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Cooperative Extension Service Owen County 265 Ellis Hwy Owenton, KY 40359-9300 Phone: (502) 484-5703 Fax: (502) 484-5704 owen.ca.uky.edu

Agriculture & Natural Resource Newsletter

Table of Contents:

I hope each of you are doing well.

Its hard to believe fall is right around the

corner! Don’t forget this is an excellent

time to collect soil samples and take

advantage of fertilizer prices before the

spring fluctuation. Early September is

also the best time to seed your pastures

or lawn!

As we wrap up our last cutting of hay we need to

evaluate and see if we think we will have enough to get us

through the winter. Another alterative for your last cutting

would be to stockpile your forages. Not sure what this is

please see page 3.

Didn’t get a garden out this summer? Live in a small

space and don't have room for traditional garden? That’s

ok! Join us for a fall pallet gardening series via zoom,

materials will be provided while supplies last! Please call the

office to sign-up. This will also count for the educational

classes for the Christmas project help.

CAIP update: Don’t forget you have until December

18th to turn your paperwork in. At this current time with the

COVID19 restrictions I still don’t know when I will be able to

have field days. Please see page 9 with alternatives to fulfill

this requirement.

Kendal Bowman County Agent for Agriculture & Natural Resources

Prussic Acid Poisoning…………………..pg. 2

Stockpiling for Fall & Winter Pasture..pg. 3

Fall Lawn Care Tips…………………………..pg. 4

Weed of the Month………………………….pg. 6

CAIP Education & BQA…………………..…pg. 9

Eden Shale Farm Update………………..pg. 10

Kentucky Hunting Seasons……………..pg. 11

Our office will be closed on

September 7th, 2020 in

observance of Labor Day

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Although prussic acid poisoning can occur anytime during the growing season, the greatest

risk is usually associated with the first frost in Kentucky.

The primary cause of hydrocyanic (prussic) acid poisoning in domestic animals is the

ingestion of plants containing this potent toxin. Cyanide-producing compounds (cyanogenic

glucosides) occurring in living plant cells are converted to prussic acid when cells are

crushed or otherwise ruptured.

The prussic acid potential of plants is affected by species and variety, weather, soil fertility,

and stage of plant growth. Plants of the sorghum group (this includes Johnson Grass) and

leaves of wild cherry trees have a potential for producing toxic levels of prussic acid. There

are wide differences among varieties. Some of the sundangrasses are low in prussic acid.

Pearl millet is apparently free of prussic acid in toxic amounts.

The risk from potentially dangerous forages may be

reduced by following certain management practices.

1. Graze sorghum or sorghum cross plants only

when they are at least 15 in tall.

2. Do not graze plants during and shortly after

drought periods when growth is severely

reduced.

3. Do not graze wilted plants or plants with young

tillers.

4. Do not graze for 2 weeks after a non-killing frost.

5. Do not graze after a killing frost until plant material is dry (the toxin is usually dissipated

within 48 hours) .

6. Do not graze at night when frost is likely.

7. Delay feeding silage 6 to 8 weeks following ensiling.

8. Do not allow access to wild cherry leaves whether they are wilted or not. After storms

always check for fallen limbs.

We can test for the presence of Prussic Acid if you are concerned about it in your forage.

Call the office for details at 502-484-5703, or email me at Kendal.bowman@uky.edu.

For more information on Prussic Acid Poisoning, along with other Forage-Related

Disorders, stop by the Owen County Extension Office and get a copy of ASC-57.

BEWARE OF PRUSSIC ACID POISONING AS

FROST APPROACHES

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Would you like to extend your grazing season, reduce winter hay feeding, and provide a good return on forage

acres? Maybe you should look at stockpiling tall fescue for a fall and winter grazing option in your farm’s pastures.

Now is the time to plan on growing grasses for stockpile purposes. You should pick a cool-season grass field on your

farm (more than likely tall fescue), and pull a soil sample to see the nutrient requirements for that field. Fertilize the

field for phosphorus, potassium, and lime necessary according to the soil sample results. At the same time nitrogen

should be top dressed at 40-100 pounds per acre on tall fescue ground.

Research has shown that tall fescue fields that were fertilized on

approximately August 15th produced 24 pounds of dry matter forage for every

pound of nitrogen that was applied. That is a great return! You can expect

to start grazing these fields around November 1st, and if managed correctly

can continue to graze well into December.

“Strip grazing” is the most effective way to graze stockpiled grasses. In this

system an electric fence is used to limit cattle grazing in the field to a certain area, once the forage has been utilized

in that area, the fence is moved to open up more grazing area in the field. The fence in continually moved

throughout the grazing season until the cattle have utilized the

grasses in the whole field.

If you would like more information on stockpiling grasses for fall and

winter pastures, feel free to call the Owen County Cooperative

Extension Office at 502-484-5703 or look up this extension

publication online: http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agcomm/pubs/agr/

agr162/agr162.pdf

Stockpiling for fall and winter pasture

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Do you have trophy fever yet? Whether you’re an avid hunter or a wildlife observer, food plots are a great way to attract wildlife to your property. September is the prime time to plant a food plot. When planning a site to establish a food plot I suggest choosing a location that has plenty of sunlight, on the edge of the woodlands, and near a water source. The size of your food plot should be a minimum of 1,00sq. ft. or 1/4 acre per 20 acres of woodland. Next take a soil sample, this well help determine the soil nutrient needs for the site. Apply fertilizer, if recommended and sow your seed. There are two methods to sowing seed no-till & broadcasting. No-till helps prevent erosion and many county conservation districts have drills you can rent. Broadcasting seed must be worked into the ground after disking. Some seeding equipment is available for ATV’s! Seed may be purchased from local or online retailers

If I can assist you with your food plot in anyway please let , me know. We offer free farm visits and soil test!

Common Mistakes: Exceeding seeding & fertilizer recommendations

Using old seed (check seed tags)

Planting in shady areas

Not planting a large enough area to be affective

Planting too late for maturity

What, When, & How Much Should I Plant?

Crop Planting Date Seeding Rate

Alfalfa Aug 1– Sept 15 15-20lbs/ac

Clovers Aug 1– Sept 15 8-12lbs/ac

Turnips Aug 1– Sept 15 2-5lbs/ac

Annual Rye Aug 15-Oct 1 20-30lbs/ac

Wheat Oct 10-Oct 30 100lbs/ac

Fall lawn care tips • Fall is the best time to fertilize your lawn. This makes cool season grass lawns healthier, and better prepares it to withstand the

winter stresses. Also, fall fertilization will result in earlier green-up in the fall, and wees pressure is not an issue.

• It is best to take do a soil test to know exactly what nutrients you need to apply in a fall fertilizer application.

• If the soil test calls for lime or sulfur, make sure to apply those appropriately. Only apply lime or sulfur if the soil test calls for it.

Fertilizing the lawn will help you very little if the pH is not adjusted appropriately.

• There are basically two recommended fertilization regimes that vary depending upon desired maintenance levels. For minimal

maintenance (minimal herbicide and no irrigation), apply 1 fertilizer application according to a soil test recommendation sometime

between October and November. For a prettier lawn (medium maintenance), apply two fertilizer applications (1st in September-

October; 2nd in November-December) This will most likely require herbicide to control weeds, and might require some irrigation.

• Maintain a 2-3” mowing height through the fall, and into winter. Don’t be tempted to mow too close. This will build up the

carbohydrate root reserves of your lawn grasses. In turn, better root reserves leads to less winter kill, and better lawn in the spring.

• Mulch leaves and clippings instead of bagging them. This is free nutrients that go into the soil instead of being carried off to the

landfill.

• Seed bare areas, or consider completely renovating really weak areas of the lawn in the fall. It looks like moisture will be plentiful

this year, so it should be a good seeding year.

• Use a slit seeder, or make sure to rake in seeds when seeding to initiate good seed to soil

contact

For more information, or questions related to caring for your

lawn, contact the Owen County Extension Office by calling

(502) 484-5703

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Control: G = Good or Excellent; F = Fair (suppression or partial control); P = Poor; − = No Information

Mowing: R = Timely mowing reduces top growth and seed production; S = Suppression of top growth; X = Not very effective

Milkweed

Life Cycle: Perennial

Description: Common milkweed is an erect

perennial which has a deep rhizome. The

plant tissue excretes a milky sap when it is

broken. .

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Source: KY BEEF IRM & Dr. Roy Burris

Fall calving season is beginning! Cows should be moved to a clean, accessible pas-ture for calving. Yearling heifers may begin “headstart” calving earlier this month. Start

stockpiling fescue and apply nitrogen as needed. Good record keeping is essential for a profitable herd. Identify calves with eartags

and/or tattoos while the calf is young and easy to handle. Remember to record the dam & calf ID and calves birth date. Commercial

male calves should also be castrated and im-planted according to product recommenda-tions. Castration is less stressful and can lead to higher gains when performed on

young animals.

Registered calves should be weighed during the first 24 hours. If you have any questions about

fall calving you may consult your local veterinarian or call your local Extension Office.

How can forage testing help me, what are the benefits?

Forage testing provides nutritional value information for your forages. Whether you grow or buy hay, knowing the forage nutritional value will help maximize your farms profit. Forage testing will provide you with an analysis report which can be used to assist in balancing livestock feed rations. Each species of livestock requires a different energy level at different stages of their lives. A ration balance will help maintain a healthy diet. You get 6 free samples through our office EACH year.

Forage testing helps determine fair market value and establish an equitable price for forage sales. The Forage Testing Program maintains a list of Kentucky hay producers that have their hay tested through KDA. The service is offered throughout the state and the information may be viewed on this KDA “Forage Sales Directory/Tested Hay” webpage. Are you interested in testing your forages but don’t have a hay probe?

That’s okay, the Extension Services can assist in providing a hay probe or collecting the samples.

