Hay and Forages

Be Counted

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Happy New Year!

I hope that 2017 was a year of success and I hope that 2018 will be even better. Of course, a year is what you make it. Although you cannot control what the year will bring, you can control how you react to what it gives you. Good or bad. I hope that one of your resolutions for 2018 will be to look on the bright side. See the glass half full. Be optimistic. If you chose to make 2018 a great year, it will be.

Yesterday I received a piece of mail titled to “Mr. Noble Osu Extension”. Yes, you read that correct. It was from the Arbor Day Foundation and it promised free gifts inside. Naturally, I wanted to at least see these “free gifts” and find out what they were hoping to get in return. Inside was a survey, return address labels, a calendar, and a list of enticing reasons why I should join the foundation and complete their survey.

One of these was the chance to win a “year’s supply of coffee”, which for me was more like twelve weeks’ worth of coffee, but hey, they got me. I completed the survey, hung up the calendar, and slipped the return labels into my desk. I am saving them for a gag where it would be appropriate to call myself “Mr. Noble Osu Extension.” My response will be counted to promote forest conservation. That alone would have been enough for me.

There are two surveys that I urge you to complete this January. One is the 2017 Census of Agriculture. The other is the 2017 Noble County OSU Extension ANR Program Survey. No, they don’t come with “free gifts”, but they should at least have your name and correct when you receive them. I can already see you rolling your eyes as you read this and thinking “Ugh, surveys!” So let me interject with a familiar story:

Luke 2:1-7: “1In those days Caesar Augustus sent out word that the name of every person in the Roman nation must be written in the books of the nation. 2This first writing took place while Quirinius was ruler of Syria. 3So all the people went to their own cities to have their names written in the books of the nation. 4Joseph went up from the town of Nazareth in the country of Galilee to the town of Bethlehem. It was known as the city of David. He went there because he was from the family of David. 5Joseph went to have his and Mary’s names written in the books of the nation. Mary was his promised wife and soon to become a mother. 6While they were there in Bethlehem, the time came for Mary to give birth to her baby. 7Her first son was born. She put cloth around Him and laid Him in a place where cattle are fed. There was no room for them in the place where people stay for the night.”

In the Christmas story we read that Jesus’s parents rode 65 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem, while Mary was nine months pregnant, riding on a donkey, to be counted in a census, so that the government could assess their tax rate! Then when they arrived, Mary was in labor, and there was nowhere to stay except a stable. Can you imagine your first-born child being born in a barn, 65 miles from home, because the government ordered you to go? Does a paper or online census sound as bad now?

The 2017 Census of Agriculture is your chance to be counted. It is conducted once every five years. The information collected from the census is the only uniform, comprehensive, and impartial source of data that reaches every state and county in the U.S.A. It is used so that you will be represented appropriately by the United States Department of Agriculture in conversations with trade associations, researchers, policy makers, extension educators, agribusiness, and more. Every single voice matters. The census survey is lengthy, but keep in mind that every farmer in the U.S. has to complete the same survey. Some sections may not apply to you, but I guarantee that at least one will. You should have received a census form in the mail in December. You can chose to complete the paper forms or you can complete the census survey online at www.agcensus.usda.gov. If you did not receive a census packet, you can complete the survey online, or request one by calling (800)-727-9540. The deadline to respond is February 5, 2018.

Noble County OSU Extension looks forward to providing programming for you in 2018. Thank you to those who have completed the survey already. If you have not, please help us develop helpful program content by completing the 2017 ANR Program Survey online at: http://go.osu.edu/nobleanrsurvey17.

If you want to be represented in your community and nation, take these opportunities to be counted.

Have a wonderful New Year readers!

CATTLEMEN’S ROUNDUP & OARDC BEEF AND FORAGE NIGHT

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Friday, August 26th is OARDC Jackson’s Beef and Forage Night which will be held in conjunction with the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association Roundup on Saturday, August 27th. Both events require registration. Friday’s registration is due by August 23rd and Saturday’s is due by August 15th. Follow the links above to find out more information. Registration for one or both events can be made online by clicking here.

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Farm Science Review 2016

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Farm Science Review (FSR) 2016 will be held Sept. 20-22 at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center near London, Ohio. Farm Science Review offers farmers and other visitors the opportunity to learn about the latest agricultural innovations from experts from the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) at The Ohio State University.

