Ohio Forage and Grasslands Council Summer Forage Field Days

August 28th Licking and Knox Counties (11 am- 3pm)

Beginning at 6817 Cat Run Rd., Granville, OH 43023

$10 registration fee per location.* $5 discount if the person registering is an OFGC Member or a resident of the host county.

Please contact Gary Wilson- 419-348-3500 with any questions.

Scan the QR Code or visit https://go.osu.edu/foragefielddays2021 to register. 

Our August 28th tour will begin at Lightning Ridge Farm in Granville where Bill O’Neill raises Longhorn cattle utilizing intensive grazing. With twelve divided lots and the capability to increase divisions into 24 paddocks, cattle are moved daily and have access to portable piped water. We will also discuss the value of hay quality preservation while touring a new hoop barn constructed for hay storage. The second stop in the tour will move six miles north to a field managed by Ned Campbell who has provided space to plant twelve varieties of forages following wheat harvest. Attendees will be able to observe and discuss the value of these forages for grazing or harvesting. For the final stop, we will move further north into Knox county to learn about the use of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) approved warm-season grass production. Contact OSU Extension in Licking County- 740-670-5315 or Knox County- 740-397-0401 with questions. 

OSU Extension News Highlights

Alfalfa Weevil Infestations Becoming Severe in Some Fields | Agronomic Crops Network 

Are Periodical Cicadas a Threat to Field Crops? | Agronomic Crops Network 

Wheat Between Feekes 8 and 10 and Disease Concerns | Agronomic Crops Network 

Maximizing Feeder Calf Value | Ohio BEEF Cattle Letter 

When making baleage, what plastic do I use? | Ohio BEEF Cattle Letter 

Over Winter Residual Forage Height Impacts Spring Growth and Yield! | Ohio BEEF Cattle Letter 

Sheep Mineral Nutrition | OSU Sheep Team 

Feeding Small Ruminants: Developing a Grazing System for Sheep and Goats | OSU Sheep Team 

Crossbreeding for Profit | OSU Sheep Team 

Carbon as a commodity for agriculture? | Farm Office 

Crabapples are for the Birds! | BYGL 

Periodical Update: Cicada Observations and Educational Opportunities | BYGL

Extension News Highlights January 11

Winter Into Spring Outlook | Agronomic Crops Network

Agricultural Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage for the 2021 Crop Year | Agronomic Crops Network

Let the 2020 eFields Report Help You Reach Your Farm’s New Year’s Resolutions | Agronomic Crops Network

Register Now for Upcoming Virtual Agronomy Team Programs | Agronomic Crops Network

Water Quality Wednesday | Agronomic Crops Network

Farm Office Live Winter Edition | Agronomic Crops Network

Organic Production Winter Webinar Series | Agronomic Crops Network

Upcoming Beef and Forage Programming Moves On-line This Winter | Ohio BEEF Cattle Letter

Preventing Calf Disease Starts with the Pregnant Cow | Ohio BEEF Cattle Letter

Weekly Livestock Comments for December 31, 2020 | Ohio BEEF Cattle Letter

Management Considerations for Warm-Season Perennials | Ohio BEEF Cattle Letter

Colostrum and Passive Immunity are Critical to the Health of a New Born Calf | Ohio BEEF Cattle Letter

Colostrum and Health of Newborn Lambs | OSU Sheep Team

Baleage Mistakes can Lead to Major Health Consequences | OSU Sheep Team

Ohio General Assembly agrees on water quality bill | Farm Office

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 – Highlights of Tax Issues Impacting Farm Businesses | Farm Office

 

 

Ohio Farm Custom Rates 2020

Farming is a complex business and many Ohio farmers utilize outside assistance for specific farm-related work. This option is appealing for tasks requiring specialized equipment or technical expertise. Often, having someone else with specialized tools perform a task is more cost effective and saves time. Farm work completed by others is called “custom farm work” or more simply, “custom work.” A “custom rate” is the amount agreed upon by both parties to be paid by the custom work customer to the custom work provider.

This publication reports custom rates based on a statewide survey of 377 farmers, custom operators, farm managers, and landowners conducted in 2020. These rates, except where noted, include the implement and tractor if required, all variable machinery costs such as fuel, oil, lube, twine, etc., and the labor for the operation.

(Source: Custom Rates and Machinery Costs, https://farmoffice.osu.edu/farm-mgt-tools/custom-rates-and-machinery-costs, accessed on Oct. 5, 2020)

Link to ‘Ohio Farm Custom Rates 2020’

Link to OSU Custom Rates and Machinery Costs Website

A conversation with OSU Extension Beef Field Specialist Garth Ruff

I recently had the opportunity to chat with Garth Ruff about his new role with Ohio State University as an Extension Beef Specialist and current trends in the Beef Industry. During that conversation we covered trends in Ohio, the role of the OSU Extension Beef Specialist, opportunities for outreach, the status of Beef Quality Assurance, and key opportunities for producers to stay ahead of the curve.

That conversation was originally posted on the OSU BEEF Cattle Letter, or you can listen to our conversation here:

 

Late Season Forage Harvest Management

Are you making a decision about cutting alfalfa in September?  Consider reviewing these pointers from Marc Sulc, OSU Extension Forage Specialist:

Complete Article: Late Season Forage Harvest Management

 

Fall cutting risk can be reduced but not eliminated.  Nature bats last and alfalfa stand health and survival will suffer more from fall cutting when when have early freezes, open and very cold winters, early springs with ice, and/or extreme rainfall and temperature variations. If at all possible, we urge producers to observe the fall rest period for forage legumes. And if you do harvest during the fall rest period, leave some strips of uncut forage to compare to. You might learn something useful!

From: https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2020-28/late-season-forage-harvest-management

Fall Weed Control

The best time of year to manage biennial and perennial weeds is in the fall.  Hemp dogbane, ailanthus, poison hemlock are just the tip of the iceberg on the list of weeds effectively controlled now.  If you need a refresher, or need to dive in to start learning, here are some resources to get you started in the right direction:

Plants of Concern to Livestock in Summer | Ohio BEEF Cattle Letter  

Biennial and Perennial Weed Control is Best in the Fall | Ohio BEEF Cattle Letter 

Get After the Weeds Yet This Fall | Ohio BEEF Cattle Letter 

Pasture and Forage Weed Control; Mow or Spray? | Ohio BEEF Cattle Letter 

Scout now for cressleaf groundsel in hayfields, or pay the price in May | Agronomic Crops Network

2020 Ohio Weed Control Guide (PDF)

2020 Ohio Weed Control Guide (Bound Book)