Author: Clifton Martin

Beef Cattle A.I. Workshop

| Clifton Martin

OSU Extension Muskingum County will host an introduction to artificial insemination of beef cattle on July 30 and August 1, 2024 from 6:00 to 8:30 pm at the Extension Office in Zanesville.  This two-night workshop is a classroom event starting on night one and concluding with hands-on-practice on night two.  Topics that will be covered during this workshop include: Advanced Reproductive Tract Anatomy and Physiology, Estrous Synchronization, Pasture Considerations, Expected Progeny Differences (EPD’s), and, Tools, Equipment, & Techniques.  Our program cost is $20 per person and RSVP’s are due July 25.  Our classroom location is the meeting room at the Rural Services Building, 225 Underwood St, Zanesville, OH.

Please RSVP and register using our online webform and payment portal found at go.osu.edu/muskingumbeef.

Direct questions to Clifton Martin, Extension Educator, Muskingum County, 740-454-0144, martin.2422@osu.edu or to Dean Kreager, Extension Educator, Licking County, 740-670-5315, kreager.5@osu.edu

Link to Program Flyer

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza

| Clifton Martin

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) is making its share of headlines in agricultural news. Recent attention focuses on beef and dairy supply chains. Fortunately, fundamental practices like pasteurization and proper cooking temperature eliminate the pathogenic risk to milk and meat and we benefit from a strong and healthy supply chain. However, there is plenty of concern to monitor HPAI and prevent adverse impacts to the industry.  For further reading and updates, here is a list of recent news and links:

Recent News Headlines

| Clifton Martin

Start your scouting and preparation for tick and fly season now | Ohio BEEF Cattle Letter 

Hay barn fires a real hazard when the rain keeps coming | Ohio BEEF Cattle Letter 

Cattle on Feed Inventory Below 2023 for the First Time This Year | Ohio BEEF Cattle Letter 

Preg Checking has never been more affordable! | Ohio BEEF Cattle Letter 

Integrated Parasite Management Strategies For Sheep Producers | OSU Sheep Team 

Goat or Sheep Hoof Trimming for Beginners | OSU Sheep Team 

Ohio Farmland Trends and Preservation | Ohio Ag Manager 

Statewide Slug Monitoring Project – Update #2 | Agronomic Crops Network 

Lep Monitoring Network – Black Cutworm and True Armyworm Update # 6 | Agronomic Crops Network 

Upcoming Webinar: Weather Trends and Pest and Disease Impacts on Soybeans | Agronomic Crops Network 

It’s high season for Ohio’s noxious weeds laws | Farm Office 

Another Lake Erie lawsuit: how does it affect Ohio agriculture? | Farm Office 

Two Program Reminders: Grain Marketing on March 14 and Beef Quality Assurance on March 19

| Clifton Martin

 

OSU Extension Muskingum County will be hosting Dr. Seungki Lee, Assistant Professor and Agricultural Economist.  His areas of expertise include agricultural economics, environmental and resource economics, and industrial organization.  Dr. Lee will address grain marketing and economics of on farm storage with considerations for risk and returns for agronomic crops.

Three Rivers Energy LLC, Coshocton, OH and additional industry representatives will be present.

Please RSVP by email at martin.2422@osu.edu or 740-454-0144

There is no cost for this event, and dinner will be provided.

Are you selling beef animals to be harvested for meat and need to update your Beef Quality Assurance Certification?

The goal of the Ohio Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program is to increase the competitive base for marketing Ohio cattle. Beef Quality Assurance is a program to ensure that beef and dairy cattle are maintained in a manner which will result in a safe and wholesome beef product for the consumer.  The Ohio BQA program is set to meet or exceed the NCBA BQA Guidelines.

Thursday, March 19, 2024

Program starts at 7:00 PM

Location: Muskingum Livestock Auction

No cost, no RSVP needed.

Beef Quality Assurance | OSU Extension BEEF TEAM

Grain Marketing and Storage for Crop Production March 14

| Clifton Martin

OSU Extension Muskingum County will be hosting Dr. Seungki Lee, Assistant Professor and Agricultural Economist.  His areas of expertise include agricultural economics, environmental and resource economics, and industrial organization.  Dr. Lee will address grain marketing and economics of on farm storage with considerations for risk and returns for agronomic crops.

Three Rivers Energy LLC, Coshocton, OH and additional industry representatives will be present.

Please RSVP by email at martin.2422@osu.edu or 740-454-0144

There is no cost for this event, and dinner will be provided.

The Status of Spring in Three Charts

| Clifton Martin

Three quick charts to help quantify the status of spring near Zanesville, OH:

Here I show growing degree days as measured by the Ohio State University Extension Growing Degrees Calculator.  Growing Degree Days are a measure of activity of plants and insects during a growing season.  Typically growing degree days are limited in February and March.  Growing degree day calculators only count temperatures above a base threshold (usually 50F) and often below a maximum threshold (often 86F).  In brief, the growing degrees accumulated so far in 2024 are above average, but we can see that last year was even higher.

The National Phenology Network measures the development of indicator plants (lilac clones) across the United States.  Current reports show these plants are leafing out up 10-20 days early in regions south of Ohio and just creeping into the southern Ohio region.

Soil temperatures at the Eastern Ohio Agricultural Research Station remain below 50F. It is typically to see soil temperatures fluctuate higher and lower through March and often well into April, depending on overall warming and cooling trends.  While air temperature can be quite warm, soil temperature determines crop and plant progress like seed germination and early crop development.  We often want steady temperatures above 50F, and or even 60F, for optimal conditions.

Corn, Soybean, Soil Health, Grain Storage Economics meeting in Licking County March 6

| Clifton Martin

What crop has the smallest yield penalty for delayed planting? Can you adjust your management practices to mitigate losses due to late planting? How are diseases affected by planting date?

Have you been following the “Battle for the Belt” through this last crop season? We are bringing this discussion to Licking County on March 6th.  The morning sessions are a statewide program offered in 3 locations and we have added lunch and afternoon sessions that address concerns in our part of the state.

This will take place at OSU Newark / COTC.

Cost is $10 and includes a meal.

Call the office 740-670-5315 to register.

Speakers include:

Laura Lindsey  – OSU Professor Soybean and Small Grain Production

Osler Ortez – OSU Assistant Professor – Corn & Emerging Crops

Horacio Lopez-Nicora – OSU Assistant Professor Soybean Pathology and Nematology

Eric Richer – Assistant Professor Field Specialist, Farm Management, OSU Extension “Good Questions to Ask when Investing in On-Farm Storage”

Jim Ippolito – The Rattan Lal Endowed Professor of Soil Health and Soil Fertility, Ohio State  speaking on “Soil Health Perspectives from the New Guy”

PROGRAM FLYER

PROGRAM REGISTRATION

Ohio Beef Cow/Calf Workshop – Optimizing Herd Reproduction and Genetics

| Clifton Martin

Reproduction and genetics are important factors for a cow-calf operation. The long-term investment of
genetics plays a critical role in the development and management to ensure longevity within a herd.
Join OSU Extension in Licking County to discuss and demonstrate the practices that you might
apply on your farm to improve your operation with regards to optimizing reproduction and genetics.

Friday, March 8, 2024, 9:00 am – 2:30 pm, Claylick Run Farm 11970 Cross Rd., Newark, OH, 43056

Cost: $10 per person.

RSVP to OSU Extension Licking County at 740-670-5315 by March 4, 2024.