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Volume 7 – Number 28
Get the Most Out of Your Pasture Herbicide Applications
If you have pastures or hay fields, weeds will always be an issue. Good fertility and grazing management will go a long way towards keeping weeds in check and these factors should be evaluated and addressed as a means of weed prevention. However, chances are that from time to time it will become necessary to use herbicides to control problem weeds. There are many excellent herbicides available for use in pastures and hay fields. Thankfully, when selected and used correctly, these products are an economically sound way to control most of our problem weeds. This article discusses a few key principles to help you maximize the value realized out of your herbicide program.
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Olive Oil Extracts May Reduce Stress in Weaned Calves
The fact that stress is detrimental to animal performance is a well-known concept in beef cattle production. The impact of stress on cattle is observed at various levels, and it can have multiple consequences, all of them ultimately affecting growth and performance. Stress is a very complex process to define and can take place in many different forms. During a stress event, the animals may experience an inflammatory process that ultimately leads to the overproduction of certain types of proteins called pro-inflammatory acute phase proteins. The production of these proteins has a cost in terms of nutrient use efficiency, and these nutrients are diverted away from productive processes into fighting an inflammatory process. In 2017, the University of Florida, North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC) began a series of research projects aimed at investigating the potential of olive oil bioactive extracts as a potential feed additive to mitigate stress in cattle. In this edition of the Panhandle Ag e-newsletter, we will share the results of the in vivo trials.
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Follow BQA Guidelines When Treating and Selling Cows
Summer time often brings a few infectious ailments to beef cows. Common problems include eye infections and foot rot. Treatment of affected cows will often involve the use of antibiotics. In the past, and on very rare occasions, violative residues of pharmaceutical products have been found in carcass tissues of cull beef cows. Violations of drug residue regulations can result in expensive fines (or even worse, jail time) for the rancher and a “black-eye” for the entire beef industry. It is vital that cow calf producers have a close working relationship with a large animal veterinarian in their area. If a cow has an infection or disease that must be treated, her owner should closely follow the veterinarian’s directions, and also read the label of the product used. Most of these medications will require that the producer keep the treated animal for the label-directed withdrawal time before the animal can be slaughtered, or milk used for human consumption.
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USDA Researching New Test to Determine Nitrogen Levels in Soil
Nitrogen is the main nutrient added to cereal crops like corn, which makes them grow faster and stronger. But too much of a good thing could sometimes have negative outcomes. Too much nitrogen can run off with rainwater or leach through to soil and contaminate groundwater. Now, a simple, rapid and reliable test can determine the nitrogen amount in soil. Dr. Alan Franzluebbers, with Agricultural Research Service’s (ARS) Plant Science Research Unit in Raleigh, North Carolina, and his colleagues illustrated how soil nitrogen mineralization can be predicted with a three-day analysis of soil-test biological activity (STBA). Using STBA, corn growers now have a preseason test that can more accurately determine the proper amount of nitrogen to apply for economically optimum yield.
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Friday Feature: The Ride Over Gate
This week’s featured video was produced by Netafim to introduce their FlexNet™ drip irrigation system. Unlike traditional layflat tubing systems that must be pierced for drip-line tubing attachment, their FlextNet plastic tubing has built in connectors to prevent leaks at the hose source. These connectors can be customized to match a farmers specific row spacing from 12-40″. This innovative irrigation system could be useful for irrigation of vegetables, cucurbits, or other crops with drip irrigation in the row beds.
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