Maintenance and Winterization of Irrigation Equipment

By: Lynn Stillwell, Agriculture Extension Agent, Swine and Waste Management

With summer long gone and winter rapidly approaching it is time to take a few moments to inspect and maintain your irrigation equipment. This ensures the longevity of the equipment, helps minimize any unexpected downtime when you need to irrigate later in the season. It can also reduce the risk of discharges of wastes, which can cause environmental damage and possible fines for your farm.

Hard Hose Travelers

When inspecting your hard hose travelers ensure that all pressure gauges are working properly and replace any broken or gauges that aren’t reading properly. If it is a liquid filled gauge check the level and refill with glycerin or hydraulic fluid if necessary. You should lubricate travelers according to the manufacture’s recommendation; this includes chains, and any points of turning. Inspect nozzles and rings for wear. This is often done during your bi-annual calibration, but can be done using calipers to measure the rings.

Pay close attention to intake lines. Check for wear and holes. Replace worn lines or broken couplings. If you are not planning on irrigating this winter it is best to store travelers under a shelter to keep dry and clean.ny points of turning. Inspect nozzles and rings for wear. This is often done during your bi-annual calibration, but can be done using calipers to measure the rings.

Diesel Pumps

Maintenance of your pumps is essential to ensure good working order, especially if you don’t plan on irrigating until next spring. Make sure all gauges are working properly. Check seals and connections to minimize leaks, replace where needed. Make sure air and pressure relief valves are free from debris.

Pivots

Before performing any maintenance or service checks insure power is turn off. Drain and refill wheel oil annually. Check emergency-stop or auto reverse devices or switches. Drain grit traps periodically and monitor for excess accumulation and nozzle wear. Check all seals, flanges and couplings for leaks or wear. On sprinkler heads check for wear and remove any debris from splash plates and wobbler heads.

Proper maintenance of your irrigation equipment can insure that they are working properly for each irrigation event and help decrease wear and tear on the equipment. Regular maintenance can also help reduce operating costs or costs from replacing damaged equipment. Preparing now can help save headaches in the spring. Contact the Extension office for more information or for a free calibration of you irrigation equipment.

Top 10 Reasons to Improve Grazing Programs on Your Farm

Source: Dr. Garry D. Lacefield, Extension Forage Specialist, University of Kentucky

Grazing is an excellent way to utilize forage that is already available, either through sprayfields, or through non-sprayfields. Grazing is an efficient way to feed the animal as well as remove canopy. If grazing is managed properly, farmers can get more good out of what their animals are eating and make it go further, which is particularly important when fuel and feed costs are high. There are ten excellent reasons to improve your grazing programs through controlled grazing:

1) Wasting of forage by animals decreases. Rotational grazing or other controlled grazing methods can increase utilization versus continuous grazing, where animals are kept on virtually the same area continuously. Research (cited by Lacefield 2009) shows that in four different states, gain per acre increased with rotational versus continuous grazing. With less wastage in the pasture, this equates to potentially lower feed costs.

2) Overall forage yield has higher potential for increase. The optimal time for grazing is when plants are in their vegetative stage. Continuous grazing usually results in some plants being overgrazed and unable to repair and some plants are not grazed and become overly mature. When rotational grazing is used, the plant is grazed at the optimal time (usually) then has a period of rest and regrowth for another grazing. This method produces a higher yield than continuous grazing because plants are continuous at their optimum production stage for photosynthesis (VPI Bull. #45; cited by Lacefield 2009). When stocking rates are high, leaf area goes down and the plant cannot produce as much food for itself because of lower photosynthesis rates. As a result, the plant is weaker and growth of the plant slows down. During times of too much plant for the animals to graze, those plants could be harvested for hay.

3) Quality of forage increases. During continuous grazing, the majority of the plants in the pasture are either overgrazed or undergrazed, resulting in a very short or very mature plant. Quality with very mature plants is much lower than quality with plants at the vegetative stage. To increase quality, it’s best to have animals grazing when quality is optimum – normally at the vegetative stage with leaf growth is tender for animals to eat and abundant. Forage quality normally is at its highest when leaf count is high as well. Rotational grazing allows you to manage your pastures to put animals on the paddocks with high leaf content (Mathews et al. University of Florida 1994; cited by Lacefield 2009).

