Extension Notes: Stockpile pastures for cheap winter feed
Hopefully the rain that’s in our forecast as I’m writing this will come on and give us some relief. Many folks reported getting one-half to one inch over the weekend. I’m certain that this past weekend’s rain was welcomed by all farmers across the county. If we get some off the hurricane, it will be icing on the cake — hopefully.
The moisture will allow farmers who plan to stockpile fescue to move forward. Stockpiling is simply accumulating forage growth for grazing later.
Now, stockpiling fescue isn’t a new practice. Saving fall grown fescue for winter feed is a smart deal for several reasons. Number one is the fact that fescue doesn’t produce a seed head in the fall. All the plants energy goes to vegetative growth and that means more leaves and more feed value. Fescue can produce up to a ton per acre of feed in the fall given adequate moisture and fertility. Another good reason to stockpile fescue is that the cattle can harvest the forage themselves as we don’t have to worry about frost killing the plants. In fact, a frost actually improves the quality of fescue for cattle feed.
Stockpiling is a simple practice. Clip your pastures, add 30-45 pounds of nitrogen per acre and then sit back and watch your fields grow. The pastures are best grazed starting in December, depending on the weather or when you need the pasture. Limit grazing will allow you to get even more cow days from the field. Give me a call for more information on grazing stockpiled fescue pastures.
PESTICIDE CLASSES TUESDAY
Do you need a private applicators restricted use pesticide card? Only in you use restricted use pesticides such as Attrazine, in your corn or Dursban in your nursery, or if you have farm employees and use any pesticide labeled for farm use.
If you have farm employees and use pesticides they must be trained under the Worker Protection Standards. To be certified as a trainer of farm worker under the Worker Protection Standards you must have a private applicators restricted use pesticide card and take and pass a trainer’s examination. So the answer is basically everyone who farms needs a restricted use pesticide card.
Don’t worry, they’re easy to get. Next Tuesday, Sept. 6, there are two opportunities. For those who need a new card because the one in their pocket has already expired or because they’ve never had a card the times for the training classes are 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Tuesday September 6.
If the card in your pocket says that it expires in October, then you just need to be re-certified. Those meetings are at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Tuesday, September 6.
These meetings are going to be held at the Extension office. Give me a call if you have questions. Yes, I’ll have other meetings but the key is to not let your current certification expire. Get re-certified — less time, less money, less aggravation.
FEEDER SALE REPORT
Last Wednesday’s feeder calf sale had over 1800 head come through the sale ring. It had been a week since the pre-conditioned sale on Aug. 17, and feeder calves were up compared to sales the previous week. Prices are listed below for #1 and #2 Clarolais, blacks and black white face calves.
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Med & Lg 1
Steers: Heifers:
350-400 lbs 132.50-138.50 121.50-123.00
400-450 lbs 127.00-136.00 117.50-119.50
450-500 lbs 131.00-136.00 110.00-113.50
500-550 lbs 124.75-126.75 109.50-115.50
550-600 lbs 119.25-121.75 106.50-106.75
600-700 lbs 114.25-116.75 103.75-104.00
700-800 lbs 108.50-109.75 98.00-99.50
Med & Lg 2
Steers: Heifers:
350-400 lbs 131.00-136.00 119.00-122.50
400-450 lbs 122.00-128.25 110.00-115.25
450-500 lbs 120.50-122.50 105.50-109.25
500-600 lbs 118.00-119.50 105.00-106.10
600-700 lbs 112.25-115.50 99.50-100.75
700-800 lbs 105.00-105.75 95.00-97.50
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The next sale at the local barn is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 14. Also this next Monday, Labor Day is the date for Eric Walker’s Polled Hereford sale out at Morrison. Eric has several head of good young cows and heifers for sale along with some bulls that will help you produce high grading, high performing feeder calves.
TREAT BEEHIVES FOR VARROA MITES
Infestation from Varroa mites wiped out many of our wild honeybees and put a lot of bee keepers out of business. Now is the time to apply treatments to all your hives, according to Dr. John Skinner, UT Extension Bee Specialist.
Treating hives now will give the bee colony to time to build up for winter. After treatment the queen needs time to lay many eggs that will produce undamaged bees that have a much better chance of surviving the winter.
Treatments for varroa mites include using resistant stock, open bottom boards on hives and chemical treatments such as Apistan strips. If you have bees your should use Apistan strips. These strips are impregnated with a chemical call fluvalinate and are hung between the frames inside the bee hive for 45-54 days. There is more information on the Internet about bee hive management, treating bee hives for disease and information on where to find mite resistant bee stock. The web address is http://eppserver.ag.utk.edu/Bees/test/Intro.html
If you have questions about varroa mites and detection and treatment ideas give me a call here at the Extension office (473-8484).