Farm Facts for Fairfield County
Farm Facts for Fairfield County
for November 22, 2002 ; also seen on Fridays in the Lancaster Eagle Gazette
This growing season's topsy-turvy weather may have impacted more than crop performance and subsequent yields. Maurice Watson, an Ohio State University Extension soil specialist with the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC), said that the wet spring followed by a summer drought may have also affected soil nutrient concentrations. As a result, growers should test their soil for nutrient availability following harvest to determine whether or not fertilizer is required before spring planting.
"Most growers test their fields to determine nutrient concentrations. We recommend testing every three years, so that growers over time get a feel for the natural variation of nutrient levels in the soil," said Watson. "This year is just more of a concern because of the extreme wet and dry conditions we encountered."
Watson said that varying soil conditions affect a plant's ability to uptake nutrients effectively. Under extreme wet conditions, the oxygen supply to the roots is limited, affecting the uptake of nutrients, even though the nutrients are present in sufficient concentrations. Under drought conditions, plants are unable to take up nutrients because of the lack of water flow to the roots and the lack of growth or slow growth of the plant.
"Because of this year's drought, it is possible not as much fertilizer will be needed by next year's crop on a field that was sufficiently fertilized this year. In addition, it is possible that not enough fertilizer was applied this year because of the very wet spring," Watson said. "Despite either condition, a soil test will determine whether or not nutrients are at their optimum levels."
Watson said growers should mainly test for phosphorus and potassium, the two main elements that can impact a plant's performance if they are in deficient levels.
"In a nutrient-deficient situation, the biochemical reactions are not going to be what they should be under normal conditions. You may get a reduction in protein formation, which is the main building blocks of the plant," said Watson. "A plant will tend to take some nutrient elements from the older leaf tissue and put it toward the younger leaves to compensate, particularly in the case of nitrogen or potassium deficiencies. As a result, you don't get the normal development of the plant and yield is then reduced."
Plants may also run into a nutrient imbalance if nutrient levels are too high in the soil. In addition, nutrient levels are also impacted by soil type (sandy soils have less of a reservoir for nutrients than clay or silt loam soils), as well as the type of crop being planted. For example, corn silage and alfalfa remove more potassium from the soil than grain crops.
Guidelines for choosing a quality soil-testing laboratory can be found online at http//ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1133.html. More information on fertilizer and lime recommendations for corn, soybeans, wheat and alfalfa is available in the Tri-State Bulletin E-2567, which can be obtained from the county Extension office or online at http//ohioline.osu.edu/e2567/.
Prepare Equipment for Winter Storage
As the harvest season comes to a close and the holidays approach, many grain farmers are often so anxious to make the transition from tractor seat to recliner and take in as much football and turkey as possible, that they often neglect simple money saving chores such as proper winter storage preparation for equipment. Not to say that everyone just pulls the combine in the barn, parks the tractor with next to the fuel tank with the tillage equipment still hooked up and then hibernates for the winter, but many simple tasks do get overlooked each year before winter.
There is no arguing the fact that equipment that is kept clean and maintained well mechanically lasts longer and performs better in the field. So why not take an extra day or two and perform some of those maintenance chores now and save time and money in the spring when equipment can then be ready to go sooner?
Many farmers may consider it their winter job to do things such as strip the planter down and service the tractor, but making little things late fall jobs such as cleaning and greasing tillage equipment, washing tractors, blowing combines off, and oiling rusty parts will make these tasks easier and the winter workload lighter.
And don't stop at the simple washing of the tractor or blowing the dust off the combine - make sure all the water is dried or removed from all areas around equipment to prevent premature rusting, and use a broom or shop-vac on the combine as well to make sure all grain is cleaned out and rodents will have nothing to feed on in your barn over the winter. In addition, check antifreeze levels in all motorized machinery and be sure to keep any tractors or other machinery needed for winter jobs such as snow removal or brush line clean-up parked in easily accessible spots. If possible, always store equipment inside and be sure to fasten barn doors down so mother nature does not provide added work for the spring.
Whatever your winter task schedule has in store, just don't let a frustrating and disappointing growing season make it worse by not taking a few extra hours to properly store your equipment. In the spring, you will not only be ahead of schedule, but will have dependable, more valuable equipment to work with and more time to worry about the weather!
Use Both Sides of the Neck
To follow Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) guidelines, producers are instructed to administer injections in the neck of their animals. Now producers are being told to tighten the previous injection site zone by a hand's width in front of the shoulder - and this brings up a new challenge: How do you administer all the products needed in such a small area?
The key is to use both sides of the neck and to take the time required to hit the newly tightened injection site zone.
Using the small, triangular mass of neck muscle ahead of the slope of the shoulder for all injections isn't as hard as it may sound, explains Tom R. Troxel, Ph.D., Extension Beef Cattle Specialist at the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.
"The best location for an injection is not necessarily the most convenient," Dr. Troxel states. "It is the site where the product will be most beneficial without the risk of damaging expensive cuts of meat."
Dr. Troxel stresses that producers should never administer injections into the hind quarters. Intramuscular (IM) and subcutaneous (SubQ) injections must be administered in front of the shoulder, and preferably in the tightened injection site zone.
National Cattlemen's BQA Trainer's Manual and Trainer's Reference Information notes that spacing of injections is relative to the product specifications indicated by the manufacturer. As a general rule, however, injections should be 2 to 3 inches apart.
The "why" behind keeping products 2 to 3 inches apart is simple: Products can interfere with each other, rendering one or both products ineffective. Additionally, reactions to various products can occur.
NCBA's BQA manual points out that rarely should animals require more than two injections per side of the neck. If the plan includes more than two injections per side, producers are asked to rethink three factors: 1) the need for the products being considered; 2) the documented efficacy data available for the products being considered; and 3) the availability of other products that would offer combined or multiple functions that would replace two or more of the individual products being considered.
Steve Boyles, Ph.D., Beef Extension Specialist at The Ohio State University, says he visually estimates the spacing required when administering multiple injections.
"I just move about 2 inches from last injection," Dr. Boyles explains. "This is visual enough for me. Using my fingers to measure off might increase my chances of sticking myself."
Other vaccination tips offered by Dr. Boyles include administering no more than 10cc per injection site, avoid administering injections in areas tainted with mud and/or manure and never use a bent needle. Dr. Boyles also urges producers to use well-constructed restraints to ensure both the animal's and producer's safety.
"Having a good corral and holding area can reduce many problems and also reduce operation 'frustration and injury,'" Dr. Boyles says. "There are some facility manufacturers who have created headgates with an area just behind the head restraint so that you can access the neck much easier."
And, remember, injections can be given in both sides of the neck. While this practice may take more time, it's more BQA friendly - and worth the effort. For more information regarding BQA,or the next BQA education program being held in your area, contact your local OSU Extension agent. Producers may also visit the Ohio BQA website found at beef.osu.edu for more information.
For a listing of upcoming programs, meetings and events, visit the AG CALENDAR
Farms Facts is a weekly newspaper column, written by the agriculture staff at the Ohio State University Extension office in
Fairfield County.
All educational programs conducted by Ohio State University Extension are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, gender, age, disability or Vietnam-era veteran status.
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Keith L. Smith, Director, Ohio State University Extension.
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