4) Potential for extending the grazing season increases. Because there is less wasting, more forage is available for a longer period of time because the forage you have on your farm can carry the animals over longer. According to Lacefield, during drought conditions, rotational grazing results in more pasture over a longer period of time compared to continuous grazing.

5) Potential for stand persistence of established forages increases. Some types of forages withstand grazing pressure better than others. In our area, bermudagrass tends to tolerate grazing pressure between than fescue, especially if the grass is not drought-stressed. If you allow any plant a rest period, that plant has more potential to make food for itself, grow faster and out-compete weeds, provided all its other needs are taken care of. This can result in improved stand density for forages.

6) Animal performance increases. Incorporating rotational grazing practices has the potential to increase the amount of gain achieved per acre and the amount of gain per animal, as well as a decrease in the amount of supplemental feed. According to Dr. Carl Hoveland at the University of Georgia, using rotational grazing instead of continuous grazing resulted in a 38% increase in gain per acre (stocking rate), 37% increase in gain per animal, and a 32% decrease in the amount of hay fed/animal.

7) Potential to observe animal health increases. There is not specific data that directly links animal health to rotational grazing that I am aware of (also Lacefield 2009), but common sense would suggest that when you move animals on a fairly frequent basis, that you are able to observe any health symptoms or anything amiss in your herd. One would hope that as you are able to notice these signs, you can better treat and respond to problems as they occur.

8) Positive impact on water quality increases. As pastures are not overgrazed, there is less potential for runoff and erosion, and therefore, we could expect better soil quality as well. There are other factors that influence water quality besides rotation of pastures, as well, including access by animals to surface waters, number of waterers and common areas, and annual forage versus perennial forage. The distribution of animal waste is also more uniform when rotational grazing is used.

9) Amount of profit per acre has potential to increase. Research from Penn State (Cunningham and Hanson 1995) shows that when compared to continuous grazing, hay, and corn silage, intensive grazing practices, such as rotational grazing results in a higher profit per acre. This would depend on the weather, forage, management, etc. but it makes sense that because you’re better using what you already have, you end up coming out better for your budget too.

10) Competition with weeds potentially decreases. If the forage you have is better able to compete and grow under grazing conditions, it stands to reason that the forage is better able to grow competitively with weeds, which many publications allude to (Lacefield 2009, University of Minnesota Extension Service Grazing Systems Planning Guide). Although rotational grazing will not completely eliminate the need for weed control, in most cases it will help the producer better manage weed control in a more efficient way.

All this being said, rotational grazing may still not be right for you and your operation. It takes time, materials, and quite a bit of management to effectively use rotational grazing. Simply buying the fencing materials is not enough – you must incorporate proper fertilization, forage selection, pest management, and sound breeding practices and selection to achieve good overall results. Rotational grazing does have its disadvantages as well, including increased fencing and waterer potential cost and increased monitoring and management requirements. However, if you have the resources to accomplish rotational grazing effectively and your goals are similar to the advantages, you as a producer may consider incorporating it into your farm.

Letter From DENR Regarding Water Quality Study

Subject:

Study of North Carolina Swine Operations

As you may recall, the Environmental Management Commission (EMC) recently considered a rule that would have required individual farms to take water quality samples from streams adjacent to the farm. The rule had been proposed by the Waterkeepers Alliance through a Petition for Rulemaking submitted to the EMC in 2007. After careful consideration, the EMC decided not to adopt this rule.

In response to comments received from those opposed to the draft rule during the public hearing process, the EMC agreed that it would be more appropriate for the Division of Water Quality (DWQ) to do a study of streams adjacent to swine operations rather than requiring individual farmers to take water quality samples.

DWQ, in cooperation with the United States Geological Survey (USGS), will be taking water quality samples from streams adjacent to a number of swine operations in 2012. Swine operations will be grouped together based on site characteristics (such as farm size and available acreage). Sampling locations will then be chosen at random from each grouping.

The purpose of this letter is to make you aware that the stream(s) adjacent to your farm(s) may be one of those randomly chosen to be monitored in this study. Samples will be collected and analyzed by the USGS. The sample results will not be used for determination of compliance with your permit. If a stream adjacent to your farm(s) is selected, you will be contacted by DWQ staff at a later date.