Call 502-484-5703 for more details. Or Visit KDA Hay Search link: http://www.kyagr.com/marketing/hay/hay-search.aspx

Did you know fall is the best time to test your soil fertility? By soil sampling in the fall it allows you plenty of time to follow fertility recommendations.

Some fertilizer may take about six month to breakdown and react with the soil, so by applying it in the fall it will be fully effective in the spring. The turn around on results are a lot faster in the fall.

Often, a fall application will save you a considerable amount of money, because fertilizer prices generally are cheaper in the fall as a result of lower demand. In addition it tends to be easier for the spreader truck to enter the field because the field are drier than in the spring. If you’re interested in collecting soil samples, stop by the office. We can give you details on how to take samples & soil probes you can borrow. Your FIRST 6 Soil Samples are FREE when taken on Owen County Property!

For more information contact the Owen County Extension Service

(502) 484-5703

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REQUIRED EDUCATIONAL CLASS: Due to COVID-

19 and certain government restrictions, educational

classes and farm field days are currently on hold. However,

the Owen County Extension Office has created a video with a

quiz that will fulfill the requirement. Please use the following website

to access it.

https://owen.ca.uky.edu/content/educational-requirement-videos

If you do not have internet access or a

computer, please reach out to a family member or

friend for assistance. There are other webinars

sponsored by University of KY and other commodity

groups that can qualify. HOWEVER, you must

contact the Owen County Ag Agent, Kendal

Bowman, for approval at 502-484-5703. As

well, we are hoping that restrictions will be lifted and

educational classes can be offered later this summer.

Therefore, if you want to wait and see what happens,

please feel free to. The Owen County Extension will be

sending out newsletters with pertinent information as

things progress. No matter what option you choose –

online class, webinar, etc, you must COMPLETE the

educational form included in your packet. That

includes, the date, name of session, and the other

questions asked on the form. After completing the

Education Form please mail it to the Owen County

Extension Office (265 Ellis Rd) and the Ag agent will

sign off on it. Please try to print off and include any

type of information provided about the class or

webinar you participate in, such as a certificate, flyer

outlining details etc. An educational class you

already attended that was used to meet the

prior year CAIP program requirement is not

eligible for this year’s program. Example: If you

counted the Feeder Calf Grading School last year you

couldn't count it this year if the program is offered. If

you have attended a class prior to receiving this

packet, it cannot have taken place more than 6

months ago.

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It has reached the time of year that I am tired of being hot. You walk out the door first thing and the muggy Kentucky mornings don’t even offer any relief. I routinely take an extra shirt with me to the farm so I at least have a dry one to drive home in. But it is Kentucky and it gets hot every summer, so we live with it and farm on.

Right after the 4th of July we made our second cutting of alfalfa. After the first cutting we put some nitrogen down and with the continued moisture this summer it grew back good. It produced 49 more bales pushing our total in the hoop barn to 368 bales. Typically if we can get 400 bales in the barn we have enough to get through the winter given somewhat “normal” conditions. At the end of first cutting we were able to put hay into the new Barn Alley Feeder that Dr. Higgins designed and installed this past year. This feeder is built in the center alley of an old tobacco barn. It borrows the same self feeding concept as the Large Bale Feeder but is done so utilizing existing infrastructure. The custom sized wood feeder is hung from barn door track on each side and slides back as the cattle eat the hay. This feeding structure also serves as a hay storage facility as we were able to bale the hay and put it directly from the field into the feeder.

This barn alley feeder will hold 30 5x5 round rolls of hay, and will serve as a storage facility until the first of the year when the cows will be allowed access to the hay. The 30 rolls of hay should be all we need in this location which means the tractor doesn’t have to come refill the structure until we bale more hay next season. Utilizing this structure we have gained additional storage capacity and increased our efficiency of time as we have eliminated the need to haul the hay to the hoop barn and then back to the cattle to feed it. The hay is stored in the same location as it is consumed. I am excited to feed with this new facility this winter.

On July 8th we worked all of our spring calves for the first time. They got vaccinated for respiratory/pasteurella, blackleg/somnus, and pinkeye (cultured from a local strain). They were also dewormed and fly tagged. We also castrated (knife cut) and implanted the bull calves. And lastly, all the calves got a high frequency EID tag. This is part of a retention study we are doing to see how well this visual/EID tag stays in their ear.

Yes, it was hot that day to work cattle. But we started early and turned the pairs back out to shade and water before the heat of the day. And I guarantee you that I wore that extra dry shirt on the way home! Stay cool out there!

Update

July 2020 Update

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Kendal Bowman County Agent for Agriculture & Natural Resources

Cooperative Extension Service Owen County 265 Ellis Hwy Owenton, KY 40359-9300 Phone: (502) 484-5703 Fax: (502) 484-5704 owen.ca.uky.edu Email: DL_CES_OWEN@EMAIL.UKY.EDU

NONPROFIT ORG

US POSTAGE PAID

OWENTON, KY

PERMIT # 59