Importance of Hay Testing

Hay is one of the most versatile of stored forages.  It can be kept for long periods of time with little loss of nutrients if protected from weather.  A large number of crops can be successfully used for hay production.  It can be produced and fed in small or large amounts.  It can be harvested, stored and fed by hand or the production and feeding can be completely mechanized.  Hay can supply most nutrients needed by many classes of livestock. For those reasons, hay is the most commonly used stored feed on most farms.  Since hay is such a widely used feed, it is important to understand the factors that affect quality of hay and how to recognize quality of hay, especially with winter quickly approaching. 

Specialist say that the ultimate test of hay quality is animal performance. Quality can be considered satisfactory when animals consuming the hay give the desired performance. Three of the factors which influence animal performance are: Consumption—hay must be palatable if it is to be consumed in adequate quantities; Digestibility and nutrient content—once the hay is eaten, it must be digested to be converted to animal products; and Toxic factors—high-quality hay must be free of components which are harmful to animals consuming it.

Moving into the winter months when hay is your main source of feed for livestock, knowing its nutrient content is extremely important.   Forage testing is the only way to determine the actual nutrient content of the hay. It is possible for livestock to starve on a full stomach of poor quality hay.  Having your hay tested is a great way to be sure your livestock are consuming an adequate diet. You may or may not need to feed grain, depending on the quality of your hay. The better the quality of the hay you feed, the less grain you will need to feed, which can affect your checkbook.

There are several options when it comes to forage testing in our area.  Taking your samples to Waters Laboratory on Hwy 81 in Owensboro is one option.  Or you can mail your samples to DairyOne in New York.  A third option is to contact the McLean County Cooperative Extension Office to collect samples and send to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture for testing. 

For more information about hay testing, contact the McLean County Cooperative Extension Service at (270)273-3690.  Educational programs of the Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin.

Early Bird Meeting Scheduled for December 8th in Henderson

Fall Lime Report is Now Available

Soil acidity is one of the biggest soil factors affecting plant growth and ultimately crop yield and profitability. Most soils in Kentucky are naturally acidic so periodic applications of lime are needed to neutralize acidity and maintain crop productivity. Lime quality can vary widely depending on the chemical properties of the stone and the particle size.

Materials commonly used as lime are either ground-up limestone rock, ground-up marl or products of limestone which have been altered by burning to make them more water soluble than the ground-up rock itself. By far the most common liming material in Kentucky is ground limestone (aglime), most of which is calcium carbonate.  In some instances, there is enough magnesium carbonate present for the lime to be termed “dolomitic.”

When applied to soil, the liming material reacts with soil moisture to release particles of calcium or, in the case of dolomitic lime, magnesium. The rate at which the lime material dissolves to release these particles is largely controlled by how finely it is ground and the chemical form of the material (carbonate, oxide or hydroxide). The finer the material, the more rapidly it dissolves. Oxides (burned lime) and hydroxides (hydrated lime) are more soluble in water and react much more quickly than carbonate forms of lime (calcitic aglime or dolomitic aglime).

Calcium or magnesium particles are attracted to and are held by clay particles in soils after the liming material dissolves. This neutralizes soil acidity, increasing soil pH readings. It also means that lime does not move very fast downward through soil. For this reason, lime can be applied when-ever practical, although it should be applied far enough before planting to allow time for adequately reacting with the soil and neutralizing acidity, ideally during the fall.

Even when ag lime is applied according to soil test recommendations, the actual adjustment in soil pH is not always predictable, because the quality of Kentucky ag lime varies among quarries and over time.  Because of this, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture collects samples and tests the quality of lime from quarries around the state and then provides the University of Kentucky with the data.  UK then publishes the lime report in spring and fall.  Just this past Friday, the fall lime report was released with current RNV’s (Relative Neutralizing Value) for lime in Kentucky. 

The University of Kentucky makes lime recommendations based on a 100% effective lime (100% RNV).  Because ag lime is 100% effective, the bulk lime rate required needs to be determined for each available lime source based on the RNV.  Once you have the RNV, you can determine how much bulk lime will be needed with this simple formula: Bulk Lime Rate=100% Effective Lime Rate/(RNV X 100).