1636 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1636 Location: 2728 Capital Blvd., Raleigh, North Carolina 27604 Phone: 919-733-3221 \ FAX: 919-715-0588 \ Customer Service: 1-877-623-6748 Internet: www.ncwaterquality.org

An Equal Opportunity \ Affirmative Action Employer«Owner_Name» October 20, 2011 Page 2

A copy of the Study Plan prepared by USGS may be downloaded at our website: http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/wq/aps/afo

If you have any questions about this letter or the Study Plan, please feel free to contact me at (919) 715-6697.

cc:

Sincerely,

Keith Larick, Supervisor Animal Feeding Operations Unit

Calibration and Sludge Surveys

All farms are required to calibrate their irrigation equipment and perform a sludge survey. General Permit Farms are required to calibrate at least once every two years and perform a sludge survey every year. NPDES farms must complete both every year. Remember you can apply for an exemption/

extension on how often you need to perform a sludge survey.

You can send the attached Sludge Exemption Letter and a copy of your most recent survey to DWQ. If your ratio of sludge layer volume to total treatment volume is 40% or 0.40 or less,

I recommend sending in an exemption request. DWQ will review your request

and inform you if they approved the exemption or not. You may contact the Extension office to schedule a free sludge survey or calibration.

Storm Warning Permit Information

On October 1, 2009, your general permit changed and some of the permit conditions changed too. Below is the new land application rule in regards to a Hurricane Warning, Tropical Storm Warning or a Flood Watch. If you have any questions, call the Extension Office at 910-592-7161.

Section II 22. Land application of waste is prohibited during precipitation events. The Permittee shall consider pending weather conditions in making the decision to land apply waste and shall document the weather conditions at the time of land application on forms supplied or approved by the Division.

Land application of waste shall cease within four (4) hours of the time that the National Weather Service issues a Hurricane Warning, Tropical Storm Warning, or a Flood Watch associated with a tropical system including a hurricane, tropical storm or tropical depression for the county in which the permitted facility is located. Watches and warnings are posted on the National Weather Service’s website located at www.weather.gov or by calling the Wilmington NWS office at 910-762-4289.

Changes To State Laws That May Affect Swine Farms

There are several changes from the NC General Assembly that affects swine farms. Below are some excerpts from the July 6^th and 26^th Porkline from the North Carolina Pork Council by Angie Whitener. This describes some of the new laws and how they may impact you.

State Budget Brings Changes to Swine Inspections

Appropriations Act of 2011 became law. To balance the budget, lawmakers had to close a $2.5 billion hole. As a result, there were many policy changes included in the budget bill in an effort to trim overhead, streamline services and end programs to reduce spending. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) experienced the most significant of these policy changes, with the transfer of both the Division of Soil and Water Conservation and the Division of Forestry from DENR to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The budget also made changes to the pork industry's inspection program. In the past, there have been two annual inspections performed on permitted swine farms: a technical inspection by the Division of Soil and Water Conservation and a regulatory inspection performed by the Division of Water Quality. As of July, swine farms will no longer receive an annual technical inspection from the Division of Soil and Water Conservation. Although that annual requirement no longer exists, two technical specialist positions were retained in the Division of Soil and Water, in part to provide technical assistance, conduct voluntary inspections, and respond to critical emergencies. There were no changes to the annual regulatory inspections performed by the NC Division of Water Quality. There was also no change to the Animal Waste Pilot Program currently operating in Pender, Jones, Columbus and Brunswick Counties. Counties in the Pilot are inspected twice annually by the Division of Soil and Water. In the budget bill, the program was slated to expire on June 30, 2011, but in the Budget Technical Corrections bill passed in the final days of the session, the program was extended until June 2013. Even though the program was extended, funding was not provided. So, Pilot Program inspections will likely be performed by one of the technical specialists retained to perform the voluntary technical inspections that will be done by the Division of Soil and Water Conservation. The budget established a new policy for anyone receiving a notice of violation (NOV) of an environmental statute or rule. The new policy provides a 10-day grace period between the time the NOV is issued and a civil penalty is assessed. The purpose of this grace period is to provide the person a greater opportunity to understand what corrective action is needed and either receive technical assistance and take corrective action or informally resolve matters involving the violation. A new program called the Agricultural Water Resources Assistance Program was established with passage of the budget. The program, which was funded with an initial $1 million, will provide cost-share funds to assist farmers and landowners in increasing water use efficiency, availability, and storage; implement best management practices to conserve and protect water resources; and to increase water availability for agricultural purposes. The program will be administered by the Soil and Water Conservation Commission.

Swine Farm Siting Act Amended

In 1995, a law called the "Swine Farm Siting Act" was enacted, establishing setback requirements when locating a new swine farm. The law requires that - unless written permission is given by the owner of the adjacent property and recorded with the Register of Deeds - a swine house must be located at least: 1,500 feet from any occupied residence. 2,500 feet from any school, hospital, church, outdoor recreational facility, national park, State Park, historic property, or child care center. 500 feet from any property boundary. 500 feet from any well supplying water to a public water system. 500 feet from any other well that supplies water for human consumption. Enforcement of this law lies only with the facility or property owner in the affected setback area. If a swine farm sited after October 1, 1995, violates the setbacks without obtaining permission from affected property owners, those property owners may bring a civil action against the swine facility. While swine facilities in existence prior to passage of that law in 1995 were not required to make changes to meet the new setbacks, the law has never been clear on whether a renovation or reconstruction on one of those existing farms would have to meet the setbacks. There are many reasons a swine house may need a renovation or reconstruction, including the expansion of a sow barn when moving to pen gestation or, as some pork producers found out in mid-April of this year: when a swine house is destroyed by tornado. NCPC first sought clarification of this law several years ago to protect a farmer from being exposed to civil action when making these needed renovations or reconstructions of existing barns in a setback area. The new law allows for renovations and reconstructions on swine houses built before October 1, 1995, as long as those renovations or reconstructions do not increase the permitted capacity of animals on the farm; increase the permitted capacity of the lagoon; result in any part of the updated structure being any closer to the buildings or property covered in the Swine Farm Siting Act; or result in the location or any part of a structure in the 100-year flood plain.

New Law to Address Growing Feral Swine

In 2009, NCPC initiated a stakeholder process to examine the growing problem of feral swine in NC and to identify any policy changes that might address the potential spread of disease from feral swine to our domestic herd. This year, legislation emerged that aims to stop the transport of feral swine into and around the state. The new law will go into effect on October 1, 2011. The new law will: Require identification approved by the state veterinarian's office of all swine in transport. (Swine currently transported using group/lot ID as accepted under federal law for interstate transport will also be sufficient in meeting this requirement.) Make it illegal to transport a swine without identification, punishable by a $5,000 per head fine and a Class 2 misdemeanor. Make it unlawful to remove any hog from a trap alive and impose up to a $5,000 per animal penalty if caught. Place feral swine under jurisdiction of the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, requiring a hunting license to hunt these animals but with no season or bag limits imposed

Landowner Protection Act

The new law will require anyone going onto posted land to hunt, fish or trap to have written consent of the property owner. The written and signed permission will have to be carried on one's person and shown to any law enforcement officer upon request. Failure to obtain permission will result in a misdemeanor. The new law also makes it easier for landowners to post their land, providing that in addition to posting property with signs, landowners may spray paint trees along the perimeter of their land with purple paint to indicate that the property is posted. The law will go into effect October 1, 2011.

EMC Declines to Adopt Proposed Monitoring Rule

The N.C. Environmental Management Commission (EMC) declined to adopt a proposed rule that was initiated in 2007 by a rule-making petition filed by the Waterkeepers Alliance. The proposed rule would have required farmers to take water samples at all permitted animal operations. The decision was based on the recommendations of a three-member panel of EMC members assigned to the case. The panel of hearing officers held public hearings across the state and reviewed hundreds of comments from hearing from both opponents and proponents of the proposed rule. After the hearings, the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources directed the Division of Water Quality (DWQ) to look into conducting a study of the proposed rule. In May of this year, DWQ and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) finalized a contract to perform a multi-year study of possible surface water impacts related to animal operations. At the recent EMC meeting, the three member panel of hearing officers said that they did not believe that the proposed monitoring rules would yield useful data that would provide a corresponding benefit to water quality and recommended that the full EMC not adopt the proposed rules. The panel also recommended that the EMC review the results of that study underway by DWQ and the USGS and that if the results of the study should indicate a need for monitoring, rules could again be considered. Further, if considered, the results of the study should be used to determine the type and frequency of monitoring to be performed.

Hurricane Irene

Please be aware that while Sampson County is not currently under a Hurricane Warning, we are under a Flood watch starting at 6pm this evening. You must cease pumping within 4 hours of this watch coming into effect. If you have questions regarding your waste permit or sustain damage during the storm please contact me on my cell phone.

Also please be aware, that starting at 6pm the livestock facility located at 93 Agriculture Place will be open as a pet shelter. Pets must have identification and be up to date on all shots.

On October 1, 2009, your general permit changed and some of the permit conditions changed too. Below is the new

land application rule in regards to a Hurricane Warning, Tropical Storm Warning or a Flood Watch. If you have any questions, call the Extension Office at 862-4591 or NRCS/SWC office at 862-3179 ext 3.

Section II 22. Land application of waste is prohibited during precipitation events. The Permittee shall consider pending weather conditions in making the decision to land apply waste and shall document the weather conditions at the time of land application on forms supplied or approved by the Division.

Land application of waste shall cease within four (4) hours of the time that the National Weather Service issues a Hurricane Warning, Tropical Storm Warning, or a Flood Watch associated with a tropical system including a hurricane, tropical storm or tropical depression for the county in which the permitted facility is located. Watches and warnings are posted on the National Weather Service’s website located at www.weather.gov or by calling the Fayetteville NWS.

Nitrate Toxicity during Drought

This summer has proven to be a tough year on agriculture. Sampson County is listed in a severe state of drought and some areas of the County haven’t seen rain since early May. With high heat and little rain pastures and hay fields are suffering. If you’re not careful your livestock too may suffer. Not from heat stress, but from nitrate toxicity.

Under ideal growing conditions plants will absorb the nitrates from the soil and convert them into plant proteins. However, during drought stress, plant growth is decreased and nitrates begin to accumulate, sometimes at toxic levels. Many animals are sensitive to high nitrates. Sheep are typically the most sensitive along with lactating animals. Nitrate levels of 0.0% to .25% are generally considered safe for all types of animals.

To determine if you have high nitrate levels in your pastures or in your hay you can do a forage analysis. For a pasture grab random handfuls of grass through out the pasture. For Hay use a hay probe sample at least 25% of your bales. A forage analysis cost 5.00 and is done by the NCDA Lab in Raleigh. Samples should be sent in immediately. The Extension office can assist in helping you take samples, fill out the paper work, and get the samples sent in. Testing your hay and pastures can save you money and damage in livestock losses during this hot dry weather.

Managing Forages for Dry Weather

Amanda Hatcher- Livestock Agent Duplin County

1. Before dry weather hits:

· Have a good maintenance program for your pastures and hayfields. Conduct a soil test and follow recommendations though guidance from your Extension Agent for nutrients and lime. Good weather is a great time to manage troublesome weeds. During bad weather those weed problems tend to worsen. Organic matter increases soil’s water holding capacity so adding it to soil can help long-term but be mindful of nutrient buildup. When pH is too low or high, many nutrients are not available to the plant. Adding nitrogen during drought can be costly and counterproductive. Lime won’t dissolve very quickly without rain.

2. When dry weather hits:

· Don’t graze or cut grass too short – Bermudagrass in dry weather is best kept at 3” tall vs. in good weather at 2” tall. Fescue: 6” is optimum, especially if the weather is beginning to get dry. If you allow cut or graze too closely, this removes too much of a plant’s reserves and it takes longer for the plant to grow back. Rest periods are especially important, more so during droughts. Just like we need extra rest when it’s hot and dry, so do our forages.

· According to Liebig’s Law of Minimum, lack of moisture is the first priority for our crops. If our forages do not have adequate moisture, then worrying about insects and diseases (priority number 7) is not significant compared to the other things plants need (Source: Havlin, J. L. et al. 2005. Soil Fertility and Fertilizers, 7^th ed.).

· Check nitrates before feeding and/or cutting for hay. You can take a forage sample before cutting or after hay has been baled. If sampling in the field, randomly snip grasses from the field at mowing height and add these clippings to a gallon-sized Ziploc bag. If sampling from the bale, it’s best to use a hay corer and randomly remove about 20 cores. Mix the hay cores and add to a quart-sized Ziploc bag. Submit the samples with proper forms to your Extension Agent for analysis at NCDA & CS Forage Lab. You can use private labs for analysis as well. Your Extension Agent can provide you with a list. If you do have high nitrates, check with your Extension Agent and talk about where your current levels are. There are options of using the hay if nitrates are elevated: mixing with another hay to dilute nitrate, add alternative feeds (besides hay), or wrap to ensile hay. Do not turn hungry animals onto high nitrate hay!

