Are You Overstocked?

Submitted by Emily Herring

Pender County Livestock Agent

Being a Livestock Agent I have heard this question several times, “I’ve got 10 acres of pastures, how many cows can I have?” and I have also heard “I’ve got 3 horses and 1.5 acres of pasture, why can’t I grow any grass?” Do you know the answers to these questions? Both of these questions have to deal with carrying capacity. The answers to these questions could be very simple or complicated; it just depends on a combination of different factors. Carrying capacity is defined as the stocking rate that achieves a targeted level of animal or economic performance over a defined period of time without causing deterioration of the pasture ecosystem. Stocking rate is defined as the number of animals stocked per acre of grazing land in a management unit for a defined period of time and is correlated with carrying capacity. Carrying capacity depends on several factors including- soil productivity, rainfall, and management ability of the landowner. If a producer has pastured land that is very sandy then in general it is safe to say the land is not the most productive soil type available for growing all types of grasses. Sandy soil does not have the capability of holding moisture because of the lack of clay in the soil and the size of the particles of the sand. This is a factor that is out of the producer’s hand, but is a deciding factor when determing pasture grasses to plant and management schemes for your operation. For example a sandy soil would be able to grow a warm season grass like Bermuda or Bahiagrass with proper management and would not be able to grow fescue. Therefore as a manager you could have summer grasses for grazing and would have to feed hay in the winter and/or overseed with ryegrass or a small grain for supplemental grazing. These things should be taken into consideration when deciding stocking rates. How do you know if you are overstocked? One way to tell is if the planted grass in your pastures is not present during the times it is supposed to be actively growing, then there is a good chance you may be overstocked if all other factors are not the problem.

Stocking rate is the number of animals on an acre of grazing land in management for a certain period of time. If Producer A and Producer B both have the same number of acres of Bermuda pastures, with the same number of cows, on the same type of soil and Producer A is able to run more cows per acre than the other with a healthy stand of Bermuda year after year, what other factors do could be in his favor than Producer B? The planning process of establishing pastures in the beginning has a huge impact on carrying capacity. Producer A could be taking soil samples yearly and applying the proper amount of nutrients and lime needed to help his bermudagrass grow more efficiently. He may have also anticipated on having brood cows when establishing pastures whereas Producer B anticipated having goats when establishing his pastures. Producer A could also have his pastures broken up into different fields for the use of rotational grazing with his brood cows and Producer B just allows the cows to graze the same pasture without rotation for the entire season. Properly fertilized/limed, what animals will be on the pasture, what stage of production they are in, and how you manage them on the pastures are all important factors that affect the capability of the pastured land to hold a certain number of animals. For help with determining your carrying capacity and stocking rate for your situation please contact your county Livestock Agent for assistance because there is so many different factors that determine your carrying capacity.

Are Your Sows in Condition?

Submitted by

Eileen A. Coite

Wayne County

With winter in full swing, one of the most critical goals of any livestock producer is making sure his or her animals are in suitable body condition to brave the cold temperatures. Luckily for our sows, most of them (unless you are an outdoor producer) are tucked away in a nice climate controlled building, equipped with gas heaters. In fact, we’re usually more concerned about sow comfort in the summer months, making sure no one is overheated. Either way, its important to make sure these ladies are comfortable and healthy year-around so they can do their job well.

One of the critical management factors we need to continually evaluate in the sow herd is body condition. Maintaining the ideal body condition score is key to keeping sows fertile, pregnant, or lactating, depending on where they are in the production stage. Of course, it’s a big circle anyway and getting out of condition in any stage will have an impact down the road. Not to mention it will impact the feed bill when sows aren’t in consistent body condition. Having to “bump up” too many feeders can have a tremendous impact on these costs in addition to the delay in her production efficiency, whether it be from delaying her breeding cycle, slowing down her milking ability, or weaning her litter.

So what is ideal? It depends on the production stage she is currently at. If we start with farrowing, the ideal condition would be a 3 to 3.5. Scoring this at farrowing will give her the best potential to stay at or above a score of 2.5 at weaning, which will put her in ideal condition for breeding. A good goal would be to have 80% of farrowed sows scoring at least a 3 at farrowing. Remember, getting sows too fat before farrowing is no good either. Overweight sows can have dystocia (difficult farrowing) problems as well as lactation issues once the pigs arrive. Often overweight sows will have milking difficulties as much as an underweight sow. The chart seen below is widely used across the swine industry for body condition monitoring. Points to evaluate on the sow are the ribs, the backbone, the “H” bones (hip or hook bones) and the pin bones. It is often useful to actually feel the sow instead of just visually evaluating her, and remember that different animals will show condition in different areas, just as we do. Using the Body Condition Score (BCS) chart seen above (Fig 2) will help illustrate this.

The best time to score sows would be at critical times in her gestation, or at times when she is being monitored for something else as well. For example, at breeding is a good time to score her, and again approximately 30 days later at pregnancy checking. Other good times would be at day 80 when we look for visible outward signs of pregnancy. Checking about every 3-4 weeks, usually at these critical stages is a good rule of thumb, since a visible change in her condition is hard to detect on a more frequent basis.

After assessing the sow, adjusting the feed (if needed) is the next most obvious, critical management strategy. So how much should we adjust? First, it’s important to have what’s called a “base feeding rate” during gestation. Usually, this would be somewhere in the 4.5-5 pound range of a corn/soybean meal based diet. If you are a contract grower, your company service person or training staff will be the best resource for recommending the base-feeding rate for your sows. After the base feeding rate has been established, then you can add or take away to meet condition. If the sow were a score of 2, she would need an additional pound added to her ration. For a score of 1 she would need at least 2 pounds more. On the other end of the scale, a score of 4 would merit a reduction of ½ pound, while a score of 5 needs a pound taken away. BCS scoring and adjusting feed is very subjective, and it is critical to make sure the SAME person (or persons) does this job each time! Never send a different person out to condition score and adjust feeders, and each of us may score slightly different. Consistency is the key here.

As always, consult your veterinarian or nutritionist as to the best management system for your herd. If you are a grower with a particular company, you will most likely have guidelines for BCS scoring that the integrator expects you to follow, which take into account the genetics of your sows. The article should serve as a guideline but in no way replace recommendations of your service or training personnel, nutritionist or veterinarian. Information used in this article can be found at: www.thepigsite.com. Search for “Assessing Sow Body Condition”, written by R.D. Coffey, G.R. Parker, and K.M. Laurent, University of Kentucky, 1999 UK Cooperative Extension Service.

Are Ewe Kidding?

By: Margaret A. Bell, Extension Agent – Livestock

Complied from: Managing Kidding and Lambing. Mary C. Smith, DVM. 2005. Cornell Sheep & Goat Symposium.

When your does and ewes go into labor, you want to make sure you are prepared to help them kid or lamb, if the need arises. As a livestock owner, you should familiarize yourself with symptoms of dystocia (difficulty during parturition) and know what to do in the event of an emergency.

Typically, most does and ewes are going to successfully complete parturition without human assistance. The doe or ewe is likely going to wait until she is by herself or the surrounding areas are quiet before she begins to kid or lamb. Sometimes it is just best to step aside and let mother nature take over. However, sometimes, it is best to aid a doe or ewe in distress.

When in doubt, a good rule to use is the 30-30-30 rule. Allow 30 minutes for delivery to be completed after a doe or ewe goes into labor. As an exception to this rule, do not wait 30 minutes for the kid or lamb to be born if it is yellow with meconium. This is an indication it is already not receiving enough oxygen and should be delivered immediately. If things appear to be normal and the mother has not had any problems so far, you may allow an additional 30 minutes before you step in. Lastly, if the doe or ewe has already had one or more fetuses without human assistance but you believe there to be another fetus, you may allow another 30 minutes to pass before you help deliver that fetus.