Farm Science Review offers visitors nearly 180 educational presentations and opportunities presented by educators, specialists and faculty from Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC).  Annually FSR draws between 110,000 and 130,000 farmers, growers, producers and agricultural enthusiasts from across the U.S. and Canada and offers more than 4,000 product lines from 630 commercial exhibitors. To view the full schedule of events and presentations click here.

Advance tickets for the Farm Science Review are $7 at all OSU Extension county offices, many local agribusinesses and online (click here). Tickets are $10 at the gate. Children 5 and younger are admitted free. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 20-21 and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 22.

If you plan to visit FSR for more than one day, there are many lodging options available in the London area. Some offer discounts for FSR attendance, be sure to mention it when making reservations. Golf carts will be permitted on the grounds for visitors with a documented disability or a doctor’s excuse. Privately owned carts are permitted on the grounds, but must be checked in with a $10 fee and rentals will be available from The Golf Cart Company. Call 1-800-589-8833 to make reservations or fill out the reservation form online.

Farm Science Review tickets are available until September 18th at the following Noble County locations:

Noble County OSU Extension Office, L & H Tractor, Agland Co-op, Jones Feed, and M&M Feed and Supply

July Blooms

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It always feels like July 4th is the peak of summer and when those hot summer days seem to kick off.  In fact the longest day of the year is the summer solstice which falls in late June, and the days gradually get shorter from there.  Many long day flowering plants will flower or “bolt” around this time.  One that I saw most recently was lettuce.  Lettuce is a long day plant that when exposed to darkness for periods of eleven hours or less will flower or bolt.  Unfortunately lettuce was never bred for its flower and the bolting causes chemical changes in the plant and it is accompanied by a bitter taste in the leaves.  I know that read kind of funny.  Even though the plant is called a “long day plant” the transition to flowering is dictated by the shortened period of darkness that comes with the longer days.  So that’s how the long day plants work, they need eleven hours of darkness or less.  So when the days become thirteen hours or longer these plants will start flowering due to the shortened dark periods.

Weeds are also tied to the day lengths and temperatures to transition to flower. There is a reason why allergies fall at certain times of the year.  As stated earlier some long day plants are flowering now.  One of these examples is the Giant Ragweed.

 

Giant Ragweed Giant Ragweed is a summer annual that can grow up to seven feet tall or greater.  Giant ragweed is a monoecious plant, much like corn.  Giant Ragweed produces separate male and female flowers on the same plant.  It flowers in racemes that hold a cluster of small flowers.  The male flowers that produce pollen are on top while the female flowers are located at the base of the raceme.  This is a strategy that many monoecious plants take.  Corn tassels are also the male flowers which are located on top to increase the chances of pollination.

 

Common Burdock is another weed that is flowering now. Common Burdock

The Burdock flower looks a lot like the thistle flower but the plant has a very large broad leaves at the base.  The leaves can grow to be almost 2 feet long and can be over a foot wide.  When this flower is fertilized it produces a bur type fruit that will attach to clothes and hair.

Wild carrot is also flowering at this time; this plant is sometimes known as Queen Anne’s lace.

Wild Carrot

The flowers are white and set up as an umbel.  An umbel is a cluster of flowers that have a single attachment point.  It produces a round flat cluster of flowers that are known to attract butterflies.  I have heard it being referred to as a “helicopter pad” for butterflies…

One of the best ways to identify plants is to do it during flowering times. When a plant flowers will give you a lot of information as to its identity, and many plant keys will require the flower to be utilized in its identification.

Be on the Lookout for Poison Hemlock

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 Be on the Lookout for Poison Hemlock

Multiple farmers in Washington County have reported seeing hay and pasture fields being heavily infested with poison hemlock. Not only are the fields infested but the roadways in the county are littered with poison hemlock.  As the name states, this weed is poisonous in both its vegetative growth stages and when dry. This was the plant used to poison and execute the Greek philosopher Socrates after he was found guilty of corrupting the minds of young Athenians and for not believing in the gods of the state.  All parts of this plant are poisonous to humans and livestock so it is important to observe and remove any poison hemlock from hay or pasture fields.

Typically, grazing animals will avoid poison hemlock because of its unpalatable taste unless there is little other feed or forages available or when it’s consumed through hay. When consumed, poisoning symptoms appear rather quickly which includes: bloody feces, vomiting, paralysis, trembling, loss of coordination, pupil dilation, coma and eventually death from respiratory failure.

Since poison hemlock is a biennial (a plant that takes two years to grow from seed to fruition and die) it can be fairly easy to control. The first step in control is being able to recognize the plant.  During the first year, poison hemlock produces a basal rosette and in the second year, tall erect stems are formed and can reach heights of 10 to 12 feet in moist conditions.  The tall stems are hairless, purple-spotted (distinguishing feature – Fig. #1), ridged, and hollow between the nodes.  The leaves (Fig. #2) are dark glossy green, fern-like, triangular, and 3-4 times pinnately compound.  Poison hemlock flowers are small, white and found in umbrella-shaped clusters (Fig.#3 and Fig.#4).

stem leaf

Fig.#1 – Purple spotted stem           Fig.#2 – Fern-like leaf

Poison Hemlock flower

Fig.#3 – White umbel-type flower head clusters

Poison Hemlock tall plant cropped

Fig.#4 – Flower head clusters

Sometimes poison hemlock often gets confused with wild carrot (a.k.a.: lace flower, Queen Anne’s lace) due to its fern-like leaves, a single taproot, and a white umbel-type flower head . However, wild carrot has hair along its slender stem and leaf bases while poison hemlock’s stem is smooth and purple-spotted.  Peak bloom for poison hemlock is in late May and early June, whereas wild carrot is just beginning to produce flowers. Wild carrot will only reach heights of 3 feet or less.  Also, poison hemlock is more branch-like than wild carrot (see fig. #5).

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Fig.#5 – Poison Hemlock (left) Wild Carrot (right) comparison

Once poison hemlock is successfully recognize and confirmed the next step is to take action to control it. Since poison hemlock is a biennial, it is best to control 1st-year plants by applying herbicides in the fall and for 2nd-year plants apply herbicides in the spring before the plant gets too large.  According to the Ohio State University Weed Control Guide Crossbow and Remedy Ultra has the best rating for controlling poison hemlock ( rating of 9) followed by Glyphosate (8), dicamba (8), Cimarron Max (8), and 2,4-D (7).  Remember these herbicides are either broadleaf killers (including legumes) or non-selective (kills both grasses and legumes).  For light infestations, spot treatment may be the preferred method.

Besides chemical control, mechanical control like hand-pulling or mowing is a viable option. Mowing can be used effectively to prevent weed seed production and over time will help reduce the weed seedbank in the soil.  Mow in the second year of the life-cycle before or just at the start of flowering to reduce vigor and to prevent seed set.  If hand pulling, it is important to remember to wear gloves.  Handling the plant can cause toxic reactions in humans.

For more information on poison hemlock or help with identifying it, please contact your local extension office.

Buttercup in Bloom

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There is a plant out there in the Ranunculaceae family known as buttercup.  Buttercup can come in many forms whether it is an annual, biennial, or even perennial it can be a major detriment to livestock in pasture fields.  I was in a May stroll a few days ago when I noticed a bright yellow flower with 2-3 lobed leaflets with deep clefts.

Buttercup 3buttercup 2

I did what any good Ag Educator would do and snagged up a good sample (roots, leaves and flowers) to key out on my front porch. On a side note, the best time to key a plant is when it is in bloom so that blooming time is available to you.

I identified it as Ranunculus caricetorum also known as the marsh buttercup.  This plant does well in low woods, swamps, marshes, and poorly drained areas like around water springs.  Buttercup is a toxic plant in pastured areas if animals ingest it fresh.

Buttercup grows aggressively in patches and has a corm base. Corms are essentially compressed bulb like bases that store a lot of food reserves and thus make this plant hard to get rid of through mowing alone.  I will say that mowing and preventing the plant from going to seed will help keep it from spreading however.

Buttercup 4

The toxin that this plant produces is called protoanemonin. This toxin is oil based and found in the fresh plant stem, it causes irritation and blistering of the skin, lining of the mouth and digestive tract.  Fortunately, if buttercup is baled and dried in hay the toxin becomes inert and will not irritate the livestock.  To livestock, the plant is bitter and animals will avoid eating it.  If the plant overtakes a field however it can become a problem if livestock do not have anything else to eat, especially during the summer months of slow forage growth.

Buttercup is sensitive to most broadleaf selective herbicides used in pastures such as 2,4-D and dicamba products. It also grows in clusters so spot-treatments are a good way to get it under control.

OSU/WVU Extension Radio Jan-Feb 2016

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OSU/WVU Extension Radio

Catch us on 1170 WWVA, Sunday mornings at 5:00 AM

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1/3/2016: 

Knowns and Unknowns of Oil and Gas from Landowner  Perspective

 

 1/24/2016: Marketing Beef Cattle

 

2/14/2016: Advantages of Crop Diversity in Pasture Fields

 

 2/21/2016: GMOs: Why They are Created and Labeling

 

2/28/2016: Bt and its Variable Uses and Agrobacterium  

Frost Seeding

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The time of the year when frost seedings are most effectively done will be here before long. One can use this method to renovate pastures, improve stands, or alter the species mix within a pasture. Producers should remember however, this is only a means to get the seed in good contact with the soil. If the area you intend to frost seed currently has poor grass/legume growth, the first thing you need to determine is “why the problem has occurred?” Adding more seed to soil that lacks proper nutrient levels, has a pH that is to low or high for the intended crop, or if the crop is not managed properly for the plant species desired (for example – repeated close grazings), the soil is not going to grow more of the desired forage if you just broadcast more seed.

When plants are severely grazed, or re-grazed before a sufficient rest period has elapsed, the plant takes energy that has been stored in the roots as carbohydrates to support new leaf growth. As carbohydrates are removed from the roots, the root dies, separates from the plant and eventually decomposes. This process continues until enough green leaf surface once again develops to catch sufficient amounts of solar energy that support additional leaf growth and reestablish lost roots. Depending on the severity of root loss, slow re-growth may be noticed for a considerable amount of time.

Areas chosen for frost seeding should not have large amounts of undecomposed plant material remaining in the field. If it does, put animals in those areas now to graze the area closely before seeding. Removing this plant material will make openings above the soil allowing seeds to fall to the ground. Frost seeding works best with legume seeds typically, because it is easier for smaller seeds to drop to the soil surface than it is for the larger, but lighter grass seeds. Making a muddy mess of an area is not the goal, but if weather conditions are going to cause livestock to trample an area, because you do not have a heavy use feed pad to put them onto, the sacrifice area may as well be where you plan to frost seed.

Encouraging legume growth in pasture fields can minimize production costs by reducing the amount of nitrogen fertilization necessary for maximum forage growth. Stands that contain approximately 30% legumes generally need no additional nitrogen added. Legumes also improve the quality characteristics of a grass stand. Frost seeding offers several potential advantages when properly implemented. These may include: establishment of forage in undisturbed sod, reduced labor, energy and cash expense compared to conventional tillage methods, the ability to establish forages with minimal equipment investment, and little, if any, “non-grazing” period.

Late winter, February or early March, is a good time to frost seed pastures in our area. Broadcast your selected seed while the ground is frozen. The freeze and thaw cycle of the soil is needed for seeds to obtain good soil-to-seed contact. This is necessary if seeds are to grow and compete with established grasses, other legumes, and or weeds.

Planting mixtures and seeding rates differ greatly. Desired species and number of seedlings wanted in the final stand determine how much to plant. As a rule of thumb, if legumes are already present in the pasture, 3-4 lbs. of red clover and 1-2 lb. of ladino or alsike clover seed per acre works well. Birdsfoot trefoil could also be used at 2-3 lbs. per acre. If no legumes are currently present in the stand or seeding one species alone, doubling the above rates may return better results. Also, remember to inoculate legume seed when planting.

If grasses are to be frost seeded into existing pastures, perennial or annual ryegrass, orchardgrass, or smooth bromegrass would be recommended. Perennial/annual ryegrass should be seeded at 2-3 lbs. along with orchardgrass 2-3 lbs. or smooth bromegrass 8-10 lbs. per acre. When planting, using a spinner type seeder, do not mix legume and grass seed together. Grass seed will not spread as far as legume seed causing an uneven stand. Make two trips over the pasture and adjust spacing as needed for the type seed being sown.

In the spring, excessive growth and competition should be controlled. Frost seeded pastures should be grazed or clipped in the spring at regular intervals to allow sunlight to enter the canopy. Do not allow animals to graze plants low enough the first or second rotations that they ruin the new seedlings before adequate roots are developed.

Summary- Frost seeding will not increase the productivity or quality of a pasture if soil nutrients and pH are not in acceptable ranges for the species you are trying to produce. Most often, pastures are a product of management practices. Many times a change in grazing practices (allowing rest periods) or addition of soil nutrients will correct declining pasture production. If you are thinking of making a frost seeding and do not know what your nutrient levels are, a soil test can be a valuable tool. It can tell you if your pastures need more seed or just more “feed”.

Feeding Livestock and Managing Forage Waste

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Stockpiling forage for winter feed was fairly limited this year in our area due to dry soil conditions when most stockpiling growth should have occurred. More stored forage will be required this year and feeding hay has started much sooner than in recent years for many producers.

 

Loss, associated with feeding hay to livestock, may be much more than just storage loss if precautions are not taken to reduce waste during the feeding operation. Feeding loss is a product of many things. Trampling, leaf shatter, quality deterioration, fecal contamination, and refusal are all things that contribute to waste. One must expect some hay loss during feeding, but the amount of loss may be reduced through good management practices and proper planning.

 

Feeding losses have been shown to range from less than 2 percent, where great care was taken, to more than 60 percent when no attempt was made to reduce hay loss. A loss of 3 percent to 6 percent would be considered normal, but good management practices must be in place to accomplish this.

 

Feeding hay throughout various paddocks from moveable racks or wagons promotes distribution of manure rather than concentrating it in one location. Many types of feed bunks, bale rings and other equipment are available today, but the ones which keep hay from contacting the ground generally reduce waste the most. A dry, well‑drained or frozen site should be chosen for feeding hay when possible. Limiting hay fed to a one‑day supply, with enough space for all animal to eat at the same time, helps reduce waste.

 

Some managers like to feed several bales in one area, which allows them to select a convenient feeding location and minimizes the area of sod killed. However, this eventually results in muddy conditions, often promoting weed pressure. It may also result in soil erosion or soil compaction. If these conditions are encountered, it is very likely that the area used will be unproductive for forage growth much of the following year and weed growth may be a problem. If this occurs, weeds should be controlled before they go to seed.

 

Unrolling large round bales is a practice which many of our producers have implemented where terrain and or equipment permit. If this method is used, only unroll enough feed for one day’s supply or use an electric wire over the middle of the unrolled swath to prevent trampling and bedding on the food source. Moving to a new area each feeding promotes even manure distribution and this type nutrient management will help produce more forage next year.

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Many producers use the unrolling` method to promote re‑seeding in places with sparse vegetation. Unused forages help to increase organic material and fertility in these feeding areas. Feeding priority of various hay lots should also be considered when using the feed. Hay exposed to the elements/outdoor should be fed first to reduce loss.

 

Separating livestock into smaller groups with similar nutritional needs is recommended. The highest quality hay should be fed to young, growing livestock or lactating animals. Lower quality hay should be used for livestock with lower nutritional needs, such as bulls and non‑lactating cows. Sending samples to a laboratory for forage analysis is recommended so actual nutritional values are known.

 

If you have low quality hay, a good way to use it is to combine it with forage in stockpiled paddocks. Most stockpiled grasses, when fed in a timely manner, contain higher protein levels and more total digestible nutrients than many lots of hay which were harvested in the summer. If you are going to place round bales in stockpiled forage, use a front electric wire to limit livestock’s access, thereby controlling waste of the stockpiled forage and the round bales.

 

A heavy use feeding area, constructed of concrete, geotextile cloth and stone, or other suitable material, is a good place to feed livestock when conditions are very wet, muddy and not suitable for feeding in your fields. Using heavy use areas at proper times reduces pugging and injury to forage plants in the paddocks.

 

Whatever feeding method is used, your management decisions determine the impact to the land on your farm. Establishing good management practices can alleviate unsightly problems, reduce soil erosion, increase water quality, increase forage production and boost profit margins.

Hay Storage Considerations

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OUTDOOR HAY STORAGE

Hay bales stored outdoors that do not form a good protective thatch layer can mold up and the dry matter losses can penetrate deep within the bale.

(OSU Beef Team Newsletter)

  • Forming a Protective Thatch on Your Hay Bales

A thatch forms from oxidation of the exposed outer layer of grasses to sunlight and moisture on the outside of a bale. This layer can be a protective barrier from the elements, protecting the inner contents of the bale.

Factors that INCREASE the probability of thatch formation include:

  1. Uniformity
  2. Density
  3. Fine stemmed grasses
  4. Leafy grasses
  5. Weed-free

Factors that DECREASE the probability of thatch formation include:

  1. Course stemmed grasses
    1. Annual grasses
    2. Weeds
    3. Johnsongrass
    4. Pearl Millet
    5. Sorghum-Sudangrass
  2. Loose bales
  3. Woody stems and weeds
  4. Hollow stems

*If you have re-seeded a right-of-way with a lot of annuals, it would be best to not store that hay too long outdoors if baled. You could feed it right away or store those bales inside. Hay bales from annual grasses are more prone to weathering and will lose quality more rapidly if stored outdoors due to the course and hollow stems in those grasses.