The 2014 Fall Lime Report can be found online at http://soils.rs.uky.edu/technical_Info/.  For more information on lime and nutrient recommendations, contact the McLean County Extension Office  at (270)273-3690.   Educational programs of the Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin.

Fall Weed Control Options for Pastures, J.D. Green,UK Extension Weed Specialist

As warm-season plants in the pasture naturally begin to die back, cool-season weeds will sprout:  chickweed, henbit and purple deadnettle will fill the voids. Other weeds such as buttercup and musk thistle will likely be more prevalent in the next spring.

One option to tackle weed problems is to apply broadleaf pasture herbicides in mid to late fall or early next spring. However, herbicides alone may not be the best solution to revitalize pastures for the next grazing season.

UK Extension Weed Specialist JD Green suggests that the first step to determining your weed management options is to do a critical evaluation of pasture fields. Not only do you need to take an inventory of the current weeds present, but you also need to scout the field to look for any developing weed problems in their seedling growth stages. Identify areas of the field with potential problems such as musk or other biennial thistles, poisonous hemlock, buttercup and common chickweed. Also, you should assess the growth of desirable forage grasses and legumes.

Your primary question then becomes—does the existing stand of desirable forages appear adequate and potentially competitive enough against any emerging weed problems? If the forage stand is acceptable and weed pressure is light, the best course of action likely is to follow routine pasture management practices. However, if you see developing weed problems, you may want to take action to begin correcting the problem. In some cases, you may have no good solutions to correct all your weed problems. Here are some points to consider as you make those decisions.

After you evaluate the pasture, you must decide whether to drill or overseed more forages into existing pasture to improve the stand of desirable forage grasses or to spray herbicides to control emerging broadleaf weeds. You will not be able to do both at the same time since most pasture herbicides have the potential to injure newly emerging forage grasses or legumes.

For pasture herbicides that contain only 2, 4-D, general recommendations are to wait four to six weeks after spraying before reseeding forage crops. Other broadleaf herbicides may require waiting six months or more between the application and seeding forage legumes; make sure and check the label of the specific herbicide product you use. As a general rule of thumb, if you decide to spray this fall, you will need to wait until next spring before seeding additional forages.

If you reseed first, then you should wait until the new seedlings have well-established root systems before applying herbicides. It’s important to note that anytime you use broadleaf herbicides, you’ll likely kill any clovers or other desirable legumes in the treated areas.

One alternative to consider in some situations is using a total-pasture renovation technique to control or suppress growth of the weedy vegetation followed by interseeding more forage grasses or legumes. This assumes that you don’t need the field for grazing animals until the newly seeded forages become well established. In this approach, you apply an herbicide product containing either paraquat or glyphosate to “burn back” or kill all existing vegetation before reseeding. Since paraquat and glyphosate have no soil-residual activity, you can immediately interseed desirable forages into the soil after herbicide application.

Yet another course of action is a “wait and see” approach. But, keep in mind that weeds are much easier to control when they are small and immature. Although you have several options to consider for managing weed problems in the fall, few of these options are viable without some badly needed rainfall.

For more information on pasture weed management, contact the McLean Cooperative Extension Service at (270)273-3690.   Educational programs of the Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin. 

Enroll in America's Farmers Grow Communities

 

Here is a great opportunity to give back to your community and it only takes a few minutes!!! Enroll today!

Farmer enrollment for America’s Farmers Grow Communities is August 1 - November 30.

In 2015, America’s Farmers Grow Communities, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, will invest another $3.3 million to help rural communities grow in 1,324 counties across 40 states. Since 2010, with farmer help, we have invested more than $16 million into rural America.

America’s Farmers Grow Communities, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, improves lives in rural communities through farmer directed donations. The program, which launched in 2010, allows farmers to enter to win $2,500 for their favorite community nonprofit organization, such as 4-H, FFA, schools, fire departments, food pantries and more. One winner is selected in each of the 1,324 eligible counties across 40 states.

Rural communities are the heart of America. It’s where we find the people who work hard to feed, fuel and clothe our country and the world. Our community outreach programs focus on strengthening the rural communities where farmers and their families live and work. We partner with farmers to determine where $2,500 will be donated within their community. Farmers know best and choose the nonprofit organization in their community where the donation will make the most impact.