· Watch fertilization timing and rate. Sometimes it’s not too much nitrogen; it’s the wrong time. Use your soil test to help determine the proper amount of nitrogen but do not apply nitrogen when plants are experiencing stress due to heat and/or low rainfall.

· Watch for toxic plants! Many plants that are toxic are drought-tolerant, some, such as horsenettle, even keep their green color during drought and may look more attractive than forages. Weigh the pros and cons of weed control methods. Many herbicides are not effective or very effective when soil is very dry, and plants will need adequate rain even when water is applied through spray solution. Sometimes the dryness causes forages to absorb too much of the herbicide and there is more damage to forage than usual. Wait until adequate rainfall for most herbicides. Mowing can give temporary control.

· Follow proper timing and rate for seeding and/or sprigging—for the coastal plain area of North Carolina (except heavy, darker soils), the best dates for seeding Bermudagrass are April 1-May 15 but possible dates are March 15-June 7. For sprigging Bermudagrass, best dates are March 1-March 31 and possible dates are February 15-April 15 or as late as July if irrigated. Sprigging or seeding later than these dates may increase the chances of dry and/or hot conditions interfering with establishment.

· Often when we experience prolonged dry conditions, seedheads form lower to the soil surface or stunting may occur. Even with adequate rainfall after seedhead has formed, growth could be significantly inhibited. It may be beneficial to graze the grass lightly to encourage regrowth.

· To maximize grazing, try controlled grazing or other similar grazing technique. The benefit is you can avoid wasting forages and give animals area to graze. The disadvantage is you have to move the animals from one section to another more frequently. Contact your Extension Agent for more information.

3. Recovery Period:

· Once rain finally falls, weeds can grow very fast – be prepared! Know what kinds of weeds you normally have a problem with. A number of weeds can grow extremely fast once they have rain. In fact, pigweed can grow 2 to 5 inches in 3 days or less. Once you know what you have, pick a strategy: mowing, herbicides, and management. Always use herbicides according to the label, at the correct rate. A couple of reasons for using herbicides for pastures is to remove undesirable weeds to increase quality and to decrease competitiveness for forage. Weigh the costs and benefits of herbicides closely and consult your Extension Agent.

· Fertilization may depend on when recovery takes place. Don’t over-fertilize right before dormancy of Bermudagrass and don’t fertilize fescue in the heat of summer, particularly from April to August. If we are dry during May, June, and July then finally get rainfall in August, fertilize very lightly. Bermudagrass does not need a flush of growth just before dormancy.

· The rainfall may have kept hay yields low so hay may be difficult to find. Keep hay protected against wind, rain and other elements. Keep hay off the ground to reduce soil to hay contact. Protecting hay from the weather will reduce spoilage. Examples of storage tools include wooden pallets, tires, old hog slats for a barrier against the ground and secured tarps can protect the tops and sides. Don’t cover the bales completely and leave some space between the bales to allow for air circulation.

New Laws Affect Hog Farmers

By: Lynn Stillwell Sampson County Livestock Agent Swine and Waste Management

As of July 1, 2011 the State Budget as well as several Bills were made into law. This year there were several laws made that affect hog farms.

The big one that passed was the Appropriations Act of 2011, despite the Governor vetoing it. This bill reduced our State’s budget by enforcing a reorganization of State Government Agencies. One in particular was the Division of Soil and Water Conservation (DSWC), which moved form the Department of Environmental, and Natural Resources (DENR) to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS). Included in the budget was a section to end DSWC role regarding Animal Waste Management Systems. Technical assistance will still be provided, but annual inspections by DWSC have been eliminated, two inspectors positions have been retained for any producers wishing to participate in voluntary inspections. The Division of Water Quality (DWQ) will now provide inspections of hog farms once a year.

The budget also restricted DENR’s rule-making authority. They are no longer allowed to adopt any rules that are more restrictive than federal law. There are few exceptions to this rule, one being if the rule is required by a court order.