After becoming comfortable with the above rule, there are several other helpful tips you should consider before you assist a doe or ewe during parturition. You want to keep the area as sterile as possible. This includes wearing sterile gloves and washing the vulva of the doe or ewe using a mild dish detergent or betadine. Also, you need to use lubricant when you examine the doe or ewe.

You may want to invest in a “lamb puller,” also known as a head snare. This tool can be very helpful in trying to correct a lamb or kid with its head back. Most kids or lambs can be delivered head first, known as anterior position or hind feet first, known as posterior position. Immediately after pulling a lamb or kid, you should clear its nose, and place it with the mother. Make sure to check for more fetuses. You will want to follow up with antibiotics if they are necessary. Always consult your veterinarian about vaccination protocol and dosage directions.

After the kid or lamb is born, proper care must be given to ensure a healthy start for the animal. Once the animal is born, you should shorten the umbilical cord with scissors and dip it into a 7% tincture of iodine. Strip the plugs out of the dam’s teats to ensure the kid or lamb does not have to suck hard to get its first drink. Watch closely to make sure the kid or lamb is actually sucking, but leave the dam and young alone. Lambs and kids need time to find the udder and begin to recognize their mother.

Also, make sure the kid or lamb is as dry as possible, especially if temperatures are low. You may need to use a knitted sweater, sock, or sweatshirt as a coat for the young, if temperatures are especially low. This may help to save the life of the kid or lamb. Overall, monitor your dams that are in labor. If you have any questions, you should consult your veterinarian

Length of Calving Season Can Affect Your Bottom Dollar

Submitted by:

Eve H. Honeycutt, Livestock Agent, Lenoir and Greene Counties

Adapted from an article by Barbi Riggs, Crook County, Oregon State University Cooperative Extension

Cattlemen are always trying to figure out how to increase profits from the herd. There are lots of changes that can be made, but only a few will actually yield a good result. There is a tool that some producers have not used yet that can significantly increase income and save labor. The length of the calving season can be managed to produce more pounds of calf at weaning and therefore increase profit.

Weaning of calves is typically done at a given date regardless of weight or age of the calves. Young calves wean at lighter weight than older calves simply due to age. For example, a calving season of 180 days results in calves that may have weaning weights anywhere from 320 pounds to 560 pounds and ages of 4 months to 8 months of age. Let’s assume that the average weight for this set of calves is 480 pounds. Total weaning weight for 100 hd of calves is 48,000 pounds. Now, let’s assume that this same set of cows calve in 60 days rather than 180 days. Weight for these calves range from 500-560 pounds and let’s say the average is 542 pounds. Total weaning weight for the 100 hd of calves is 54,200 pounds. The difference in weight is 6,200 pounds or equivalent to selling 11 more calves OR an extra 62 pounds per calf if breeding season is shortened. Another way to look at this, in the shortened breeding season, the producer could experience 7% reduction in weaning weights or calf crop to have the equivalent income as the lengthened calving period. Assume calves are selling around $100.00 per cwt, this translates into an increase of $62.00 per calf. The results of a similar scenario in regards to potential income will vary slightly dependent upon price of calves. Lighter calves do bring more money per pound however, it has been estimated that a uniform calf crop that is similar in appearance can optimistically yield a premium of $50-$70 per head, further supporting economic benefit to shorter calving seasons.

Shortening the calving season has other benefits as well. Calving season of 60 days means fewer nights watching cows and fewer days tagging calves. Calf loss due to negligence or lack or recognition of dystocia problems is less likely to occur. My experience is that the last few cows to calve have a tendency to not be watched as closely because focus is on other projects such as seeding crops or fertilizing pastures. By shortening the calving season we are less likely to be distracted. Having a calving season of 45-60 days will result in a more reproductively sound herd. The females that do not breed back within this structure will eventually fall out of the herd leaving only the most reproductively sound females and will propagate reproductively sound replacement heifers.

