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.