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Cooperative Extension Service Montgomery County 106 East Locust Street Mt Sterling KY 40353-1404 (859) 498-8741, 8742 Fax: (859) 498-8712 montgomery.ca.uky.edu

Montgomery County Extension Agriculture News & Events

Greetings Farmers:

Sincerely,

Gary Hamilton, Agriculture & Natural Resources Agent Montgomery County

September 1, 2020

In this Issue…

Reaching Out while

Locked In! Webinar 1

Spray Application

Update via Virtual 2

Horticulture Resources

Webinar 2

Pond Management 3

Beef Minutes 4

BeefBits– Podcast! 4

To Spray or Not

To Spray 4

The Clover Dilemma 5

Annuals

Invasive Plants

Cash Hay

Weed Growth 6

Invasion of Stink Bugs 6

Removing Insects 7

3 Ways to Improve

Calf Prices 7

Resources Available 8

Farmers Market News 8

Office Happenings 8

Beef Bash 2020 9

BQCA Certification 10

Horticulture Series 10

Reaching Out While Locked In!

Beef Management Webinar Series Reg-istration is necessary; please send an email to dbullock@uky.edu with Beef Webinar in the subject line and your name and county in the message. If you registered for the previous sessions then you are automatically registered for the new sessions. You will re-ceive the direct link with a password the morning of each meeting. This invitation will directly link you to the site and you will be asked for the password which can be found just below the link. Each session will be recorded and posted for later viewing. All meeting times are 8:00pm EDT 7:00 pm CDT. September 8, 2020—Marketing Outlook and Strategies – Kenny Burdine, Associate Professor and Kevin Laurent, Beef Specialist September 22, 2020—Advanced Genetic Technologies – Alison

Van Eenennaam, Professor – University of California-Davis October 13, 2020 -- Organizing for the Breeding Season – Les Anderson, Professor October 27, 2020—Preparing for Winter Feeding – Katie VanValin, Assistant Professor November 10, 2020—Winter Feeding Structures – Steve Higgins, Director of Environmental Compliance November 24, 2020—Structures and Working Facilities – Morgan Hayes, Assistant Professor and Josh Jackson, Assistant Professor

For additional information please contact your local Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Agent.

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New Video Series – Beef Minutes Katie VanValin, Assistant Extension Professor, Beef Specialist, University of Ken-tucky Beef Minutes is a new video series that will be posted weekly (on Thursdays) to our social media sites.

Episode 1. Impact of heat stress on cattle – Dr. VanValin Episode 2. Genomics testing update for purchasing bulls in the CAIP program – Bullock Episode 3. Recap of the Beef Extension Education Forum – Lehmkuhler

Beef Minutes will be published on our Facebook Page (facebook.com/KyBeefIRM) and on the De-partment of Animal & Food Science YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu4t18Zo2E_4_DBBELPjPMg).

BeefBits - New Beef Podcast! - Jeff Lehmkuhler, Associate Extension Professor, Beef Specialist, University of Kentucky UK Beef Extension is publishing a new podcast on the beef industry called BeefBits. BeefBits will be a 45- minute long podcast on hot topics in the beef industry. The first episode, “An Eclectic Group” featured the entire UK Beef Extension Group. They discussed their backgrounds, what lead them to UK Beef Extension, and the NCBA Long Range plan. Podcasts will occur every two weeks and Dr. Lehmkuhler will be joined by various local, regional, and national guests. Links can be found on the UK Beef IRM Facebook page (facebook.com/KyBeefIRM) and on the podcast website (https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-meqic-e6f8f1?utm_campaign=u_share_ep&utm_medium=dlink&utm_source=u_share).

To spray or not to spray—Jimmy Henning, Extension Professor, Livestock Forage Specialist, University of Kentucky Would you spray this field? Tough question to weigh the value of a good stand of vigorous red clo-ver (18 inches tall) compared to freedom from ironweed (24 inches tall). The decision to spray is a subjective process depending on many factors, including weed pressure, invasiveness and/or tox-icity of the weed, cost of the control measure, forage value of the weed and its life cycle, and the ability to restore the pasture stand.

‘Should I spray this field?’ is such a common question, it should be easy to answer, right? Turns out, it is not. I was recently looking at an excellent or-chard grass/red clover pasture (with occasional ironweed and Queen Anne’s lace) when the producer asked me if he should spray the field. I think he was surprised when I said no. Spraying was not warranted for several rea-sons, but mainly because spraying to kill the problem broadleaf weeds would completely take out the clover, which was significant.

Here are some guidelines that help me formulate a weed control plan. I will be the first to admit this is a highly subjective set of guidelines or suggestions. Weed management is more than chemical control. Farmers have other options besides spraying herbicides. Sometimes the best approach is to use

(Continued on pages 5 & 6)

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agronomic or grazing management to strengthen the forage crop and deal with the weed. John-songrass is a classic example of a weed that can be managed by grazing but it is very problematic in a hay field. Mowing is another tool for weed management. Mowing annual or biennial thistles after they bolt (put up a seed head) but before they make seed is a good way to prevent the spread of these weeds. Timely mowing of cockleburs can prevent seed production as well. The UK publication AGR 207 ‘Controlling Broadleaf Weeds in Kentucky Pastures’ evaluates the effectiveness of mowing as a weed management tool for many of our problem pasture weeds. Determining if a spray threshold has been reached The Clover Dilemma Controlling broadleaf weeds usually means killing the clover present, something I call the clover di-lemma. How do you decide if the infestation is bad enough? How much clover does it take to with-hold the herbicide and live with the weeds? Certainly it does depend on the weed and the extent of the infestation. And it depends on the type and amount of clover. A vigorous, thick stand of red clo-ver would be worth protecting in all but the worst infestations. A stand of small, white Dutch clover probably not. And remember that some new herbicide formulations will take out broadleaves with-out killing clover. Proclova ® is one example. Annuals With annual weeds, it is usually best to first try to thicken up the stand of the forage. Annuals are opportunistic; they germinate and grow when forage stands get sparse. Addressing lime, P and K needs and strategic use of ni-trogen fertilizer are some of the most powerful tools to shift the advantage to the desirable forage. Implementing rotational grazing and maintaining good residual heights on the base grass will help suppress the onset of these weeds. Managing toxic and invasive plants Toxic and invasive weeds will often necessitate the use of herbicides. The cost/benefit ratio of us-ing chemical control is influenced greatly by the threat of loss of livestock and the loss of value due to their presence in hay. An infestation of hemp dogbane, which contains toxic glycosides cause one farm owner to avoid using that field for horse hay and used it for cattle after he had sprayed it. The harvest interval for the herbicide he used was 14 days, which means he had to wait 14 days after spraying to cut for hay. The harvest intervals for many common forage herbicides are found in AGR 172 ‘Weed management in grass pastures, hayfields and other farmstead sites.’ Cash hay vs pasture Some weeds can be tolerated or even be beneficial in pasture that would warrant herbicide application in a cash hay crop. For example, john-songrass and crabgrass are highly palatable forages that benefit summer pastures but are not welcome in hay intended for high end horse markets. Estimating the spray threshold Quantifying the area of the pasture covered by weeds can help assess the spray threshold. Assum-ing these weeds are not palatable, they will reduce the expected yield on the field by the proportion of weeds present. Infestations of ironweed have been shown to reduce pasture yield by 25% or

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more. If the expected yield for the field is 2 tons per acre, then the iron-weed infestation would ‘cost’ you 0.5 tons per acre. At $50 value per ton of forage yield, the ironweed could be said to ‘cost’ you $25 per acre, which is close to the cost of spraying. Weed growth stage matters. Weeds are most easily controlled when they are vegetatively and actively growing. Ironweed in full flower in August is very hard to control. For that reason, late summer may be a poor time to try to control weeds even though they may be very visible at this time. For perennials like ironweed, initi-ate herbicide applications when plants are young and vegetative. Often that means timely mowing in mid-summer to knock them back and following up with herbicide in two or three weeks. A replant strategy is needed

A plan to spray almost always requires a plan to replant because when the weed is gone, mother nature will insert another one. I find the various replant schedules and labels confusing. For this reason, I refer often to the label for the proper re-seeding interval. The decision to spray herbicide on pastures and hayfields is complicated. The decision to spray is a subjective process depending on many factors, including the visual assessment of the weed pressure, the invasiveness

and/or toxicity of the weed, the cost of the control measure, the forage value of the weed and its life cycle and the ability to restore the pasture stand. Don’t forget that the best first step is to thicken up the existing stand of forage. The best weed control is a thick, dense stand of the desired species in a pasture or hay field.

EXPECT AN EARLY INVASION OF STINK BUGS THIS FALL

Based on what I saw while entering my home this weekend, brown marmorated stink bug has be-gun the search for overwintering sites. This is about 11 days earlier than what I have seen before. So, if you have had problems with them using your home as their overwintering hotel, now is the time to be sure your home has been pest-proofed.

Shorter day length is a trigger for many insects to begin searching for protected places to pass the winter, and for some stink bugs, ladybugs, and boxelder bugs that can mean your home! The best method to deal with fall insect invaders is prevention: pest proofing your home to keep them out in the first place.

In Kentucky, we have a number of insects that may choose to move into homes for the winter in-cluding brown marmorated stink bug, multicolored Asian lady beetle, boxelder bug, western conifer seed bug, and cluster flies. Of these, brown marmorated stink bug is usually the first to search for protected places to spend the winter. Multicolor Asian lady beetle begins seeking refuges a month or more after the stink bug. Homes that have had a history of unwanted fall invaders should expect problems in the future.

Figure 1. Brown marmorated stink bug can squeeze through cracks less than 1/6 inch in width. (Photo: Ric Bessin, UK)

PREVENTING INSECT INVASIONS

There are a number of steps to properly pest-proof your home, but the primary method is to exclude pests by sealing places through which they enter. Here are steps to reduce problems with fall insect invasions.

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Seal cracks around doors, windows, and dryer vents with caulk. Cracks as small as 1/8 inch will permit some insects to pass.

Seal openings around pipes and wires in the foundation and siding with caulk, expandable foam for larger openings, or other suitable material.

Check the seal under doors. While lying on the floor, look for light filtering underneath. Replace door sweeps and thresholds as needed.

Replace torn or damaged window screens.

Consider adding a chimney cap to exclude brown marmorated stink bug and other wildlife.

Cover attic and roof vents with hardware cloth. The cloth needs to be 1/6 inch or smaller to ex-clude brown marmorated stink bug.

Apply a barrier insecticide to the exterior of the home. Treat areas underneath and around doors, windows, utility openings, and around the base of the foundation. Read and follow all label direc-tions.

REMOVAL ONCE INSECTS INVADE

Indoors during winter, brown marmorated stink bug try to congregate in various places inside structures. This can be in chimneys, closets, window air conditioning units, attics, behind books on a shelf, etc.

Insecticides are not recommended inside the home to control pests after they have en-tered. The best way to remove them once inside is with a vacuum. A knee-high stock-ing can be used in the suction tube of the vacuum to reduce the number of bags need-ed. Just drop the stink bugs into soapy water. Various types of light-baited/funnel traps and soapy water traps have been used successfully to remove them from dark areas in a home.

Three ways to improve your calf prices—Source: Kenny Burdine, UK agricultural economist If there is one thing that we have learned in 2020, it is that many things are out of our control. This includes the cattle markets, which have been volatile during the first half of the year. However, there are some simple practices that you can implement on the farm to make your cattle operation more profitable. Here are three ideas to help you improve your calf prices. 1. Focus on uniformity. The number of calves you sell at one time, which is known as the lot size, has a huge impact on price. Groups of five to 10 calves will significantly outsell groups of one to three calves, provided that everything else is consistent. To help ensure more of your calves are sold together, you need to establish a tight calving season. A tighter calving season allows you to produce calves that are similar in size, type and quality. 2. Sell weaned or preconditioned calves. Calves that are weaned and have had some health treat-ments almost always outsell freshly weaned ones. If you are a smaller producer, Certified Precondi-tioned for Health, also known as CPH, sales provide you with an opportunity to sell preconditioned calves in a co-mingled sale. This allows you to gain the financial benefits from larger lot sizes and a uniform health program. 3. Avoid bull discounts. Price data consistently shows that steers outsell bulls at feeder cattle auc-tions. Over the last decade, a 550-pound steer has outsold a 550-pound bull calf by more than $11 per cwt. This equals about $60 more a head. Even if bulls weigh more at weaning, it is very difficult for them to make up the difference in value at the market. Plus, implanting steers offers an oppor-tunity to get improved weight gains and steer prices.

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RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO FARMERS STRUGGLING WITH FARM FINANCIAL STRESS Farmers have been facing many financial stress issues related to commodity prices and the overall farm economy. The University of Kentucky Department of Agricultural Economics recognizes these challenges and wants to connect producers, as well as agents, lend-ers and others who support the industry, to resources that may be useful as they work through their current situation and/or potentially consider changes to their operation. The following is compiled by the Agricultural Economics Exten-sion Committee. To view all of the following categories in their entirety go to this link.

https://agecon.ca.uky.edu/sites/agecon.ca.uky.edu/files/resources_for_farm_financial_challenges_ukaec.pdf or for a printed copy of details contact the Ex-tension Office.

1) Understanding financial statements and key financial performance measures. Balance Sheets, Income Statements, Financial Performance Measures and the Kentucky Farm Business Manage-ment Program.

2) Understanding FSA loan programs and how they might be helpful. Guaranteed Loan Program, Farm Operating Loans and Emergency Loans.

3) Understanding the tax implications from discontinuing a farming operation. Liquid Assets – The case of income without expenses, Equipment and Other Depreciable Assets – Ordinary Gains, Raised Breeding Livestock and Selling Land.

4) Understanding bankruptcy and debt reorganization.

5) Transitioning to something else/potential for off-farm employment.

6) Resources related to managing farm stress and mental health. Farm Dinner Theatre, Mental Health First Aid, AgrAbility Mental/Behavioral Health Issues, Michigan State University: Managing Farm Stress, Surviving the Farm Economy Downturn – Chapter 20: Preventing Farm-related Stress, Depression, Substance Abuse, and Suicide, The AgriSafe Network: Mental and Behavioral Health Website and Joe Schroeder at Farm Aid

MONTGOMERY COUNTY FARMER’S MARKET—DON’T FORGET TO

VISIT THE FARMER’S MARKET ON WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS.

PICK UP SOME LOCAL PRODUCE AT A VERY REASONABLE PRICE

AND SUPPORT OUR FARMERS. THEIR HOURS START AT 7 AM UN-

TIL 12 NOON.

The Montgomery County Extension Office is beginning a new phase in

sending newsletters. As of November 1st, we will be emailing newsletters

to those who would rather receive them by email. If you want to continue

to receive your newsletter by mail, you will need to email, text, call or re-

turn a postcard to the office and let us know. You will be receiving this

postcard in the mail within the next couple of weeks asking you to let us know how you want

to receive your Newsletters. You can drop it in the mail, call the office, text one of the agent

or secretaries and we will add you to the database that you request. If we do not hear from

you by November 1st, we will take you off the list to receive newsletters.

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UK Horticulture Webinar Wednesdays

Each week University of Kentucky County Extension Agents and Specialists bring an informative 20

to 30 minute program straight to your comput-

er. Any of these programs will fulfill the 2020

Montgomery County CAIP Cost-Share Pro-

gram Educational Requirements. Gary Hamil-

ton, Montgomery Co. Extension ANR Agent,

will still have to sign your CAIP Education Cer-

tification paperwork if you choose this option.

Here is the zoom link to watch upcom-

ing programs https://uky.zoom.us/

j/566301042

They are on Wednesdays at 2:00 PM. Go

online to register. See the box above for an

example of how the registration will look when

you go online.

Here is the link for other Horticulture webinars

previously aired and for upcoming programs in

September: https://kentuckyhortnews.com/horticulture-webinar-wednesdays/

Kentucky Beef Quality and Care Assurance (BQCA) Certification Now

Available Online

The Kentucky Beef Quality and Care Assurance (BQCA)

Certification is now available online. Producers can access the

online BQCA program by visiting kybeefnetwork.com or http://

afs.ca.uky.edu/beef/irm and clicking on “Beef Quality & Care As-

surance”. The Beef Quality & Care Assurance certification costs $5

and can be paid online prior to the accessing the course.

This online process is similar to how in-person BQCA train-

ings are conducted. Producers must complete Module A - BQCA Overview, and two of the other

modules: B – Genetics and Handling, C – Proper Equipment and Additional Cattle Handling, and/or

D – Veterinary Diagnostics Lab. Each module contains a video that must be watched before com-

pleting the corresponding test. Producers have multiple attempts to achieve a passing score of at

least 85%, for each test.

Upon successful completion of the course, your training will be processed by the Kentucky

Beef Network and your BQCA training card will be mailed to your county Extension office at the end

of each month. If you should need your BQCA number sooner, you can call KBN at 859-278-0899

or email at kbn@kycattle.org.

If a farmer cannot access the online course or wishes to wait until in-person trainings are

available, and they had a valid BQCA number on March 1, 2020, their existing BQCA certification

will remain active until live trainings are available again. These steps have been approved by the

Governor’s Office for Ag Policy staff for compliance in the CAIP program.