Click on the link below to read more and enroll today:

http://www.americasfarmers.com/recognition-programs/grow-communities/

Beware of Prussic Acid Poisoning as Frost Approaches

Although prussic acid poisoning can occur anytime during the growing season, the greatest risk is usually associated with the first frost in Kentucky.

The primary cause of hydrocyanic (prussic) acid poisoning in domestic animals is the ingestion of plants containing this potent toxin. Cyanide-producing compounds (cyanogenic glucosides) occurring in living plant cells are converted to prussic acid when cells are crushed or otherwise ruptured.

The prussic acid potential of plants is affected by species and variety, weather, soil fertility and stage of plant growth. Plants of the sorghum group and leaves of wild cherry trees have a potential for producing toxic levels of prussic acid. There are wide differences among varieties. Some of the sudangrasses are low in prussic acid. Pearl millet is apparently free of prussic acid in toxic amounts.

According to UK Extension Specialist Dr. Garry Lacefield, the risk from potentially dangerous forages may be reduced by following certain management practices:

1. Graze sorghum or sorghum cross plants only when they are at least 15 inches tall.

2. Do not graze plants during and shortly after drought periods when growth is severely reduced.

3. Do not graze wilted plants or plants with young tillers.

4. Do not graze for two weeks after a non-killing frost.

5. Do not graze after a killing frost until plant material is dry (the toxin is usually dissipated within 48 hours).

6. Do not graze at night when frost is likely.

7. Delay feeding silage 6 to 8 weeks following ensiling.

8. Do not allow access to wild cherry leaves whether they are wilted or not. After storms always check pastures for fallen limbs.

For more information on Prussic Acid Poisoning, along with other Forage-Related Disorders,  contact the McLean County Extension Office  at (270)273-3690.   Educational programs of the Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin.

Consider No-Till This Fall

Soil is obviously a very important part of our lives since it supports the production of our food sources.  A key component to our soil is organic matter.  Organic matter serves as a reservoir of nutrients and water in the soil, aids in reducing compaction and surface crusting, and increases water infiltration into the soil. Unfortunately, it isn’t something that we can quickly build up in our farm ground.  There are different avenues to pursue when trying to build up the organic matter in your soils.  One way to help retain organic matter and slowly build levels back up is through the implementation of no-till.

While I realize that it may not be for everyone, no-till crop production has become a very successful agronomic practice in Kentucky.  No-till systems make it possible to maintain productivity of erodible land while keeping erosion losses at a tolerable level and help us with maintaining organic matter in our soils.

Reducing soil erosion by 75-100% and reducing the loss of organic matter are not the only perks of converting to a no-till production method.  No-till also cuts fuel costs and saves labor and time; three extremely valuable inputs in your operation.  Another key benefit to no-till is the conversation of moisture, increasing moisture retention in your soil by 20-25% due to reduced water runoff and soil evaporation.  No-till is also said to make double-cropping easier, and one of my most favorite benefits of no-till is the reduction in compaction.

I recently heard of one our UK Soils Specialist compare soil and a can of Pringles.  Think about a brand new can of Pringles.  When you first open it up they are stacked all nice and neat, all the way to the top of the can.  If you were to disturb that can, whether it be by shaking it up vigorously or by putting a utensil (ie butter knife) through the middle of the stack of chips, all of those bits and pieces settle at the bottom.  You no longer have a can of Pringles filled all the way to the stop.  When those Pringle chips settle at the bottom, there is no longer any room for air flow or water flow, similar to what happens when you rip through your soil over and over again. 

No-till has its pro’s and con’s, and like I said, I realize that it is not meant to be a part of every operation and there are times where tillage is necessary.  However, the no-till system of row crop production is especially well-adapted to the soils and topography of Kentucky.  No-till production has been most successful on well-drained and moderately well-drained soils in Kentucky.  No-till will work with a wide variety of soil types, but it probably most successful on Crider soil. 

There are several publications available about no-till production.  If you would like more information about no-till, please contact the McLean County Cooperative Extension Service at (270)273-3690.  Educational programs of the Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin.