Where’s the water? What will be the yield?

With the recent lack of rain in our area and around the state many are wondering where is the water. At the Franklin County Extension office we haven't had a rain give us more than a tenth of an inch since June 9^th. During this same period our estimated evapo-transpiration has averaged about two tenths of an inch per day. This has left us with dry soils and corn that is showing signs of stress. The real question that comes up though is what does any of this mean for yield? For this we need to go back to the physiology of corn and look at what is happening currently and how stress will affect that. In general, when talking strictly about grain yield, our younger corn will weather a dry period without yield losses much better than our older crop. These younger crops are typically developing roots which may be limited due to drought but can recover if good moisture follows. The only real critical time for this young corn is the V-4 to V-5 stage where the number of kernel rows is determined by the plant.

Typically the corn that has not reached V-12 will have little yield loss. At the V12 to V14 stage the corn plant is initiating multiple processes which will set in stone what the maximum yield will be. These include; ear number determination (only on prolific hybrids), ear size, and number of kernels per row. Once these variables are in place we head into the critical time around silking. From R1 to maturity we have to have good conditions for the ear to silk in time for pollen shed as well as pollinated kernels to fill. Drought conditions around the silking time may lead to unfertilized kernels, thus decreasing yields. Once fertilization has occurred moisture and nutrients are still required to push fill.

This may seem like an effort in futility since we have little to no control on the amount of water our crop receives. However, if you are looking to make management decisions based on yield projections now is a good time to make sure you adjust yields if you feel your corn has been stressed to that point.

Manure use and Alfalfa

As the dairy industry continues to try to find ways to cut costs many are scrutinizing field amendments to attempt to decrease input costs. Obviously we cannot limit nutrients to crops but sometimes simply changing where those nutrients come from may be of economic benefit. A perfect example of this is the use of manures for potassium in alfalfa.

On dairy farms we often have an excess of manure and our manures are typically pretty high in potassium. We also often have lots of acres of alfalfa that need potassium fertilizer. On alfalfa fields we typically use commercial fertilizers to add only the nutrients needed to the sward. One of the main issues with manure on any of our crops is the fact that it is a complete package fertilizer so we get even the nutrients we don't need, in this case nitrogen. If all of the manure could be used on corn, it would be better to save the manure for the corn ground where you will get more of the full value of the nutrients, especially N. In this case you need to push the pencil to see if it is more economical to buy N for the corn or K for the alfalfa.

Excess nitrogen can lead to increased competition in alfalfa stands of grasses as well as other weeds. Because of this the typical recommendation is to not use alfalfa on newly established stands. Older stands will likely be rotated in a few years and may also have a competitive advantage to the young stands when it comes to keeping weeds at bay.

Another important note on using manures in alfalfa is to stay away from manures that may clump or get picked up with future harvests such as dairy pack manure. Dry poultry manure may be used on alfalfa stands but typically our liquid manures are the best option.

Manure application to alfalfa should occur immediately after a cutting is taken. Make sure you have a current soil test as well as manure test and apply to potassium levels to get a lower rate of application. This lower rate will allow less traffic across the field and can limit the negative impact on the alfalfa stand that may be seen from the heavy loads.

So yes, application of manures to alfalfa can be an economic way to get a cheap source of potassium; however some negatives may be realized. Remember the best practices are

• Apply to oldest stands or declining stands
• Use only liquid manures or poultry litter
• Apply directly after cutting
• Minimize traffic on fields

Crop costs are set and in the ground.

As seeds are placed in the ground and even our second pass with herbicides and nutrients are over do you know what your crop has already cost you? If not I recommend you take a hard look at your inputs thus far in this growing season. Input costs are largely set with the exception of harvest for corn as well as many of your other crops. Getting a handle on what your total cost in the field is will be crucial for setting a breakeven price for your crop. Many costs from this point on are easily estimated due to past costs associated with the particular crop. The only variable that cannot be accounted for is weather and thus yield, which will make a tremendous difference in breakeven. From this point on we will keep one eye on the growing crop and one eye on the past production we have seen to try to come to a sound estimate on this year's yield potential. As you hone in on your yield marketing decisions can be made and executed only when you have a firm grasp on the dollars already invested in the crop and the dollars it will take to harvest and transport it.

Even for those of you who don't sell your crops but utilize them on your farm this is a very important time to focus costs. You now have in the ground a significant portion of your feed costs for next year to set a break even on your products you will be shipping off farm. Utilize the dollars spent now to start finding the price points to identify in futures that could keep you profitable.

It is still too early to have a clear picture of what price options we will have during and after this growing season. As we gather and interpret information now the more prepared we will be to make the decisions we need to later in the season to secure profit and/or minimize losses.

Important Corn Pest Information

This spring Penn State Extension in Franklin County set up a network of eight sites to monitor populations of black cutworm moths and true armyworm moths. One of these sites was in the St. Thomas area. This trap received significant flights of both black cutworm moths and armyworm moths. These numbers raise the risk of damage by these pests, please read the following statements for management considerations.

The most important step for you to take at this time is increase your level of observation and scouting in your corn fields. The distribution of these pests can be very spotty, so it is often the case that very few acres are infested and will need to be treated with insecticides. Specific information pertaining to scouting, economic thresholds and life cycles are important to understand and consider. Initial scouting for these pests involves moth trapping, which indicates a possibility of local populations of caterpillars developing. Unfortunately, higher local populations of moths does not always lead to damaging populations of caterpillar, but the correspondence is strong enough to warrant a warning of potential damage to growers in the vicinity..

Black cutworm moth:

Cutting behavior of black cutworm caterpillars is expected 300 growing degree days after the significant flight. The Penn State Agronomy program in Franklin County has recently established a weather station in Chambersburg Pa and has been tracking growing degree days since the significant flight occurred. The threshold was reached on Sunday 5/23/2010. Now is the time to start scouting corn fields to look for cutting damage. Economic thresholds for treatment are 2, 3, 5, and 7 cut plants per 100 for seedling, V2, V3, and V4 respectively.

Treatment options for at-risk areas vary but can include higher rates of neonicotinoid seed treatments where corn has not been planted and planting lines of Bt corn with activity against black cutworm if seed is still needed; however, growers should recognize that neither of these options are completely effective. The most economical control method for cutworm is scouting fields and applying rescue treatments where cutting activity exceeds economic thresholds.

More information on this pest can be found online at http://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/black-cutworm , or by visiting the local extension office.

True armyworm moth:

One of the most important management considerations when dealing with true armyworm is to make sure in areas where you have cover crops or heavy weed cover that you allow a 2 week period after the plants are dead until you plant. This would lead producers trying to get a timely planting of corn who have yet to spray to use a quick killing herbicide such as gramoxone instead of glyphosate.

Once corn is established scout fields closely, especially where heavy cover was. If you find more than 10 percent of your corn in a given field has an infestation of armyworms treatment is encouraged. Armyworms typically are found hiding in the whorl of corn during the day and their feeding creates a ragged looking leaf. In bad cases the leaves will be fed on until nothing but the mid-rib is left.

More information on this pest can be found online at http://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/armyworm, or by visiting the local extension office.

Finally, I would ask that you share this with other farmers in your area who may not receive Agronomy Notes. The greater the awareness of this issue, the less likely we will have economic losses due to these pests. As always, if you have any questions or need hard copies of the fact sheets mentioned above feel free to contact me at the extension office 717-263-9226 ext. 227. I am often away from my desk but check messages frequently.

Rules of the Road: An Update for Agriculture

There is no question that agriculture and the public are constantly interacting. One of the most common areas, for good or for bad, is on public roadways. The large question that does remain, however, is what public regulations do and do not apply to those who are in production agriculture. This question has received heightened awareness over the past months with new legislation passing in regards to farm operations on public highways. Although, like most legislation, some of the law is written in ways that are not so plain, hopefully this article will bring some clarity to the situation.

In 2007 Pennsylvania's motor carrier regulation were audited by the Unites States Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. As a result of this audit deficiencies were found in our current regulations. These deficiencies had to be changed by March of 2010 in order to stay current with the Federal regulations. After much deliberation the final outcome to those involved in agricultural production is one of little change. The changes to our regulations mainly focus around the operation of farm trucks above 17,000 lbs. GVW.

New Intrastate (within state) Requirements for farm trucks above 17,000 lbs:

• Age: Those under age 18 are not permitted to operate a farm truck/trailer combination on public roadways (All licensed drivers can operate straight trucks).


• Medical Certificate: Required for farm trucks (straight and combination) operated more than 150 miles from the farm.


• Inspections: Pre and post trip inspections for both straight and combination farm trucks


• Vehicle Maintenance Records: Required for straight and combination farm trucks

New Exemptions:

• Planting and Harvest season has been extended to include all 12 months


• Service Hours/Logs: Not required if operating within 100 miles of the farm
  
• Additional Logs: Not required if operating more than 100 miles but less than 150 miles from the farm


• Driver History/Testing: Not required for drivers operating within 150 miles of the farm


• Custom harvest operators receive 'farming' exemptions


• Beekeepers receive 'farming' exemptions

A common question that comes with the increased regulations is often; 'what do I do to get a medical certificate. An online form can be printed from http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/topics/medical/aboutdotexam.htm and filled out by your family doctor. This completed form may be used as the certificate or you may use it to qualify yourself to purchase a medical card.

Another question arises with pre and post trip inspections. The post trip inspection must at least cover the following areas: brakes, parking brake, steering, lighting and reflectors, tires, horn, windshield wipers, rearview mirrors, coupling devices, wheels and rims and emergency equipment. The driver must list any conditions found or state that no conditions were found, either way the driver must sign the form. Prior to the next trip the next driver must sign off on the form stating any deficiencies have been corrected or that they do not require immediate attention. If a post trip form lists deficiencies it must be kept with the certification of repairs on file for three months from the date of preparation. A sample form can be found at http://www.agriculture.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_24476_10297_0_43/AgWebsite/Files/General/Transportation%20Forms.pdf on page 4.

Hopefully this will help you to stay within regulations this season while operating your farm trucks. Just as a reminder, remember that this only applies to vehicles with GVW over 17,000 lbs. These regulations do not apply to tractors operated on the road. Although this may seem like it gives more unwanted record keeping a simple clipboard in each of your trucks with a maintenance record as well as some copies of the driver's vehicle inspection report and a pen should keep you in compliance when you are traveling less than 150 miles from the farm. I might suggest getting something similar to this clipboard (http://www.gemplers.com/product/G58514/8-1-2x12-Clipboard-Removable-Compartment ) for 37 dollars that will allow you to fill and file forms all in the truck.

Nitrogen Confusion Correction

A few weeks back I authored an article about nitrogen stabilizers available to our producers. In this article I made mention of Twin N as a products that mitigates volatilization and nitrate leaching. Please note that this information is not correct. Twin N is actually a microbial mix of nitrogen fixing bacteria. Sorry for this confusion, however this does bring us back to the fact as stated in the article to make sure you know what type of inhibitor you want, a urease or nitrification inhibitor. Similar to our herbicide and insecticide counterparts if we know the active ingredients and/or pathways we won't have to worry about specific brand names. Again I apologize for any confusion this has caused.

Frost Damage

With an unusually warm April is seems strange to be talking about frost damage in the second week of May, however here we are. Some of you may have experienced some localized frost damage in corn fields on Sunday to Monday night. If you have recently scouted your emerged corn you may have found water soaked leaves that are unusually dark in color or brown leaves depending on how soon after the frost you may have discovered the corn. These are typical symptoms of frosted corn. If you're wondering what will happen now the best answer is just wait. Prior to making any replant decisions allow a few days to a week for the corn to recover from the frost damage. At the stages that most of our corn is at (emergence-V4) we should be ok. Due to the lack of prolonged cold in our area you will likely find any frost damage sporadic at best with little to no pattern in the field. Low lying fields and areas of fields are more likely to have been damaged as well as fields no-tilled with substantial cover. Again, corn is very resilient at this point in time so give it a little while before decisions are made to replant. I would be very surprised if we have any stands that warrant a replant for frost damage.

Soybeans, on the other hand, are less resilient to frost. I am not aware of any beans that were up and damaged by frost, however if temperatures hold below 30 degrees for any extended period of time beans will die. Again, I would be surprised if we have this type of damage, however localized damage may have occurred in low lying area and could warrant a quick check if you know you had some emerged beans.

IPM Update

As it seems moth numbers are starting to dwindle all over the state it is a good time to look back on what we have found this spring. As noted previously, St. Thomas was the only area that received significant numbers of true armyworm or cutworm moths. When looking at the graph above you can see the trap locations and the sporadic numbers throughout. Populations of both of these species are notoriously spotty. This year's network, I believe, has confirmed this once again.

Due to their sporadic nature it is very hard to know if and when you may have an issue on your own farm with these species. This unknown is why we typically rely on a pre-season application of insecticide as a little insurance policy against these pests. Two issues arise with this type of management. The first issue is that this certainly does not follow the IPM framework of spraying only when a pest population is present and at threshold levels. The second issue, which also has become apparent this year is the timing of the insecticide application may often be wrong for the pest. St. Thomas's significant flight happened on May 28^th. This means any insecticide applied more than a day or two before would have little to no affect on these pests. The moral of this means you are not limiting your damage simply by placing an insecticide up front with your burn down. If you had an insecticide placed on your fields prior to the significant flight you would still have to scout and possibly spray if thresholds were reached just like your neighbor who did not apply an insecticide.

Another question often raised with these pest centers around Bt corn and its control on these pests. Traited corn has become somewhat a norm in much of our industry, however it is not a solution to all problems. A few lines of Herculex Products do have activity on black cutworm, however none of the Bt lines can claim control of true armyworm.

All of these facts and more lead to the conclusion that we all must be vigilant in scouting for pest pressure and understanding pests life cycles and tendencies. Hopefully you can find some help in information such as these posts, and as always feel free to contact me for any additional assistance you may need.

IPM BULLITEN

Penn State Extension in Franklin County has established a grid of eight trapping sites across the county to attempt to survey populations of black cutworm and true armyworm moths. We previously reported that true armyworm moths have been found in the St. Thomas area in large enough numbers to call for added scouting in that area. Now we have detected economically significant flights of black cutworm in the St. Thomas area. Growers in the vicinity and surround areas should be aware of a heightened risk to their corn fields. Note that corn fields planted following soybeans can often sustain heavier populations of black cutworm caterpillars.

Now that significant flights have been detected we can begin accumulating degree days. Cutting behavior of black cutworm caterpillars is expected 300 growing degree days after the significant flight. The Penn State Agronomy program in Franklin County has recently established a weather station in Chambersburg Pa and will be tracking growing degree days. This bulletin will be followed by another once we begin to approach the 300 growing degree days. When the second bulletin is received, folks should start scouting corn fields to look for cutting damage. Economic thresholds for treatment are 2, 3, 5, and 7 cut plants per 100 for seedling, V2, V3, and V4 respectively.

Treatment options for at-risk areas vary but can include higher rates of neonicotinoid seed treatments where corn has not been planted and planting lines of Bt corn with activity against black cutworm if seed is still needed; however, growers should recognize that neither of these options are completely effective. The most economical control method for cutworm is scouting fields and applying rescue treatments where cutting activity exceeds economic thresholds.

More information on this pest can be found online at http://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/black-cutworm , or by visiting the local extension office. Please share this information with others who may be interested in it. Again it appears that the pressure at this point is limited to the greater St. Thomas area. I will continue to keep you up to date if populations build elsewhere.

Nitrogen Confusion

As the spring season starts off and you are planning your fertility programs a question may arise as to what is the best way to handle nitrogen? When we used to talk about nitrogen management it was largely based on your method of application, were you going to put the nitrogen in the ground or apply it on top. After that we would recommend different fertilizers due to their properties to minimize loss. These approaches still work, however the focus has now been turned to nitrogen stabilization products to help keep nitrogen in the field and crop available.

Before we get too deep into these products we first need a basic understanding nitrogen and the major ways we can lose it. For plants there are two forms of nitrogen they can utilize, ammonium and nitrate. Each of these have their own losses associated with them. It is also important to note that these forms are not static in the soil, for instance ammonium can change forms to nitrate.

The most common form of loss is volatilization. This occurs when ammonium (NH₄⁺) looses a hydrogen ion to form ammonia (NH₃). The ammonia ion is what we associate with some of the manure smell on broadcast applications. This ammonia is a gas and it is lost to the atmosphere. This only happens in our soils with products containing urea such as UAN and manures. The 'old' way to control this loss was to incorporate these products into the soil by either injection or tillage.

The other loss mechanism is leaching. If we think back to basic soils we may remember that our soil has a negative charge. This allows it to hold positively charged ions such as ammonium, potassium, calcium and others. However the negative to this is that our other plant available form of nitrogen, nitrate, is negatively charged. As we all know like charges repel. This means that the nitrate molecules are not held to the soil and can be washed out of the root zone during wet conditions.

Now how do you choose between the products on the market such as Agrotain, Agrotain Plus, N-Serve, Twin N, Instinct; just to name a few. Although there are a many products the answer still lies in what you are applying and how you will be applying it. It is very important to ask your sales representative what form(s) of nitrogen loss their product inhibits. For instance, if you are applying UAN (an ammonium product) with a sprayer or broadcasting dry urea your largest worry is volatilization. This means you want a product that inhibits volatilization. These products are broadly known as urease inhibitors. This actually stops the reaction that changes ammonium to ammonia. So if you are broadcasting nitrogen that is subject to volatilization (UAN, Urea, etc.) you want to use a urease inhibitor. Agrotain is an example of a urease inhibitor.

If you are injecting your nitrogen you are already limiting the losses due to volatilization so you are more likely to be worried about losing nitrate nitrogen. For this situation you will need to use the product broadly called a nitrification inhibitor. It is important to note that these products to not stop the leaching of nitrate already in the soil they simply do not allow the ammonium ion to convert to nitrate. Products such as N-Serve , Instinct, and Guardian are nitrification inhibitors. Nitrification inhibitors have the most value when N is applied long before expected crop uptake and especially on soils at the extreme of soil drainage ie. excessively well drained or very poorly drained soils. For example, a lot of N is fall applied in the midwest and a nitrification inhibitor is essential but that is not a common practice in our area. The last class of nitrogen stabilization products are nothing new but actually a mix of the two previous. Products such as Agrotain Plus and Twin N are actually a mixture that will mitigate volatilization and nitrate leaching.

The important point on all of this is pay for what you need, not what you don't need. For instance, if you are injecting it makes little sense to use a urease inhibitor, but a nitrification inhibitor may be a good option depending on your soil conditions and timing of N application. For those who are broadcasting you have the choice of using just a urease inhibitor to stop volatilization or both urease and nitrification inhibitors. This will largely depend on your rate of application and how long you are depending on that nitrogen. If you are putting everything on up front well before crop uptake you may want to use both inhibitors, if not maybe only a urease inhibitor.

A final note is that the products mentioned are only a few of the total products out there. For products not listed, simply ask what the specific mode of action is for the product. If you have any other questions please contact me or your local extension agent.

Additives	Mode of Action	Example Products
Urease Inhibitors	Inhibit volatilization from surface applied urea containing fertilizers	Agrotain
Nitrification Inhibitors	Inhibits conversion of ammonium N (NH4+) to nitrate N (NO3-). Can reduce loss of N by leaching in well drained soils or denitrification in poorly drained soils	N Serve Instinct Guardian
Combination Products	Both urease inhibitor and nitrification inhibitor	Agrotain Plus

IPM Bulletin

Penn State Extension in Franklin County has established a grid of eight trapping sites across the county to attempt to survey populations of black cutworm and true armyworm moths. Both species have now been found in the county; however, black cutworm moths have not been found at threshold levels. True armyworm moths have been found at most sites with the most in the St. Thomas area, which had 10 moths last week. Other sites had two or less. These findings suggest that populations may be heavy in the greater St. Thomas area for true armyworms and special attention should be given when scouting and making recommendations in this area.

One of the most important management considerations when dealing with true armyworm is to make sure in areas where you have cover crops or heavy weed cover that you allow a 2 week period after the plants are dead until you plant. This would lead producers trying to get a timely planting of corn who have yet to spray to use a quick killing herbicide such as gramoxone instead of glyphosate.

Once corn is established scout fields closely, especially where heavy cover was. If you find more than 10 percent of your corn in a given field has an infestation of armyworms treatment is encouraged. Armyworms typically are found hiding in the whorl of corn during the day and their feeding creates a ragged looking leaf. In bad cases the leaves will be fed on until nothing but the mid-rib is left.

More information on this pest can be found online at http://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/armyworm, or by visiting the local extension office. Please share this information with others who may be interested in it. Again it appears that the pressure at this point is limited to the greater St. Thomas area. I will continue to keep you up to date if populations build elsewhere.

The ‘Corn Guys’ have left the county!

Penn State has established two plots in Franklin County to help you make better decisions when buying next year's corn for grain and/or silage. In cooperation with Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania (PDMP) Penn State established a corn silage hybrid test plot. This plot will include both full season and short season varieties and will be taken to harvest where quality samples will also be analyzed from each hybrid. In addition to the research going on we will also have a field day held at Burk-Lea Farms in association with this plot on August 12^th.

The other plot established in the county is a corn grain hybrid trial. This trial will be similar to the PDMP trial; however it will be taken to yield for grain. Measurements from this plot will include yield and grain quality.

All of this data is then compiled into the 2010 Pennsylvania Commercial Grain and Silage Hybrid Corn Test Report. These reports come out over the winter and are typically available during our winter meetings. The reports give you a way to see local data as well as the other sites around the state. Hopefully this will help you in your future decisions for what varieties may suit you the best.

Wheat Fungicide Trials

As some may know Penn State Extension is continuing a wheat fungicide trial and we have a site in Franklin County. This trial is looking at early applied (Feekes 5-6) fungicide with a follow up at emergence to the typical fungicide application at boot to emergence. So far there are no notable differences among treatments but it is interesting to note that powdery mildew is present in all treatments. The severity of the infection is quite minimal so little can be said about performance among treatments, however it is present. Dr. Collins of our SE Research station, a pathologist by training, has stated that this fungus likes 50-70 degree weather the best so if it warms up significantly it could slow the infection. Looking ahead at the forecast it appears in the near future we will likely keep conditions favorable for infection. If you are scouting for this pathogen look for lesions as noted on the bottom leaf in the photo. These lesions will have a small amount of white 'fuz' in and around them. This may be visible with the human eye but you can definitely see it with a 10x hand lens. I will keep you up to date as this study continues to unfold.

Cutworm Moth Trapping Update

So the first moth has been caught. My colleague Jeff Graybill in Lancaster County got a moth this week. When I check the Franklin County traps this week I did not have any moths but it appears we may start finding them. Just a reminder that this does not mean we are at a threshold of moths just simply that they appear to be starting their yearly trek northwards. I will keep you up to date on the progress of these as well as what it means as far as treatment etc. If you want to check out the data yourself as we progress remember to check out PA PIPE. This website has a plethora of information for pest management.

Spring pastures can bring bloat

Spring time is here and pastures are growing quickly. With this new lush growth also comes an increased concern for bloat. Bloat typically occurs on young fast growing pastures that have more than 50 percent legumes (clover, alfalfa, etc.). Bloat is simply a condition brought on due to excess protein in the rumen which creates foam that will not allow gasses to escape the rumen. This condition leads to excess pressure in the cattle's rumen and in worst cases can lead to death. Bloat can be a major problem on lush spring pastures, however it can be managed.

The first step in managing bloat is to identify your pastures containing more than 50 percent legumes. These pastures will contain high protein levels especially in the spring when all of the growth is new and lush. Identify your pastures that are most likely to be a problem and use extra caution when animals are on those pastures. If all of your pastures contain high portions of legumes you want to take special care to give animals time to get used to the pastures early in the spring.

Management strategies such as feeding grass hay prior to the grazing period and not allowing access to pastures when excess moisture is present due to rain or heavy dew will help minimize the occurrence of bloat. Over eating frequently occurs when hungry cattle are turned onto fresh pastures with high percentage of legumes. Bloat is probable if these animals have not been accustomed to the legume mixture. Feeding grass hay prior to grazing allows the cattle to fill the rumen with a lower protein feed and will decrease the occurrence of over eating and thus minimizes the risk of bloat. Continue to feed hay prior to grazing for 5-6 days. During this time decrease the amount of hay fed until they are dependent totally on the pasture.

Poloxalene is another management option for those dealing with high percentage legume pastures. This chemical reacts in the rumen and decreases the instance of foam and allows excess gasses to escape naturally. This chemical is most easily fed in a molasses, salt, and poloxalene block mix. Allow one block for every 5-6 cattle and keep them in places where cattle typically gather. You may also be able to add poloxalene into any grain mixes you may be feeding. You should feed half a pound of poloxalene per animal.

Finally, the best management strategy will be to check your cattle frequently, about twice a day. This will allow you to observe any problems that may exist. The first visual sign of bloat is a notable increase in the fullness of the left side of the animal. If a cow is struggling with bloat you may be able to alleviate the symptoms by inserting a hose into the rumen to allow gasses to escape. Additionally there are oral products on the market that can be fed to aid in recovery. Consult your veterinarian about these products. If neither of these options work, you may want to attempt to use a trocar or cantula to relieve the pressure in the rumen; however, these should be the last resorts and should be observed by a veterinarian.

Using these steps you should be able to effectively manage bloat in your cattle without instances of emergency management. If questions or concerns still exist call myself or your local extension agent to assist you in your specific situation.

Weather, IPM, Soil and more…

As spring is kicking off a lot is starting up in the Agronomy program too. I have installed a new weather station at the office and hopefully it will be up online soon to get real-time local data to you. This is especially important with the calculation of degree days for some of our IPM efforts. The station also tracts soil temperature and moisture at 3 inches and 1 foot as well as leaf wetness. I believe this will be a great asset to our local farmers as well as research efforts to have good, consistent, local data.
We have also started our IPM network that has 8 sites throughout the county trapping for cutworm moths and armyworm moths. So far we have had no activity in the traps, which is to be expected, but as we continue to warm we should start some catches. I'll keep you up to date on where the catches are and if we reach the economic threshold. I'll also be posting information on how to react to the levels of pressure I'm seeing.
As soils continue to warm we know planting season is near. Soil temperatures at the office are averaging about 51 degrees at 3 inches. What I have observed so far in the field has been anywhere from 49 to 52 degrees (the field temperatures were taken in the afternoon).
Overall everything seems to be coming together nicely for us. Hopefully we will stay away from extremely wet soil conditions so we can start this growing season of with a timely corn planting. This week looks like lots of sunny weather to catch up on alfalfa planting and get manure hauled if need be.

Your help is needed…

Due to a major oversight on my part the cover crop flyer was sent out without specific instruction on how to get to the cover crop plot. Please find the directions below. Also if you know of anyone who may be interested in this and does check this blog please share this information with them.

Directions to plot/field day:

Take I-81 to exit 17.

Go east on Walker Rd (left if from north, right if from south).

Continue about ½ mile and plot will be on your right.

Signs will be marking the way from the exit 17.

Sorry for any confusion this has caused.

Thanks,
Jonathan Rotz

Spring has sprung…

With temperatures over the weekend in the 70's it is certainly feeling more and more like spring. Additionally, all of the small grains, cover crops and perennial forages have taken off. With a little more moisture today things are definitely ready to grow. Now is a great time to be top dressing your small grain fields as well as putting spring nitrogen on pastures and hay fields. Obviously you want to make sure you fields are fit for traffic and haven't gotten too wet lately.

This time of year is also a great time to take an estimate of weed pressure in your winter grain and perennial stands. Make sure you scout not only for weed pressure but types of weeds as well so you can make the best herbicide selection possible.

On another note you can see how my test plots are coming where we are looking into inter cropping rye and radish to allow corn planting in between the rye rows. This will hopefully allow early planting of corn into this live cover crop. If this works the theory is that some of our corn pests such as slugs may be more willing to feed on the rye undercover then venture into the sun to injure the corn. I'll keep you up to date on this as well as the other research I have a going on around the county.

IPM Network Established

This year I will again be capturing moths to attempt to follow and predict activity. This spring I will be trapping Black Cutworm Moth as well as Armyworm. Many times blanket applications of insecticide are put down to act as an insurance against early season pests such as black cutworm, but is this really needed and thus economical. Last year my site in Franklin County never reached the threshold level of moths to feel that we had enough pressure to worry with cutworms. I also didn't hear of any issues with cutworms locally, but that doesn't mean they didn't happen. The question arose from this study last year, how irregular can these moth patterns be over large areas? In other words, if I scout one area of the county do I really get a full picture of the pressure? Well with the hope to answer this question this year I'll have 8 trapping sites across the county. These sites will be located in State Line, Mercersburg, Mont Alto, Chambersburg, St. Thomas, Shippensburg, Path Valley and Pleasant Hall Areas. Hopefully we will see uniformity in numbers and times of catches with these traps. I will also be updating you on what the pressure is like via this blog. Hopefully we can get great data off of this and start minimizing our reliance on 'insurance sprays.' This will save on our bottom line as well as possibly preserve beneficial insects that can help us control some of our pest populations.

Preparing for Spring…

Even I have to get ready for spring and in all the meetings of the season that can be a little dificult, however you can help by taking an minute and seeing if you would be willing in participating in any of the following research/demonstration plots this next year. If so please get in contact with me.

· Conservation Innovations (10 acres minimum): This grant will work with farmers who want to try manure injection, cover crops, non-traditional cover crops, and the roller crimper. Ten acres will be used with 5 acres being traditional practice and 5 being the innovative practice.
· Corn Grain Hybrid Trial: Penn State is looking for a cooperator for a corn grain hybrid trial. This trial will have both conventional and modified corn so a conventional spray program will need to be used. All grain from the plot is given to the cooperator.
· Compaction Study: Ten farms on Hagerstown soils are needed. Two soybean fields will be needed per farm. Soil compaction will be surveyed prior to planting. Four farms will be used then to determine yield benefits of sub-soiling (dependent on grant approval).
· Soybean Rust/Aphid Monitoring: Small plot needed for scouting rust and aphids (approx 60x100). Full season beans without seed treatment (in plot the rest of the field can have treated seeds) are needed. This is a non-destructive experiment.
· IPM Trapping Network: Cooperators needed (3) in Path Valley, Waynesboro, and Mercersburg areas. Trapping supplies will be supplied and set up. Traps will need to be checked at least weekly, dead moths collected, and numbers phoned or e-mailed to the extension office.
Demonstration Needs:
· Herbicide Plots: Small plots in corn and soybeans with various spray treatments (single and multiple pass). We will spray the plots and hold a field day at the farm. Footpaths will likely be cut into plots for rating plots and field day.
· Cover Crop Plots: Plots will be established in fall 2010 (typically look for silage ground or fallow wheat) and a fall and spring cover crop walk will be held.

Could it be?

As we continue to deal with piles of snow and drifting roadways it seems that spring is far off, however some have already started thinking of it. A report that came out a while ago on AOL news was talking about long range forecasting models and what they are showing for this spring. The long range forecast shows that much of the nation and almost all of Pennsylvania may be looking at below average temperatures with above average rain fall. This could mean another wet spring that is hard to prep our fields as well as plant? Of course I'm not too worried about this at this time. It seems like it is a long stretch for most forecasters to get tomorrow's weather right, let alone a few months out. Never the less it does make us think that we may want to take a little extra time to think out a sound strategy for spring time. Make a game plan that is flexible yet can outline steps needed for each field, such as manure, burn down, tillage, etc. Take some time now to do your maintenance on machinery to make sure it is ready to go as soon as your soil is fit. All of these steps will help you to be ready for warm soils and dry weather and more likely to get timely planted crops.

Now is a great time for planter maintenance

As we start a new year this is an excellent time to pull those planters in the shop and get them ready for the upcoming planting season this spring. Planters that are not operating well can create uneven spacing within the row and/or uneven depth of the seeds. Both of these factors can greatly reduce your yields. Studies have shown that yields can be reduced from 7-15 bushels per acre by poor planting. As you can see this possible reduction in yield potential makes a few parts you may need to increase your planting efficiency very economical. One additional thought. As you check these parts have a grease gun and oil can in hand and make sure all moving parts are well lubricated.

The main areas to check when servicing your planter are bushings, bearings, and openers. Walk around your corn planter and first take a hold of each row unit. Attempt to sway the unit from side to side. If the unit moves side to side your bushings are worn and will need replaced. Additionally, make certain the units do not have a lot of play up and down. This will cause bouncing across the field and thus uneven seed depth.

Next check and make sure all moving parts such as gauge wheels, coulters, and press wheels move freely with no play. If these are not freely moving or they have play in them you may need to replace bearings and or bushings depending on the part.

Lastly on the external check look over your double disc openers. Take two business cards and slide one in between the front side of the discs and one between the back side of the discs. These cards should be 'pinched' with about 2-3" between them (see picture; photo credit John Rowehl). If they pass through or are very close to each other the openers need to be replaced.

Once your ground engaging parts have been checked other areas to pay attention to are seed tubes and your pick-up mechanism on appropriate planters.

First make sure your seed tubes are clear of any obstructions and cleaned so now seed treatment residues exist. Also make certain that the bottom of the tube does not have any wear that would change the path of the seed when being dropped. You will also want to pay attention to where the seed tube is aimed.

Lastly open up your pick up unit (if your planter has one) and check that the motion is smooth and little to no residues are on the plates (this is a good time have someone turn the shaft that powers your chains while you are watching the pick ups).

After all of this is done it is a good time to calibrate you planter to make sure everything is operating properly. A good factsheet is available on line from Perdue that will take you step by step through both the maintenance and calibration of your planter. With a little foresight now you will be ready to go as soon as the soil is warm enough to plant.

Meeting Season is upon us.

As you may have noticed I'm updating my blog a little less frequently lately. If you have received one of my flyers in the mail recently you may know why. We have a lot going on this winter season in Franklin County. We just held the grazing conference this Tuesday and it was a great success. On Monday we have the grain marketing workshop from 9 to 2:30 at the Ag heritage center. Still to come we have Franklin County Crops day, Pesticide updates, and a fumigation meeting. Feel free to call the Franklin County Extension Office if you want more details or want to register. I'm looking forward to seeing you at these meetings and hopefully they get us ready to jump back into spring when the soils finally warm up.

Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow…

The postal service isn't the only one who keeps going through it all. The local cover crop plot is looking good. The varieties that will winter kill (oats and radish) have for the most part died, however some of the later planting is amazingly still going. I suppose this may have to do with insulation from the snow we have had. Additionally, the radish has be dead for about three weeks now but it seems to be breaking down a lot slower this winter. With a little bit of a break from the cold we will see what comes as far as decomposition. As a reminder there are still signs and information at the plots so feel free to stop by and take a look.

As a side note I have had two in depth conversations with folks not associated with farms while I have been taking pictures and sampling with the plots. This has been a great catalyst for conversations about how farmers are conservation minded and desire to be good stewards.

Grazing Conference is Fast Approaching

As some of you may have heard we are holding a grazing conference this winter in Franklin County. The conference will be on January 12^th, that's next Tuesday! The cost of this conference is 10 dollars (12 dollars after tomorrow) and that fee will include lunch. Topics for this event include basic soils and nutrient cycling, managing your bottom line, orchardgrass diseases, pasture measurement techniques and Perry County grazier Duane Hertzler will be presenting some information about how he views grazing. If you're interested in this event please contact me to sign up or get more information.