How do we accomplish a tighter calving season? The strategy will depend upon how spread out your current calving season is and the number of cows in your herd. If you are currently calving year-round, it may take a few years to achieve a 60 day calving season without too much loss of revenue. However, the first line of attack should always be with your replacement heifers. A producer should pick his target dates for calving and plan appropriately for the replacement heifers. Be sure to breed the heifers 3-4 weeks prior to the mature cows in order to allow the growing heifer ample time to recover from calving/lactation before the next breeding season.

Remember that tight breeding season means tight calving season. Although you have less time to watch cows, intensity of calving can be great particularly if synchronization was utilized. Management of a short breeding/calving season will be successful only if the producer is firm with the dates. Bulls must be turned in with the cows on the appropriate date and must be pulled at the appropriate date regardless of other obligations. Cows that do not breed and calve within the set season must be culled without exception.

Shortening the calving season is a cost effective program that can increase profit and reproductive performance of the herd with little to no extra input costs.

Have Your Chickens Stopped Laying too?

Have Your Chickens Stopped Laying too?
Eve H. Honeycutt


This seems to be a very common question that I get in the fall. Just this Sunday at Church a friend stopped me to ask about his birds. "My girls have stopped laying. What's the matter with them?"

The best answer- and the usual problem- is they are molting. Molting is a natural process for chickens. The shorter days and cooler temperatures trigger this strange phenomenon. All of a sudden, your most beautiful bird begins to lose her feathers. You might notice her stop laying just before this happens. If all of your birds are the same age, the rest of them may start the molting process as well. Females housed together tend to do this. Fortunately, the birds at my house are different ages and not all of them molted this year. A few of them even molted in the spring, which was odd.

If your birds are in a coop full time, you will see an abundance of feathers on the floor. This is all normal. Occasionally this excessive show of skin can trigger non-molting birds to pick on those who are losing the feathers. Keep an eye out for any birds who look like they are getting picked on. You may need to separate the molting hens if the bullying continues. If your birds are pastured or in a large pen, they will not be as prone to bullying since they have something else to occupy their time.

Fear Not! Molting may take 6-8 weeks to completely shed and regrow the feathers. Your most beautiful bird will be beautiful again! And she won't lose all her feathers at once, but she will probably have bare patches here and there. She will begin to lay again one day. Birds that molt early in the fall may begin laying again the same year. Late molting birds may not lay again until spring. Some birds will molt every year, and some will only molt every few years. The feathers that grow back are the same color and texture, just a more brilliant color- at least until the first dust bath.

So even though you may be heckled by your neighbors for having some strange looking birds, rest assured that you will be able to share your eggs again soon.

Natural vs. Organic Beef: Is it for your farm?

Natural vs. Organic Beef: Is It For Your Farm?

Guest Post:

Margaret A. Bell, Extension Livestock Agent; Craven & Jones Counties

Complied from: Natural and Organic Beef. Tom R. Troxel, Extension Beef Cattle Specialist. University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service.

Over the past few years, “organic” and “natural” have become household terms. But what exactly do these terms mean? Is organic nutritionally better for you? Should you only eat food that is labeled as “antibiotic-free” and “hormone-free?” Let’s dig a little deeper into what these terms exactly mean for you as a producer.

Natural beef has become a legitimate option for many beef producers. It often offers a higher premium ranging from about $4 - $8 cwt. for calves and $2 - $4 cwt. for feeder cattle. Of course, these premiums depend on many factors, including quality, quantity, and location of the cattle. This increase in the product is usually necessary to offset the extra cost of management practices used to enable the producer to market their product as “natural.”

If a producer wants to market his product as “natural,” he has to do several things: 1) the product is to be processed as minimally as possible 2) the product is not allowed to have any artificial ingredients 3) the product is not allowed to contain any preservatives. However, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has no restrictions on the specific management practices during the life of the animal.

Organic beef is a term used to describe beef cattle that have not had any antibiotics or growth hormones. This type of beef is produced without using most common pesticides or fertilizers that are made from synthetic ingredients. One of the most credible ways to have your product labeled as organic is to get the “USDA ORGANIC” seal on your product, which means the product is at least 95 percent organic.

