Month: June 2023

Pasture Management Strategies During Dry Conditions

– Chris Zoller, Extension Educator, ANR, Tuscarawas County and Garth Ruff, Extension Field Specialist Beef Cattle

The U.S. Drought Monitor maps shown below compare drought conditions from May 23 and May 30, 2023 (the two latest maps available at the time of writing this article).  Notice how the map changed (more areas of yellow) in Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania in just one week.

U.S. Drought Monitor, May 30 (left) and May 23, 2023 (right)

The Ohio map (shown below) is from May 30, 2023. The majority of Ohio is shaded in Continue reading Pasture Management Strategies During Dry Conditions →

Don’t rock the boat while breeding heifers

– Steve Boyles, OSU Extension Beef Specialist

The topics of Reproduction and Nutrition are only two of the topics that participants will explore during the Ohio Stockmanship & Stewardship program on September 29 and 30 in Caldwell. The summary below of the research project Nutritional Management Post-AI to Enhance Pregnancy Outcomes from 2013 Range Beef Cow Symposium by S.L. Lake, R. Arias, P. Gunn, and G.A. Bridges  further examines why reproduction and proper nutrition are closely related.

Nutrition during the 21 days post breeding

Maternal recognition of pregnancy takes place around days 15-17 post-insemination and that transporting animals near this time compromises conception.  However, moving heifers within the first 5 days post-insemination does not cause this reduction. Although, research suggests that conception rates are compromised when heifers are placed on early growth pasture forages. Researchers hypothesized that feeding this high moisture pasture forage at turnout is limiting dry matter intake which in turn causes a temporary energy deficiency that results in temporary heifer weight loss during the critical stages of early embryonic development and maternal recognition of pregnancy. Therefore, it is beneficial to Continue reading Don’t rock the boat while breeding heifers →

West Central Ohio Hay Day 2023

Register by July 1 and lunch is on us!

Please join Ohio State University Extension and Channel Equipment on July 6th for the West Central Ohio Hay Day, sponsored by the Champaign and Clark County Farm Bureau’s, and Americas Trusted Insurance Group. The event will take place on the Southeast corner of South St. Rt. 68 and W. Dallas Rd. Or, go to Channel Equipment at 338 W Dallas Rd, Urbana, OH 43078 and follow the signs.

The day will begin at 10 a.m. with talks from Extension personnel on various aspects of growing, making, storing, and feeding quality hay. Insurance representatives will also be speaking on some new Continue reading West Central Ohio Hay Day 2023 →

No Fertilizer? No Problem! – Establishing Native Warm Season Grasses for Haying and Grazing

– Jason Jones, Ohio Grasslands & Grazing Coordinator, Pheasants Forever, Inc. and Quail Forever

A 4-month-old stand of big bluestem and indiangrass.

Native warm season grass forages are growing in popularity across the Midwest and South in recent years. Native warm season grasses (NWSG) include species like switchgrass, indiangrass, big bluestem, eastern gamagrass, and little bluestem. They are well adapted to our climate and yield an enormous amount of forage throughout the summer months (June-August). The timing is convenient to many grazing operations in Ohio, because it compliments existing cool season grass forages. Cool season grasses are active in the spring and fall but experience a deficit in the summer (referred to as the summer slump). Converting a percentage of pasture ground to NWSG is an economic win, because native grasses are at their optimum growth June through September. NWSG can offset the summer slump and allow cool season forages, like fescue, to be stockpiled for more grazing days.

In addition to the rapid forage production and high yields, one of the greatest advantages of native grasses is the lack of Continue reading No Fertilizer? No Problem! – Establishing Native Warm Season Grasses for Haying and Grazing →

Early Forage Production Indicators

– James Mitchell, Livestock Marketing Specialist, University of Arkansas

Last week, Kenny, Josh, and I attended a conference focusing on extension economics in the Southeast. One of the topics discussed formally and in casual conversation was drought in our home states – our efforts during last year’s drought and any concerns we had heard about this year. As I sat down this morning to catch up on emails, my inbox confirmed that there are indeed concerns about dryness in Arkansas.

The most recent U.S. Drought Monitor shows North Arkansas and Kentucky as “abnormally dry.” There are parts of Tennessee that are also abnormally dry. Even more concerning is the situation in states like Missouri, one of the country’s biggest hay producers. We got some rain over the weekend in Arkansas, but I’m not sure it was enough to Continue reading Early Forage Production Indicators →

Which sale barn is best?

– Dr. Andrew Griffith, Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Tennessee

When it comes to sale barns, are we comparing ‘apples to apples?’

A question was recently asked concerning where a person should market their calves. There are many people who think marketing calves at one sale barn is better than marketing at another sale barn. There is no way to convince those people otherwise, and there is nothing wrong with agreeing to disagree. However, if those same people have one bad experience at the sale barn they think is the best then they decide that particular livestock auction is terrible.

The simple truth of the matter is that 99 percent of the time the cattle will bring exactly what they are worth regardless of Continue reading Which sale barn is best? →

Some Impacts of Making Good Quality Hay

– Chris Penrose, Extension Educator, Morgan County

My friend and co-worker Christine Gelley had a timely article last week in the Beef Team Newsletter (https://u.osu.edu/beef/2023/05/31/good-hay-weather/) and I want to expand a little more on some of the impacts of getting hay made in a timely fashion. Even though I had some common grasses heading out in early May, the quality is much better than most years and will be more digestible. Last year when we got up a field in early May, we noticed how fast the animals ate that hay last winter. That may need to be a consideration when estimating how much hay we will need for the winter if your hay quality is better than most years. This is a good thing though. Our animals will have better nutrition and should make it through the winter in better condition, reducing birthing issues after the first of the year.

Another issue we need to be aware of is the potential of reduced first cutting yields. How we can off-set this is the potential for an extra cutting or even stockpiling fields after second or third cutting to graze later in the fall or winter.

One other real advantage I noticed from the early cut hay last year was when we fed the round bales of hay, there were no weeds yet in the hay. I also noticed the same this year. The hemp dogbane and ironweed were not there or were just starting to grow.

In the photo above taken on Continue reading Some Impacts of Making Good Quality Hay →

Mow pastures or not?

– Chris Penrose, Extension Educator, Morgan County

It’s likely best to not mow until precipitation returns.

A tough question developing on many farms right now is if we should start mowing pastures. Clipped pastures reduce eye irritation on the cows, makes for a less favorable environment for ticks, and stimulates new leaf growth. However, the pastures in my area are still green and if we mow them now without adequate moisture, I fear they will turn brown and go dormant sooner. Hay fields I have seen that were mowed last week are yet to initiate new growth and that could be the same case if we mowed pastures right now.

If we wait to mow, more vegetation on the surface will keep the soil cooler and hold moisture better and even have some mature forages that could still be grazed if needed. I am not sure what the right answer is for you but if the pastures have been heavily grazed and Continue reading Mow pastures or not? →

Southeastern Ohio Hay Day returns on July 14

– Christine Gelley, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, Noble County OSU Extension

Southeastern Ohio Hay Day is July 14, SAVE THE DATE!

Looking forward, if the big tasks on your to-do list include shopping for new farm equipment, buying fertilizer, taking hay samples, planning a new pasture seeding, designing a weed management program, figuring out the best way to make haylage, and/or setting aside pastures to stockpile grass for this fall, mark your calendars to take a day off from your farm tasks and come to the Eastern Agricultural Research Station in Caldwell, Ohio on Friday, July 14. OSU Extension and a team of sponsors will be offering a day full of inspiration and socialization for anyone in the pasture management and haymaking businesses with the return of Southeastern Ohio Hay Day.

Registration will open and the tradeshow will begin at 9:00 a.m. at 16870 Bond Ridge Road, Caldwell, OH 43724. Southeastern Ohio Hay Day will highlight the latest in hay making equipment with displays and hay making demonstrations from Continue reading Southeastern Ohio Hay Day returns on July 14 →

What’s in these fields of yellow?

– Erika Lyon, OSU Extension Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Jefferson and Harrison Counties (originally published in Farm and Dairy)

A reason cressleaf groundsel has spread so profusely is the tiny seed blows like dandelion seed.

As you are out in the field (or if you’ve driven by some neighboring fields) this spring, you may have noticed vast areas with yellow blooms. What are these plants and do they make good forages?

The answer is “It depends.” There are several plant species with yellow blooms around this time of year, so you need to take a closer look to know what you are dealing with.

Wintercress (yellow rocket)

A common invader of many fields is yellow rocket (Barbarea vulgaris), also known as wintercress. This plant, like many other invasive plants, was introduced to the US as an ornamental that has since spread.

It is a biennial plant, with a basal rosette stage growing close to the ground in the first year followed by flower and seed production in the second year. The flowers you see now indicate the plant is within its second growing season. Stems are erect with ridges, growing up to two feet tall, and the showy yellow flowers are grouped in a column-like inflorescence. Livestock that feed extensively on yellow rocket may develop gastrointestinal upset.

Cressleaf groundsel

Another plant in bloom this spring that Continue reading What’s in these fields of yellow? →