial grasses in late winter and early spring (Feb-April) although it can occur in fall-calving cows. Fast-growing spring grass is usually high in potassium and crude protein, and low in sodium and magnesium. Myth 1- Feeding Plain White Salt to Cows Will Prevent Grass Tetany: This claim is shared every spring and, indeed, there are producers who do not have grass tetany that only feed salt. How can that be? Simply put, for those lucky producers, the minerals available in their soils and forages are enough to meet the needs of their cows for their age and amount of milk they are producing. A number of complex factors contribute to the ability of magnesium to be absorbed through the rumen (stomach) wall. Primarily there is a “pump” mechanism that actively transports the dissolved Mg across the rumen wall to the bloodstream. This pump doesn’t work when potassium is high and sodium is low because this changes the electrical potential necessary to drive it. Adding salt to the ration will improve Mg transport when forage sodium is low but too much salt will also increase urination. This will ultimately result in loss of magnesium in the urine. Too much salt, as with any substance, can be dangerous and even fatal. Hypomagnesemia is often referred to as an “iceberg” disease because only a few clinical cases occur but there are many unobserved or subclinical cases that may become problems after a stressful event such as a weather change. Research has shown that the negative effects of high potassium that is often pre- sent in early spring grass cannot be overcome by the addition of large quantities of salt. However, a high rumen magnesium level, achieved by feeding high magnesium mineral mixes, will allow magnesium to passively flow into the bloodstream of the cow without the need for the active transport pump. Myth 2-Limited Salt in Mineral Mixes has led to an Overconsumption of Minerals: Regional soil types, soil fertility and different forage species can result in different mineral intakes of grazing livestock on every farm. A blanket statement disregarding these factors is oversimplifying a very complex situation. Trace minerals such as copper, selenium, and zinc are all essential nutrients vital for proper growth, production, and immune system function. Trace mineral deficiencies are extremely common in Kentucky and can predispose animals to serious and sometimes fatal disease conditions. Interactions occur between all of the various metals, minerals, and other elements in the diet, and optimal amounts of all elements are essential for proper nutrition. Trace mineral mixes are formulated to meet the needs of cattle, including the need for salt. The keys to using a free-choice product are to ensure cattle have access to mineral 100% of the time and to use a palatable product. in the diet with a high magnesium mineral mix. A high rumen magnesium level will allow magnesium to passively flow into the bloodstream of the cow without the need for the active transport pump. Supplementation with high magnesium mineral should begin at least 30 days prior to calving. Cows require 20 grams of magnesium daily or 4 ounces per day of a 15% magnesium mineral mix during the late winter and early spring. Mineral feeders should not be allowed to be empty because consistent intake is important for clinical disease prevention. UK Beef IRM mineral recommendations for free choice supplements for grazing beef cattle include 14% magnesium in the complete mineral mix and all from magnesium oxide (no dolomitic limestone or magnesium mica). These complete mineral mixtures also supply additional sodium in the form of salt to aid in combatting high potassium intakes. Consumption should be moni-tored because mineral intake is generally inadequate if using poor quality mineral products. Feeding ionophores (monen -sin, lasalocid) has been shown to improve magnesium absorption efficiency. High magnesium mineral may be discontin-ued in late spring once the grass is more mature, the water content of the forage is decreased, and daily temperatures reach at or above 60°F. In addition to supplying supplemental magnesium, several management factors may decrease the risk of grass tetany. These include: 1) Soil test and apply fertilizer based on soil test results and use no more potassium than recommended since grasses are luxury consumers of potassium; 2) Legumes are high in magnesium and will help offset the problem although their growth is often limited in late winMyth 3-Grass Tetany Only Occurs in the Spring: “Winter tetany” in beef cattle is an underlying form of hy- ter; 3) Feed small amounts of hay and/or grain to cattle on pomagnesemia caused by a chronic energy shortage and lush pasture during susceptible periods or limit grazing to insufficient intake of magnesium. It may be observed 2-3 hours per day; 4) Graze the less susceptible or nonwhen feeding forage silage from cereal grains such as lactating animals (heifers, dry cows, stocker cattle) on the wheat and rye during the winter since it is often high in higher risk pastures. potassium and nitrogen but low in magnesium. These cattle are borderline low in blood magnesium concentration In summary, increasing magnesium intake by supplementand clinical signs of grass tetany are triggered by a stressor ing with magne-sium oxide, offering adequate salt to presuch as cold weather. vent sodium deficiency, and increas-ing total energy intake are all effective tools in preventing grass tetany. The Truth about Prevention: Prevention is based on These are exceptionally important when mov-ing from providing a high concentration of soluble magnesium in winter rations to young spring grass pasture, especially in the rumen during times when conditions for grass tetany heavily milking cows. Grass tetany is considered a true exist. As long as the active transport pump for magnesium veterinary emergency requiring prompt treatment with is working well and driving magnesium across the rumen magnesium to prevent death. wall, problems should not develop. However, when factors prevent this from working (such as high potassium Dr. Michelle Arnold, Ruminant Extension Veterinarian, level in the forage in lush spring grass), the second or University of Kentucky “backup” pathway is to increase the amount of magnesium Trying to Make Sense Out of an Abruptly Changing Burley Tobacco Market As burley contracts began rolling out over the past two weeks it became obvious that 2015 will be a challenging year for burley tobacco growers. While it appears that contract prices offered by most buyers will be similar to 2014 price schedules (with a few companies reducing prices for mid to lower stalk leaf), U.S. burley contract volume will be reduced significantly. Unlike during the days of the former federal tobacco program when quota changes were uniform across all growers, contract volume changes for 2015 will vary considerably across U.S. burley growers. In reality, 2015 contract volume changes range from small increases for a few growers, to 100% reduction for other growers with differences within a given company generally based on historical “scorecard” variables such as delivery percentages and quality factors. Some companies are extending contracts almost exclusively to their multi-year contract growers, resulting in the elimination or sharp reduction in contract volume for single year contract growers while others did offer “across the board” cuts to all contract growers. In lieu of these abrupt changes, what will the change in U.S. burley acres be for this year? The USDA Planting Intentions report will be released on March 31st, but keep in mind that these survey results are based on grower expectations as of late February and early March – prior to the roll-out of tobacco contracts. Given that grower expectations for 2015 burley contract volume were likely higher several weeks ago, I anticipate USDA burley planting intentions for 2015 to be inflated relative to actual contract volume and actual plantings. Based on what I am hearing from various individual companies and other buying interests (i.e. cooperatives), I could anticipate the call for a 30 to 40% or greater reduction in 2015 U.S. burley acres. What can be made of these abrupt changes after the buying sector was so aggressive in purchasing leaf in the 2013 marketing season and relatively strong prices for 2014 contracted tobacco? Perhaps some of the adjustments can be explained by several of the following factors. sumption has declined Export demand is extremely weak amidst an abundance of cheaper foreign leaf and an increase in the value of the U.S. dollar making U.S. tobacco more expensive in international markets Some buyers overcommitted in purchasing the 2014 U.S. burley crop as demand expectations did not materialize and thus will have to make additional adjustments in 2015 to correct for this imbalance The loss in Malawian burley production from recent flooding during the growing season was not as devastating as initially reported Current and forecast sales of American blended cigarette sales continue to fall globally Tobacco companies realize U.S. growers will overproduce above contract volumes which provides an opportunity to purchase lower priced leaf in the U.S. and globally Tobacco companies continue to tighten burley inventories amidst a very uncertain domestic and global regulatory environment along with a small, but rapidly emerging non-combustible (i.e., e-cig,vaping) market An excess supply situation provides an opportunity for companies to eliminate lower quality growers or those who have not followed through with their previous contract obligations. The U.S. burley growing industry has experienced drastic volume reductions in the past, followed by some stability and even some periods of growth. Perhaps this will occur in the near future, but no one can make this statement with a lot of confidence in today’s marketing environment. While the market is demanding less burley today, such drastic contraction of the industry within a single year possibly jeopardizes future U.S. burley leaf supply security for buyers if the market eventually rebounds and the overall grass-root political support for the industry. The remaining growers will need to realize that an excess supply market likely results in more critical grading for the 2015 crop and that non-contract tobacco production will be extremely risky. With anticipated tighter margins, growers will have to place an even greater emphasis on quality, labor efficiency and yield to have a favorable outcome for the 2015 crop. A global surplus of burley has rapidly materialized over the past 18 months as world burley production has increased by more than 30%, while global burley con- By: Will Snell , [email protected] Timely Tips for Your Beef Herd prepared to give fluids to scouring calves that become dehydrated. Consult your veterinarian for advice and send fecal samples to diagnostic lab to determine which drug therapy will be most effective. Try to avoid feeding hay in excessively muddy areas to avoid contamination of the dams’ udders. Plan to vaccinate calves for clostridial diseases (Blackleg, Malignant Edema) as soon as possible. You might choose to do this at the prebreeding working in late April or early May. Prepare bulls for the breeding season. Increase feed if necessary to have bulls in adequate condition for breeding. Spring-calving Herd Finalize plans for your spring breeding program. Purchase Continue grass tetany prevention. Be sure that the new bulls at least 30 days before the breeding season – mineral mix contains magnesium and that cows consume demand performance records and check health history inadequate amounts. You can feed the UK Beef IRM High cluding immunizations. Use visual evaluation and exMagnesium mineral. pected progeny differences (EPD’s) to select a bull that fits Obtain yearling measurements on bulls and heifers this your program. Order semen now, if using artificial insemimonth (weight, height, pelvic area, scrotal circumference, nation. ultrasound data, etc.) if needed for special sales. Heifers should be on target to be cycling by the start of the breedFall-Calving Cows ing season. The spring calving season should be in full swing now, Calves intended for feeders should be implanted. Bull(s) should be away from the cows now! top priority should be to get a live calf and keep cows in Plan pregnancy check cows soon. You can also blood sufficient body condition to rebreed early. Calving areas test for pregnancy 30 days after bull removal. should be accessible and as clean and as free of mud as possible. Pastures which have good sod and are close to Creep feed calves with grain, by-products or high handling facilities work best. quality forage. Calves will not make satisfactory gains on the dam’s milk alone after about 4 mos. of age – since Check cows at least twice daily and first-calf heifers there isn’t much pasture in March, fall calves need supplemore frequently than that. Be ready to assist those not mental nutrition. Consider creep grazing on wheat pasture, making progress after 1 to 2 hours of hard labor. Chilled if available. Calves can also be early-weaned. calves should be dried and warmed as soon as possible. Consider adding weight and selling your fall calves as See that each calf gets colostrum within an hour of birth, or administer colostrum (or a commercial colostrum “heavy” feeder calves while prices are high. Keep them gaining! Prices are too high to waste time. replacement) with an esophageal feeder, if needed. Identify calves with eartags and/or tattoos while calves General are young and easy to handle and record birthdate and Dam ID. Commercial male calves should be castrated and Repair fences, equipment and handling facilities. implanted as soon as possible. Registered calves should be If you have a dry, sunny day, use chain-link harrow to weighed in the first 24 hours. spread manure in areas where cattle have overwintered. Separate cows that have calved and increase their feed. This may be done in conjunction with renovation. Energy supplementation to cows receiving hay is neces Watch for lice and treat if needed. sary to prepare them for rebreeding. For example, a 1250 lb cow giving 25 lb/day of milk would need about 25 lb of Renovation and fertilization of pastures should be fescue hay and 5 lb of concentrate daily to maintain condi- completed. Start thistle control. They can be a severe problem in Kention. If you need to go from a condition score of 4 to 5, you will need to add about 2 more lb of concentrate. Cows tucky pastures. Chemical control must be done early to be must be in good condition to conceive early in the upcom- effective. ing breeding season. Watch for calf scours! If scours become a problem, move cows which have not calved to a clean pasture. Be Dr. Roy Burris, U.K. Beef Extension Professor Looking Forward to your 2015 Vegetable Garden You have been receiving seed food in the space available. catalogs for the 2015 vegetable 6. Plant during the correct season for the crop. Choose varieties -growing season this winter. recommended for your area. While listening to the cold 7. Harvest vegetables at their proper stage of maturity. Store wind blow outside, what a them promptly and properly if you do not use them immedicomfort it is to think about ately. spring and summer and planning your garden. A well-planned and properly kept garden should produce 600 to 700 pounds of produce per 1,000 square feet and may include To make the most of your garden, every aspiring gardener many different crops. should follow seven steps to have a successful gardening season. Finally, the closer the vegetable garden is to your back door, the 1. Plan your garden on paper before you begin. more you will use it. You can see when your crops are at their 2. Select a good gardening site that has full of sun for at least peaks and can take maximum advantage of their freshness. Also, eight hours each day, relatively level, well-drained, close to a keeping up with the planting, weeding, watering and pest control water source and not shaded. will be easier. 3. Prepare the soil properly and add fertilizer and lime according to soil-test recommendations. For more guidance on planning your 2015 vegetable garden, sign 4. Plan only as large a garden as you can easily maintain. Begin- up for the Vegetable Gardening Basics Class on April 16th at the ning gardeners often overplant, and then they fail because Owen County Cooperative Extension or download the publicathey cannot keep up with the tasks required. You’ll have to tion, “Home Vegetable Gardening in Kentucky (http:// control weeds and pests, apply water when needed and harwww.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/id/id128/id128.pdf) from the Web. vest on time. Vegetables harvested at their peak are tasty, but when left on the plants too long, the flavor is simply the best. Source: Richard Durham, U.K. Extension Horticulture Spe5. Grow vegetables that will produce the maximum amount of cialist Spring Mowing - Most Important of Yearlong Lawn Duties It’s difficult to envision mowing your lawn this spring when frost or snow greets you nearly every morning. Yet that first spring mowing, usually in late March or early April, begins your most important annual lawn duties. The first mowing makes the lawn look spring-like and very attractive. Subsequent regular mowing hardens the grass for drought and heat stresses later on. So when the first clump of grass grows above the mowing height, mow, even if a lot of the yard doesn’t need to be mowed yet. To protect your grass from summer heat and drought injury, raise the mower height to 3 or 3.5 inches. However, remember that high grass, especially tall fescue, tends to fall over and mat down during hot summer weather causing increased summer disease problems. In the fall, lower the mowing height to 2.5 inches. For the winter, you might want to lower it again to 1.5 to 2 inches. This shorter height improves the turf’s winter and early spring color. Generally speaking, mow often enough to remove no more than one-third to one-half of the grass height. If your mower is set for Not all grasses start growing at the same time. Grass on northern 2 inches, mow again when grass height reaches approximately 3 slopes, or in heavy clay soil, will start growing several days later inches. Be sure not to scalp the lawn by mowing off most of the than normal. Grass that wasn’t fertilized in the fall or early green leaves. spring also has a delayed growth. Following recommendations for mowing height and frequency For tall fescue lawns, a rule of thumb is to mow at five-day interwill make your lawn-care duties easier and result in a more atvals during the spring, and at seven-day intervals the rest of the tractive yard. year. If you have a Kentucky bluegrass lawn, a seven-day interval usually is sufficient at a 2.5-inch mowing height. You probaIf your mower has a fixed, all-year height, set it at 2.5 inches. bly can extend that interval during hot, dry weather. However, if you can easily vary the height, set it at 1.5 to 2 inches for the first several times you mow this spring. The short- Don’t mow by the calendar. Instead, watch the grass grow, and er mowing height will help remove a lot of the winter-burned, mow frequently enough to remove no more than one-third to one brown leaves. And by exposing more dark green growth, it will -half of grass height. transfigure your lawn into the most uniform, attractive in the neighborhood. Move the height up to 2.5 inches after you mow Gregg Munshaw, U.K. Turf Science Extension Specialist the grass several times. Kentucky Beef Cattle Market Update likely purchasing calves ahead of this seasonal price peak with the intention of placing them on grass in the next month. Last month’s discussion was focused on summary and implications from USDA’s cattle inventory report. There were two main messages from that report. First, the cow herd is larger in 2015 as a result of decrease cow culling in 2014. Second, expansion (through heifer development) does appear to be underway. Both of these factors will impact prices in 2015. At the same time, significant production increases are likely for both pork and poultry this After dropping by more than $30 per cwt since December, year, which has the potential to put some pressure on feeder cattle markets seemed to find some footing in late boxed beef prices. I actually see the latter as the biggest February and carried that into the first of March. At the threat to the cattle outlook in the second half of 2015. time of this writing, March CME© Feeder Cattle futures had gained back a little more than a third of what had been The year 2014 was a very atypical seasonal market for lost in the last few months. While the rally was welcome Kentucky as calf prices rose throughout the year and were news in the market, winter backgrounders who placed considerably higher in fall than they were in spring. Howcalves in the fall are facing very unattractive margins if ever, this is not likely to be the case in 2015. I think we they chose not to utilize some type of price protection on will see our highest calf prices this spring and see a relacalves they placed this fall. In November, I was running tively steep drop as we move towards fall. As I write this, winter backgrounding budgets with expected returns of the fall board is trading at roughly a $6 discount to the $125 to $200 per head. However, those returns have evap- March CME© Feeder Cattle futures contract. In addition orated if sale price was not protected. This market has to this expected drop, Kentucky calf basis is typically been a prime example of why risk management should be much weaker in the fall of the year. If our seasonal basis a consideration for backgrounding and stocker programs. tendencies hold for 2015, we could see a $20-$30 decrease in calf prices from spring to fall this year. While this While calf prices have decreased as the feeder cattle fell, would be a significant drop in price ($100 to $1500 per they did not fall near as much as feeder cattle futures. The calf), it is worth noting that this would still leave us with negative impact on calves from decreasing deferred feeder an extremely high fall calf market by historical standards. cattle futures prices has likely been offset by the positive Cow-calf producers should continue to use increased reimpact on calf markets as we have moved closer to spring. turns in 2015 to position their operations for the future. Calf markets usually reach their price peak with the onset of spring grass, typically in April. Many producers are Dr. Kenny Burdine, U.K. Livestock Marketing Specialist “Farming Looks Mighty Eary When Your Plow Is a Pencil And You’re A Thousand Miles From A Corn Field” Dwight D. Eisenhower As the general public becomes farther and farther removed from farming and living on the land, it becomes more and more difficult for them to relate to the challenges associated with farm life and farming as an occupation. Those of us in agriculture must try harder to understand the concerns of people who purchase the products we produce. We must work diligently to educate the public and inform them of the importance of what we do with regard to their own well being. From: Forage-Livestock Quotes and Concepts, Dr. Gary Lacefield, et. al . Owen County Cattleman’s Association Scholarship Program Guidelines and Application Cooperative Extension Service Owen County 265 Ellis Hwy Owenton, KY 40359 (502) 484-5703 Fax: (502) 484-5704 www.owen.ca.uky.edu RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED PRESORTED STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID OWENTON KY PERMIT 59
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