Carlisle County ANR Newsletter September, 2017

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1 Carlisle County ANR Newsletter September, 2017 Cooperative Extension Service Carlisle County 65 John Roberts Road Bardwell, KY (270) Fax: (270) extension.ca.uky.edu Dates to Remember: Hemp Field Day- September 19- Murray State-flyer attached Clean Up Days-September 23-Arlington and Milburn Master Cattlemen Course-October 2-Dec. 11-Marshall County Extension Office Women in Ag-November 16-Columbus Belmont State Park-(flyer attached)

2 Master Cattlemen Course offered this fall. In conjunction with the other Extension offices in the purchase area, the Carlisle County Extension Service will be hosting the Master Cattlemen program this fall. Anyone who would like to expand his or her knowledge of beef cattle production, increase herd efficiency, or just touch up on the basics is encouraged to attend. The Master Cattlemen program is a multi-session program that covers all aspects of beef production. The program consists of 10 different sessions covering the following topics: Reproduction, Health, Genetics, Marketing, Facilities and Animal Behavior, Management skills, Environmental Stewardship and Industry Issues, Nutrition, End Product, and Forages. Each session is presented by the respective area specialist. To complete the program, participants must attend 8 of the 10 sessions and also obtain a current Beef Quality Assurance certification. Producers that successfully complete the program receive a ready reference of materials covered during the sessions, a personalized farm gate sign, and can network with specialists, facilitators and other beef producers. The Master Cattlemen Program will be offered at the Marshall County Cooperative Extension Service Office on Monday nights, starting Oct. 2 nd thru Dec. 11 th. There will be participants from all of the purchase area counties and the cost is approximately $50 per person to cover meal expenses. Call the Carlisle County Extension Office at for more information or to sign up.

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5 Fall fertilizer applications to hay fields and pastures Source: Edwin Ritchey, Extension Soils Specialist You may be wondering if it s necessary and economical to apply fertilizer to your pastures and hay grounds this fall. The answer depends on your specific situation. When considering the options for your operation, the first thing you need to do is examine your soil test. If you have not taken soil samples within the past three years, you need to collect new ones before making a decision. From the soil test results, determine what, if anything, is limiting. In terms of soil ph, the minimum value depends on the type of forage you re producing. If its alfalfa and the ph is below 6.0, you should apply lime. A grass-legume mixture usually can tolerate soil ph down to about 5.8 and a pure grass system probably can go down to ph 5.5 before yields are affected. Similar statements can be made for phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) nutrition, with alfalfa requiring the most and pure grass, specifically fescue, requiring the least. The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment recommends P applications starting when the soil test P level drops below 60 pounds per acre and K when soil test K drops below 300 pounds per acre for grasses and legumes. If you are growing alfalfa, we recommend applications for K levels below 450 pounds per acre. If soil test levels are above these numbers, the likelihood of a yield response to additional P and/or K fertilizer is extremely low. But if you want to be sure that P and K are not limiting, apply fertilizers as recommended. If you are conservative and assume some risk that P and K might reduce yield, you might allow soil test levels to decline further. From small plot research, we know that once soil test P drops below 30 pounds per acre and/or soil test K drops below 200 pounds per acre, a yield response to added fertilizer is likely, therefore; these would be the minimum tolerable levels.

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7 Timely Tips Dr. Roy Burris, Beef Extension Professor, University of Kentucky Spring- Calving Cows Limited creep feeding can prepare calves for the weaning process since they can become accustomed to eating dry feed. This will especially benefit those calves which you are going to keep for a short post weaning period like the CPH-45 program. It s time to start planning the marketing of this year s calf crop. Begin evaluating heifer calves for herd replacements or culling. Each time you put them through the chute you can evaluate them for several traits, especially disposition. Stresses associated with weaning can be minimized by spreading-out other activities commonly associated with weaning When planning the preweaning working, consult with your veterinarian for advice on animal health products and procedures. Some procedures which can be done now are pregnancy checking cows (which will allow time to make culling decisions prior to weaning time). The remainder of the work, like booster shots, can be done at weaning time. Fall-Calving Cows Fall-calving should start this month. Get your ear tags ready. Cows should be moved to a clean, accessible pasture and be watched closely. Tag calves soon after they are born and record dam ID and calf birthdate, etc. Castration is less stressful when performed on young animals and calves which are intended for feeders can be implanted now, too. Watch for those calves which may come early and be prepared to care for them. Be on guard for predators especially black vultures. Move cows to best quality fall pasture after calving. Stockpiled fescue should be available to these cows in November-December to meet their nutritional needs for milking and rebreeding. Stockers Calves to be backgrounded through the winter can be purchased soon. A good source is Kentucky preconditioned (CPH-45) calves which are immunized and have been preweaned and boostered. Plan your receiving program. Weanling calves undergo a great deal of stress associated with weaning, hauling, marketing, and wide fluctuations in environmental temperature at this time of year. Plan a program which avoids stale cattle, get calves consuming water and high quality feed rapidly. Guard against respiratory diseases and other health problems. General Plan the winter feeding program. Take forage samples of hay which you will feed this winter. Request protein and TDN analysis so that supplemental feed needs may be estimated. If you have adequate moisture, stockpiling fescue might be a viable option. Nitrogen application to fescue pastures can be made now and allow them to grow and accumulate until November, or when other sources of grazing have been used up. To make best use of this pasture, put fall calves, thin spring-calves or stockers on this pasture and strip graze. Don t graze sorghum or Sudan pastures between the first frost and a definite killing frost because of the danger of prussic acid poisoning. Johnsongrass in stalk fields can also be a problem after a light frost. Grazing can resume after the sorghum-type grasses have undergone a killing frost and dried up. Information released by Chuck Flowers Carlisle County Extension Agent Agriculture & Natural Resources

8 NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID Bardwell, KY PERMIT 518 Carlisle County P O Box 518 Bardwell, KY, RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED