Month: July 2024

Ohio Farm Custom Rates: 2024

Barry Ward, Director, OSU Extension Income Tax School Program; Leader, Production Business Management
Eric Richer, Associate Professor and Field Specialist, Farm Management
John Barker, OSU Extension Educator ANR, Knox County
Amanda Bennett, OSU Extension Educator ANR, Miami County

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 tasks is more cost effective and saves time. Farm work completed by others is often referred to as “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.

Custom rates increased for the majority of field operations in 2024 as compared to surveyed rates in 2022 but the increases did vary by operation. Examples include an increase of 6% for Planting Corn (30 Inch Rows with Fertilizer Application), 5.6% for Harvesting Corn (Combine, Grain Cart, Haul Local to Farm), 21% for Spraying (Self-Propelled Sprayer, Crop Protection Chemicals) and 24% for Field Cultivator.

New field operations in this year’s survey and summary include Continue reading Ohio Farm Custom Rates: 2024 →

Clipping Pastures: An Age-Old Debate

Mike Rankin, Hay and Forage Grower Senior Editor
(Previously published in Hay & Forage Grower: July 23, 2024)

(Image Source: Hay & Forage Grower)

Farmers are known to have strong opinions and often readily express them. From a pasture management perspective, few topics illicit stronger feelings than when the clipping topic is put on the table.

I recently returned from a grazing dairy where I didn’t even have to broach the subject. As we walked down the lane to a far-off paddock, the farmer passionately went into a dissertation of why he routinely clips pastures after the first or second rotation. I’ve also been on farms where a strong stance was taken for not clipping.

The primary reason for clipping is to improve the forage quality of the pasture by eliminating the taller mature stems and seedheads. This sets pasture plants back to a vegetative state and creates a uniform stubble height. In doing so, the mature stems don’t restrict animals from accessing the vegetative growth in the lower canopy during the next rotation. A secondary reason to clip pastures — but with little economic significance — is simply that of visual appeal. Continue reading Clipping Pastures: An Age-Old Debate →

Breeding Season Considerations for Sheep and Goats

David Brown, Livestock Field Specialist, University of Missouri Extension
(Previously published online with the University of Missouri Extension: October, 2023)

As fall season approaches, daylight begins to get shorter, and sheep/goats are ready for breeding. The breeding season should be an exciting time for producers because the number of lambs and kids raised and weaned successfully determines the profitability of the operation. Understanding the reproductive system of the animals helps to maximize the breeding season and use resources wisely. This is particularly true for beginning producers who are experiencing their first breeding season. The season of the year is the main determinant for sheep and goat reproduction, with the majority being seasonal breeders that cycle in the fall (their natural mating season) and lamb in the spring. However, some breeds will cycle in the spring and have lambs/kids in the fall.

Peak fertility is from late September through November. Ewes have an average cycle length of 17 days, with most being between 14 and 20 days, while does have an estrus cycle of 18 to 22 days, and they display estrus for 24 to 48 hours. The gestation period ranges between 144 and 152 days. Management practices for producers to ensure profitability during the breeding season are highlighted below. Continue reading Breeding Season Considerations for Sheep and Goats →

How to Meet the Mineral Needs of Livestock in Mixed Pastures

Shelby Filley, Oregon State University, Regional Livestock and Forage
(Previously published on the Oregon State University Extension page: September, 2021)

(Image Source: Julianna Ranches, Oregon State University)

Minerals are critically important for the health and well-being of livestock. Reproductive performance and growth are improved when animals consume proper amounts of minerals (and vitamins). Animals have specific requirements for these minerals and differ by species and level of production.

One problem many have is that cattle, sheep and goats are frequently pastured together. Since sheep are vulnerable to copper toxicity, a general livestock mineral mix without copper is usually fed to the group. But that leaves cattle and goats without proper copper in their diets. This article provides alternatives for supplementing different livestock.

Sheep options
Purchase or construct a small-area mineral feeding station that larger animals can’t access. One option is Continue reading How to Meet the Mineral Needs of Livestock in Mixed Pastures →

How to Sample Hay

Mindy Ward, Editor, Missouri Ruralist
(Previously published online with FarmProgress, Missouri Ruralist: July 5, 2024)

(Image Source: Hay and Forage Grower)

With the recent drought Ohio and much of the United States has experienced this year to date, analyzing and understanding forage quality will be critical for operation success. Wether you are feeding a few sheep in your back yard or have 1,ooo ewes indoors, knowing what you are providing to your stock in your pastures or in the feed bunks is important. This week, Mindy Ward outlines key steps to follow when collecting a hay sample.

As hay condition comes into question, take a closer look at your harvested bales.

Hay quality is a concern this year, Continue reading How to Sample Hay →

Plan Now to Make your Summer Forage Seeding!

Stan Smith, OSU Extension PA, Fairfield County

With Ohio’s wheat harvest being completed early this year it allows ample time to plan and prepare to do an August forage seeding. Over the next month soil fertility testing should be accomplished, perennial and biennial weeds can be controlled, and ample time remains for selecting and securing the desired forage species for seeding.

During the winter of 2021 the first session of the Ohio Beef Cattle Management School focused on making quality hay for beef cattle with an emphasis on soil fertility and seed species selection when doing a new seeding. The first video embedded below is the 38 minute presentation from that first Beef School session when Noble County Extension Educator Christine Gelley discussed considerations for selecting species for a new seeding and other critical considerations when establishing a new stand of forage. Beginning at about the 14 minute mark of the presentation Gelley spends a few minutes discussing the specifics of seed species selection for new seedings.

Also, posted in the second video below, Jason Hartschuh, OSU Extension Field Specialist for Dairy Management and Precision Livestock, discusses soil fertility practices that will prolong the life, quality and productivity of hay and forage stands.

Composting On-farm Mortalities

William Halfman, Agriculture Agent, Monroe County, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Carolyn Ihde, Small Ruminant Outreach Specialist for Wisconsin and Iowa, University of Wisconsin-Madison
(Previously published online with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Livestock Division of Extension)

On-farm composting is an approved method to dispose of livestock mortalities. Advantages include increased biosecurity, timely disposal of mortalities, low risk of environmental contamination, low cost, and relatively simple to do. Composting can be used for occasional mortality, emergency livestock mass casualties, and disease outbreaks.

What is composting?
Composting is an aerobic (with oxygen) recycling process where microorganisms break down organic material in a controlled environment to produce a stable product called humus. There are many ways to compost livestock mortalities. However, there are a few basics that are universal to all systems. Well-managed composting provides aerobic (oxygen-loving) microorganisms with the proper environment to grow and rapidly break down the mortality.

Continue Reading…

What’s Wrong with Stacking Round Bales?

Amber Friedrichsen, Associate Editor, Hay and Forage Grower
(Previously published in Hay & Forage Grower: July 2, 2024)

(Image Source: Hay & Forage Grower)

Moving round bales out of a field and under cover may seem like one more item on the to-do list of a busy hay season, but rushing to complete this step may result in improper storage that can squander the forage yield and quality farmers worked so hard to achieve.

In a recent article from the Midwest Forage Association’s Clippings newsletter, Sarah Bauder with South Dakota State University encourages best storage practices to conserve dry matter and quality in round bales. The forage field specialist suggests bale storage is just as important to product value as plant maturity, harvest management, and pest control.

Dry matter and quality losses occur when water is trapped in hay and causes spoilage. This can be exacerbated by several factors, including hay binding, storage structures, bale stacking, and time.

Densely made bales are Continue reading What’s Wrong with Stacking Round Bales? →