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.