Senate Bill 501 was also passed into law. This bill allows for construction or renovation of swine farms constructed prior to October 1, 1995 when the Swine Farm Siting Act was enacted. Renovations and reconstructions on these farms can only occur if they do not increase the permitted capacity of animals on the farm, or increase the capacity of the lagoon or other waste management system. No houses may be reconstructed if it results in the structure being located in the 100-year flood plain, or if the updated or reconstructed part of the structure is located any closer to buildings or property covered in the Swine Farm Siting Act. For more information you can visit the NC General Assembly’s webpage http://www.ncleg.net and read over the bills.

New Insecticide For Fall Armyworm Control in Pastures and Hayfields

By: Lynn Stillwell Sampson County Livestock Agent

The Fall Armyworm, is a chronic pest here in NC and the rest of the Southeast. It feeds on many forage crops, but appears to prefer a lush healthy stand of Bermudagrass that we grow so abundantly here in Sampson County. The Fall Armyworm prefers many of common winter annuals grown here such as Rye, Wheat and Oats. Those who have had armyworms attack their pastures and hayfields know how devastating it can be and how much damage the one and half-inch long larva can cause.

These pests, as their name implies, are most numerous late summer to early fall. Damage can typically be seen during the months of August through October,. However in times of drought (such as now) it is not uncommon to have an outbreak in July, this is because natural enemies of the armyworm are less effective during drought. Scouting your pastures and hayfields can help identify infestations before significant and economic damage is caused. An easy sign is the presence of flocks of birds feeding in your fields or pastures. Armyworms are most active in the early morning or late afternoon.

If you have determined you have an infestation in your pasture or hayfield you have always had several insecticides to choose from. As of earlier this year you have one more method of control. Prevathon^R insecticide by Dupont has now been registered in NC for use in pastures (as well as corn and cotton) for Fall Armyworm control as well as budworms and bollworms. The active ingredient is RynaxypyrÒ. It is a foliar treatment in all types of pastures from Bermudagrass to fescue as well as any cereal grains to be grazed. This is a non-restricted use insecticide. Animals can graze immediately after application, although there is a four-hour worker re-entry period. With Fall Armyworms soon to be marching across our fields, there is now one more weapon that offers a solution to their destruction.

Sampson County Animal Response Team

We're 7 months into 2011 and already Eastern NC has had its fair share of disasters. With tornadoes ripping through several NC Counties, including Sampson, and wildfires in 3 neighboring Counties, it is time to reactivate Sampson County's Animal Response Team. I have been appointed as the Coordinator for Sampson. Since being appointed, we have had to open our livestock facility as an emergency shelter for livestock that may be displaced from 2 of the Pender County Wildfires.

That effort a few weeks ago was a real eye opener for the need of this County as well as others for the use of our facilities and our people. Being that there are no people outside of our office it is time to begin recruiting. As of July 12, 2011, Sampson CART will be accepting applications for volunteers who are willing to: house/foster, transport, work at the shelter, or just donate items during a disaster. Being prepared for any road that lies before us will help us be ready to take that call when disaster strikes. No one responds to a disaster, we recover. Lets pull together to make any disaster a speedy recovery.

Please visit our New CART website: http://go.ncsu.edu/sampsoncart to download our volunteer forms or to learn more about preparing your livestock before, during, and after a disaster occurs.

Livestock Arena Pender Livestock Shelter

As the Pender County Juniper Road Wildfire continues to burn, Cooperative Extension is busy at work making arrangements for any livestock that may be displaced if the fire continues Northward. The wild fire which has been raging since Saturday June 16th and has currently burned around 21,000 acres, started in Holly's Shelter and has beenmaking it's way steadily towards Maple Hill. The fire has slowed to some degree since it's beginning this is thanks to firefighters and partly to nature, which started the fire in the first place. Emergency Management in Pender County has been handling preparations for possibly evacuating people. Livestock Agents in both Pender County and Sampson have been hard at work making arrangements for livestock. Sampson County Extension has opened its livestock arena as an emergency shelter for any livestock be it cows, goats, horses, etc that may need to be evacuated. The barn will be open for evacuees during normal business hours and after hours in the event of a mandatory evacuation. Sampson and Pender Extension are doing everything in their power to provide information and refuge for displaced animals. For more information contact Emily Herring-Pender County Livestock Agent or Lynn Stillwell Sampson County Livestock Agent.

