“Farm Office Live” returns virtually this summer as an opportunity for you to get the latest outlook and updates on ag law, farm management, farm business analysis, and other related issues from faculty and educators with the College of Food, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University. Attend “Farm Office Live” online on July 23, 2021, at 10 AM (EST). To register, please visit https://go.osu.edu/farmofficelive
By Jason Hartschuh
Many producers use summer annual forages for grazing and stored forage to either fill the summer slump or keep livestock feed through the winter. With wheat harvest finalized across most of the state and straw baling completed for many now our attention turns to creating a second or third profit center off those wheat acres.
Wheat acres provide an excellent opportunity for double cropping with forages that when harvested at the proper growth stage can either make high quality late gestation early lactation forage, grazing opportunities, or gut fill to mix lower the quality of other forages or concentrates.
Many species of summer annuals can be utilized for forage. Some of them such as radish and turnip can be easily grazed but do not make good stored forage as Baleage or dry hay. For dry hay we have found the best two species to be teff and oats. Most other species can be harvested as silage or Baleage. Be cautious making dry hay that for plant stem is truly dry.
The nutritional value of summer annual forages we sampled ranged from $200-$260 per ton. While it may not be possible to sell these forages for their nutritional value, this is what it would cost to replace these forages in the ration with other forms of protein, energy, and fiber. Figure 1 shows the tons harvested per acre of forages planted on July 2nd and harvested either 63 or 91 days after planting versus a July 29th planting date with a harvest 63 to 84 days after planting. While nutrition content of the crop is important to filling the needs of livestock, the driving factor behind return per acre is the tons produced. While some of these summer annuals can be harvested multiple times over the summer, we compared a single cutting at about 60 or 90 days after planting. Not surprisingly across most species the early July planting had increased yields but the ability to utilize these crops into a late summer planting was surprising. All crops in Figure 1 were managed the same being planted in with a drill in 7.5 inch rows with 50 pounds of nitrogen applied. Early July planted corn yielded almost 7 tons of dry matter compared to late July planted corn only yielding about 2.5 tons. The reduction in yield was also found in sorghum more than other crops. Sorghum 90-day yield dropped from 4 tons per acre to about 2 tons with the later planting date. Both crops could have been grown until just before the first frost increasing tonnage. The balancing act between quality and tonnage is found just before these crops switch from vegetative growth to reproductive.
When these crops are planted late in the growing season, end of July, they will not complete grain fill making it better to harvest them just before seed heads or tassels emerge. While the trial in Figure 1 shows an advantage to corn just a year later under much drier growing conditions Figure 2 show corn as the second to lowest yield species with a mid-July planting date. When double cropping is delayed until early August we have found that Oats has the greatest yield potential with planting dates as late as September 15 yielding over 2 tons of dry matter.
Teff provides advantages that it could be made as dry hay much easier than other forages. It proved to have some challenges though needing tedded twice to dry completely in humid Ohio conditions. It also declined in quality rapidly with crude protein falling from 12% to 6.5% within a week as the plant flowered. Soybeans provided higher levels of crude protein than grass at 90 days after harvest having about 17% crude protein. Forage type soybeans are available which provide higher tonnage than conventional soybeans. Soybean silage/baleage should be made when the beans reach late R6 growth stage. At this point, lower leaves are just starting to turn yellow and seed pods are fully developed. Harvesting later leads to higher oil content which often causes fermentation issues. Oats is the most common double crop forage in our area. Usually we do not recommend planting oats until late July, but some year the early planted oats yields as well as the late planted oat. Oats is a daylength sensitive crop. When planted in early August it is triggered to grow larger leaves instead of working hard to produce seed. Earlier planted oats had lower energy and protein content. Oat Crown Rust was also a critical challenge with oats planted in July and occasionally into early August. By 90 days after planting, rust covered over 50% of Oats leaves. Utilizing a fungicide labeled for Oat Crown Rust did not increase tonnage but did improve digestible NDF, increasing energy values, and dollar value of the forage. Studies using corn silage have also found that rust causes fermentation issues with a higher final silage pH when rust is present versus not present. In 2021 we will continue to double crop with trials in 2 location across the state and a double cropping with summer annuals field day on August 28th in Licking county. Detailed trial reports with for quality analysis are available as part of eFields at: https://digitalag.osu.edu/efields.
By Glen Arnold- OSU Extension
The annual Manure Science Review will be held on Tuesday, August 10 from 10:00am to 3:00pm at MVP Dairy near Celina, Ohio. Attendees will see and hear about this state-of-the-art dairy’s 80-cow rotary milking parlor, manure handling and management for the 4,400-cow herd, and regenerative farming practices. Speakers will provide updates on the effectiveness of saturated buffers in reducing runoff in Grand Lake Saint Marys as well as issues of legacy phosphorus runoff and the KDS/Quick wash system for manure nutrient recovery. Field demonstrations will include solid and liquid applicators, the Cadman Side-dress System, Oxbo Equipment, in-season manure side-dress demos, and more.
Continuing education credits have been approved for Certified Crop Advisors, Certified Livestock Managers and Indiana State Chemist certifications. Registration costs are $25 per person until August 1st and $30 per person after that date. For program and registration details, click on the link at ocamm.osu.edu or contact Mary Wicks (wicks.14@osu.edu; 330.202.3533).
Clint Schroeder OSU Extension
The Allen County Agriculture Hall of Fame will be inducting five new members during an evening banquet on July 15th at the City Club in Lima. The Hall of Fame is presented by Nutrien Lima in conjunction with the Lima Allen County Chamber of Commerce. The inductees of the ninth class come from various backgrounds but have all made outstanding contributions to not only agriculture, but also their communities. The inductees are:
Jay Begg – A sixth generation farmer from Monroe Township who served as manager of the Allen County Fair and as an Allen County Commissioner.
Gene McCluer – A dairy farmer from Auglaize Township that also worked for Ohio State Extension in neighboring Hardin County.
Gerald Brooks – A grain and livestock farmer from Richland Township who was a pioneer of no-till and conservation farming. He also worked with Richland Township Trustees and Allen County Regional Planning to develop Agriculture Preservation and Comprehensive Plans.
Clyde Ditto – A farmer from Amanda Township that was a leader for Farm Bureau and the Ohio Young Farmers Association. Also provided extensive support to the Allen County Fair and Allen County Ag Society.
Harry, Myrna, and Scott Shutt (Kewpee Hamburgers) – The family has been committed to support of local agriculture and youth development programs aimed at sustaining agriculture into the future.
Tickets for the induction ceremony can be purchased for $15 by visiting limachamber.com or by calling the Lima Allen County Chamber of Commerce at 419-222-6045. The banquet will begin at 6:00 pm with the meal and the induction ceremony will follow shortly after.
By Peter Thomison-OSU Extension
This year I’ve seen more tillering in corn than normal, and there have been enquiries about the impact of tillers on crop growth. When farmers see extensive tillering in their corn hybrids they often express concern that the tillering will have a detrimental effect of crop performance (tillers will “suck” nutrients from the main plant and thereby reduce yields). As a result, tillers are often referred to a “suckers”. However, research has shown that tillers usually have little influence on grain yields and what effects they do have are generally beneficial.
Tillers are lateral branches that form at below ground nodes. Although tiller buds form at each below ground node, the number of tillers that develop is determined by plant population and spacing, soil fertility, early season growing conditions, and the genetic background of the hybrid. Many hybrids will take advantage of available soil nutrients and moisture by forming one or more tillers where stands are thin in the row or at the ends of rows. Tillers are most likely to develop when soil fertility and moisture supplies are ample during the first few weeks of the growing season. They are usually visible by the 6-leaf stage of development. Hybrids with a strong tillering trait may form one or more tillers on every plant even at relatively high populations if the environment is favorable early in the growing season.
A number of studies have been conducted to determine relationships between tillers and the main plant. Defoliation experiments in the 1930’s revealed that defoliated plants that had tillers yielded nearly twice as much grain as defoliated plants that had no tillers. These results suggested that there was a connection between the tiller and the main plant that allowed sugars produced in the tiller leaves to be moved to the ears of the main plants.
More recent studies have found that there is little movement of plant sugars between the main plant and tillers before tasselling. However, after silking and during grain fill, substantial amounts of plant sugars may move from earless tillers to ears on the main plant. When there are ears on both the tiller and the main plant, little movement of plant sugars occurs. The main plant and tillers act independently, each receiving sugars from their own leaves. The nubbin ears, that tillers may produce, therefore have no impact on the ear development of the main plant as was once thought.
If a particular hybrid shows excellent yield potential and also produces extensive tillering under some growing conditions, it should not be avoided. However, excessive tillering may indicate problems with stand density and distribution. If tillering is associated with row gaps and less than optimal plant populations, these are the conditions which need to be corrected to ensure optimal yields rather than selection of the hybrid.
Tillering can also be caused by diseases such as “crazy top” and Stewart’s bacterial wilt (which are also associated with other symptoms). Such tillering is a disease symptom and not beneficial to plant performance. Severe weather conditions ( i.e. hail, frost, and flooding injury) that destroy or damage the growing point can also result in tiller development and non-productive plants.
By Joe Boggs – OSU Extension
Poison Hemlock is in Full Flower and Towering over Fields and Landscapes in Ohio.
Poison hemlock is one of the most lethal plants found in North America. This biennial weed is now in full flower throughout much of Ohio. So, the clock is ticking on preventing seed production by this non-native invasive plant.
As a biennial weed, poison hemlock spends the first year as a basal rosette and the second year as an erect, towering flowering plant that can measure 6-10′ tall.
Poison hemlock belongs to the carrot family, Apiaceae (formerly Umbelliferae). It shares many characteristics with other notable non-native members of the carrot family found growing in Ohio such as Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota) and Wild Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa). Indeed, some of the accidental poisonings in the U.S. have occurred with people mistaking poison hemlock for Queen Anne’s Lace.
Poison hemlock contains highly toxic piperidine alkaloid compounds, including coniine and gamma-coniceine, which cause respiratory failure and death when ingested by mammals. The roots are more toxic than the leaves and stems; however, all parts of the plant including the seeds should be considered dangerous. It is a common misconception that poison hemlock sap will cause skin rashes and blisters. In fact, poison hemlock toxins must be ingested or enter through the eyes, cuts, or other openings to cause poisoning.
All stages of the poison hemlock plant have bluish-green leaves that are 3-4 times pinnately compound, and the deeply cut parsley-like leaflets have sharp points. Flowering plants have hairless, light-green to bluish-green stems that are covered with obvious purplish blotches. Clusters of tiny white flowers are borne on structures called umbels that look like upside-down umbrellas.
While poison hemlock can be partially managed by mowing and tilling, the most effective control approach involves properly timed applications of selective or non-selective post-emergent herbicides including glyphosate (e.g. Roundup). However, applications of herbicides must be made now to have any chance of reducing seed production this year.
Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) was first identified in Ohio in 1981, and has now been found in 72 of Ohio’s 88 counties, including Allen. SCN is a small roundworm parasite that damages soybeans by feeding on roots, robbing the plants of nutrients, and providing wound sites for root rotting fungi to enter. The severity of symptoms and yield losses are dependent on several factors including: the number of nematodes present in the field at planting, the soybean variety, tillage practices, soil texture, fertility, pH, and environmental conditions during the growing season. Seed producers worked to breed varieties with resistance to SCN initially, but now certain populations are becoming resistant to the resistance.
The SCN Coalition was developed with funding from the soybean checkoff to raise awareness among farmers. The goal of this group is to decrease SCN populations and increase yield potential for soybean farmers. As part of this effort OSU Extension in Allen County is looking for producers who will allow their fields to be sampled by extension personnel. There is no cost to the farmer for this program and all data will be kept confidential. If you are interested in having your fields sampled please call 419-879-9108 or e-mail Clint Schroeder at schroeder.307@osu.edu
By Brent Sohngen, Professor Environmental and Natural Resource Economics, The Ohio State University
In case you haven’t noticed, lumber prices have increased a lot over the last year. Based on the US Bureau of Labor Statistics Lumber Price Index, which you can find here, lumber prices have increased 180% since April, 2020. This increase started last fall, and has continued ever since. So, why have they risen, and how high will they go?
Let’s start with the first question, why have they risen? The economic explanation is relatively straightforward: Demand rose rapidly due to pandemic related building, and supply is really inelastic, as we say in economics. Thus, while the demand of wood has increased dramatically, the supply of wood hasn’t been able to keep up. Let’s break this down. Continue reading What’s going on with Lumber Prices?
Vomitoxin in the 2020 corn crop continues to plague both livestock and grain producers. Livestock producers are trying to decide how best to manage corn and corn by-products with high levels of vomitoxin, and those who grow corn are trying to decide how best to avoid vomitoxin contamination in 2021.
In the 15 minute video below, OSU Extension Educations John Barker, Rob Leeds, and Jacci Smith discuss where and why this year’s vomitoxin issues originated, considerations for avoiding problems in coming years, how it impacts livestock, and what’s involved in testing grain for vomitoxin.
By Kent McGuire – OSU CFAES Safety and Health Coordinator
Many farmers are applying anhydrous ammonia as a part of their spring planting season. Anyone working with anhydrous ammonia should be familiar with the safe use of the product, understand the potential for injury and know how to respond to an emergency. There are several hazards associated to working with anhydrous ammonia in the field. One hazard is that anhydrous ammonia is stored under high pressure. An unintended release can occur if the equipment is not well maintained, equipment becomes damaged, or workers are not trained to follow exact procedures. Additional hazards can be based on anhydrous ammonia’s chemical properties. Contact with skin can cause freezing of tissue or chemical burns. Severe irritation to eyes can take place since anhydrous ammonia seeks out water. And because of the strong odor, inhaling anhydrous ammonia can irritate the lungs and respiratory system. Some simple suggestions when working with anhydrous ammonia in the field include:
– Always have water readily available. This should include a squirt bottle of water with you and 5 gallons of emergency water mounted on the nurse tank.
– Personal protective equipment should include: long sleeve clothing, goggles, chemical gloves, and respirator with approved cartridge.
– Wear the proper personal protective equipment when connecting or disconnecting nurse tanks from the applicator or when making minor repairs or adjustments in the field.
– Ensure that a set of personal protective equipment is located in the cab of the tractor and in any vehicle used to transport nurse tanks. Continue reading Working Safely with Anhydrous Ammonia