Month: July 2025

Strategies for Wet Spring Forage Harvests

Dr. Ted Wiseman, OSU Extension ANR Educator, Perry County

Mowing should begin mid-morning after the dew has evaporated.

Harvesting first-cutting forages during a wet spring is always a challenge, but timing remains critical for maintaining forage quality. Studies have shown that the ideal harvest window is narrow grasses should be cut at the boot stage, while legumes are best harvested at late bud to early bloom. In mixed stands, the timing should be based on the grass component, as grasses like orchardgrass mature more quickly than legumes. Missing this window by even 10 days can result in significant losses in both total digestible nutrients (TDN) and crude protein (CP). For example, an alfalfa-grass mix harvested at the right stage can contain 65% TDN and 18% protein, while the same stand cut at half bloom or later may drop to just 48–50% TDN and 12% protein or less.

To make the most of limited drying windows, mowing should Continue reading Strategies for Wet Spring Forage Harvests →

Sustainable Parasite Control for Sheep and Goats

Dr. Leyla Rios de Alvarez, Assistant Professor, Mississippi State University Extension
(Previously published online with Mississippi State University Extension: POD-02-25)

(Image Source: University of Calgary)

One of the main drawbacks in small ruminant production systems worldwide is gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN), or worms. The lack of options for controlling worms is mainly a result of increasing resistance these parasites have developed in the last decades. This has caused economic losses to farmers with grazing production systems.

Since 2001, GIN infection was the most prevalent disease, reported by 74 percent of the U.S. farmers surveyed in a National Animal Health Monitoring System study. According to the 2021 Census of Agriculture, U.S. producers have 5,170,000 sheep and 2,582,000 goats. In the last decades, these numbers have decreased annually. Studies are needed to determine if parasite resistance to commercial de-wormers is a factor in this decrease.

Gastrointestinal Worm Life Cycle

Most GINs that affect sheep and goats have a direct life cycle, meaning they Continue reading…

Help! I have Hemp Dogbane

Christine Gelley, OSU Extension Educator ANR, Noble County

Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve had several inquiries about hemp dogbane concerns and requests for help with keeping it under control in agricultural systems.

Both hemp dogbane and milkweed are easy to find this time of year and are often growing in the same habitat, which can be anywhere from roadsides, creek edges, open fields, forest edges, and flower beds. These two plants are related but have some distinct differences that can help landowners identify them and implement control measures when needed.

Similarities between the two plants include that they have creeping roots; leaves that appear on opposite sides of the stem; and they produce a milky sap. Differences include that young milkweed leaves have fine hairs and hemp dogbane are nearly hairless; milkweed stems are Continue reading Help! I have Hemp Dogbane →

Live Animal Evaluation – All About Goats!

With fair season beginning to ramp up here in the Buckeye State, livestock evaluation will be the talk of the small towns. Ensuring that your goats are ready for the show ring will help secure fair success! If you are one that often finds yourself in the barn evaluating your own stock or are curious as to what a judge is looking for, be sure to check out this weeks video on livestock evaluation for goats. This video covers evaluation tips and tricks as well as terminology and areas of interests that a judge will be looking for.

Fly Control in Livestock for Summer

Dr. Ted Wiseman, OSU Extension ANR Educator, Perry County

(Image Source: Intermountain Farmers Association (IFA))

As summer temperatures rise, so does the pressure from biting and nuisance flies on livestock operations. According to university research, fly infestations cost U.S. producers an estimated $700 million to $1 billion annually in lost performance. With today’s strong livestock markets, minimizing these losses through effective fly control is more important than ever.

Understanding the Impact of Flies on Livestock
Flies reduce productivity by interfering with feeding, causing stress, and transmitting disease. The primary culprits include: Continue reading Fly Control in Livestock for Summer →