Updated publication for calibrations of stationary and traveling systems

Amanda Hatcher- Livestock Agent Duplin County, Publication courtesy of NCSU, AG-553-09

North Carolina State University has released an updated version of “Calibration and Uniformity Assessment for Animal Wastewater Application Equipment” to give updated information on hard hose travelers and solid set systems. Irrigation systems wear and develop buildup, which affects their performance, both from an irrigation quality standpoint and from an economic standpoint. Calibrations are required once every two years for swine facilities in North Carolina with a state general permit and required once a year for swine facilities with an NPDES permit.

Here is a summary and how it will affect the calibrations you do:

· Before starting the calibration, you’ll need a manufacturer’s chart for your system’s sprinkler and nozzle combination, your irrigation design or wetted acreage determination.

· Perform calibrations during periods of no to very light wind (less than 5 mph)

· Check wetted diameter and flow under periods of normal pressure

For hard-hose travelers and stationary systems (solid sets), the following steps are needed:

1) Measure the nozzle size of traveler guns

2) Measure pressure at the nozzle or sprinkler

3) Measure the wetted diameter of the nozzle or sprinkler

4) Measure the flow rate, and

5) Compare the measured pressure, wetted diameter, and flow rate against the manufacturer’s chart, irrigation design documents, and/or the wetted acreage determination.

Equipment needed to complete a calibration:

1) Pressure gauge, either a mounted gauge or a hand-held with pitot tube

2) Flow meter with in-line adapters IF field-measured nozzle pressure and manufacturer’s charts will not be used to obtain flow rate

3) Measuring tape or wheel (need about 200-300 feet of tape)

4) Flags for checking wetted diameter

5) Caliper for measuring nozzle size, and

6) Calibration forms for recording measurements

Although the rain gauge method that was once needed every three years is not required now to determine uniformity, sprinkler spacing (or lane spacing for travelers) must be within design specifications and pressure must be within the ranges provided by manufacturer (Liu, 2009; 9^th SB 1217 Guidance Document, North Carolina 1217 Interagency Group, 2009). To check uniformity:

1) Compare field-measured wetted diameter and pressure to manufacturer’s charts, and

2) Calculate the sprinkler or lane spacing as a percentage of field-measured wetted diameter to determine if spacing falls in the recommended range.

Field data sheets at the end of the publication help calibrations to go more smoothly. If you have questions about calibrations, contact your county Extension Agent.

Under Fire: Fire Ant Management for Pastures and Hayfields

Adapted from Fire Ant Management in Pastures by S. Barbara, NCSU Extension Entomologist

By Lynn Stillwell Sampson County Livestock Agent Swine and Waste Management

Fire ants are a major problem in NC and other southern states. We’ve all seen there mounds or worse not seen them and been stung. Fire ants are found through out southeast NC and are quickly spreading westward. Sampson and Duplin Counties along with 49 other

counties are under quarantine and movement of hay outside of the “red counties” is regulated by the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and requires a permit.

Fire ants prefer open land and sunlight, which they readily obtain in our pastures and hayfields. The presence of fire ants can have major impacts on livestock operations through animal injury, equipment damage, lower yields in hay production, reduced feeding and many other ways. Unfortunately there is not easy solution to managing fire ants in your hayfield, it really all depends on the number of mounds and their locations. Very few of the many fire ant pesticides are labeled for use in pastures and hayfields. There are no effective sprays for control of fire ants in pastures. There are some chemicals for treating mounds, and some baits that contain insect growth regulators (IGRs) that may be used in pastures. For a complete list of baits and mound drenches available consult the Ag Chemical Manual or contact you County Extension Agent.

Direct mound drenches have advantages and disadvantages to balance.	Broadcast bait treatments also have advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages- Fast acting Insecticides applied only to targeted mounds	Advantages- Quick and easy application Less hazardous, generally Least expensive method for large areas Less labor required
Disadvantages- More expensive for large areas More labor intensive Treatments affect only older colonies showing visible mounds	Disadvantages- Slower than liquids (too slow for situations where stings are a major concern) May harm some helpful non-target ants

The best time of year to treat for fire ants in mid-spring and fall, or in the morning when air temperatures are around 70 degrees F. Do not apply baits and drenches at the same time as ants will not forage and accept the bait while disrupted by the poison from a mound drench. To determine if a mound is active place a few potato chips or some other snack, if ants are noticed within 30 minutes then the colonies are active. For more information on fire ants and control contact your county Extension office.