There are many management requirements you must consider if you are thinking about producing organic beef. You must abide by the following: 1) animals must be not given any antibiotics or growth hormones 2) producers are to give their animals 100 percent organic feed, but are allowed to provide vitamin and mineral supplements to the animals 3) preventive management practices will be used to keep the animals healthy, such as vaccines. However, the USDA does not make any claims that food produced organically is more nutritious or safer than food that is produced conventionally. The difference is how organic food is handled, grown, and processed.

In summary, if you are considering becoming an organic beef or natural beef producer, there are many options to consider and many factors to think about. Only you can decide what is best for you and your beef cattle, but the organic and natural beef markets will continue to thrive for the next few years. This may be a good opportunity for you to increase the value of your cattle and the return on your cattle. If you have any questions, you can contact your local Cooperative Extension Office.

Preventing Enterotoxemia and Tetanus in Goats

Preventing Enterotoxemia and Tetanus in Goats

Guest Post:

Eileen A. Coite, Wayne County

Compiled from Vaccinating Goats Against Enterotoxemia and Tetanus: Is it Necessary? (ANS 09-614MG) by Drs. Jean-Marie Luginbuhl and Kevin L. Anderson, 2010.

Are your goats protected from enterotoxemia, otherwise known as overeating disease? What about tetanus? If you are in the goat business but aren’t familiar with these diseases, or if you haven’t had a chance to vaccinate for them you might want to consider. Enterotoxemia and tetanus are similar diseases because they both are caused by clostridial bacteria that can be found in the environment or in animals. Because of these similarities, the vaccines for both are often combined in one dose and make it easier to administer and lower the cost from having to give two vaccinations. Let’s take a look at each of these diseases and why they are a concern.

Enterotoxemia, or overeating disease as it commonly is called can affect goats of all ages, and can often be fatal. It usually is a bigger concern for young goat kids and often those that grow the fastest or those that over-consume feed after becoming excessively hungry, hence the term “overeating disease”. What happens is that normal bacteria found in the intestines of goats (and also found in the soil) reproduce rapidly and release high amounts of toxins in the gut. How can we prevent overeating disease? If you add grain to a goat’s diet, or change their diet in any way, make all changes gradual. This might mean taking a couple of weeks to introduce the new diet to allow the goat’s system to acclimate to the diet. Vaccinating for Clostridium perfringens types C and D will also protect against enterotoxemia.

Tetanus is caused by the bacterium Clostridium tetani. It is a neurological disease caused by this toxin, which is found in manure and also in the soil. It is very similar to the tetanus we are vaccinated for every ten years or if an injury occurs. Tetanus bacteria can enter the body of goats through wounds due to castration, disbudding, ear tagging, etc. The disease symptoms might not show up for several days after the wound takes place, but if affected, neurological problems will arise, such as muscle spasms, stiffness, and the common “lockjaw” symptom when they have difficulty opening their mouth. If not treated an animal will eventually go down permanently and die.

Make sure your goat herd is protected against these deadly bacterial diseases. Vaccines such as the 3-way “C-D-T” vaccine are available to prevent from both. Check the label for administration instructions and withdrawal times. These vaccines can be given through subcutaneous or intramuscular injection. Withdrawal times (the amount of time from treatment to marketing the animal) is usually 21 days for vaccines. Again, follow the label for vaccine handling, administering, and withdrawal instructions. For more information on vaccinating or preventing diseases in your goats or other livestock, contact your Cooperative Extension office for animal husbandry publications, or contact your veterinarian.

Sow Housing Conversion Trends

Adapting to Sow Housing Conversion Trends

Guest Post:

Emily Herring, Livestock Agent from Pender County

The Situation

While attending the Swine Educators In-Service Training in Iowa I learned general information about a farm in Michigan who is converting from a sow gestation stall housing system into a gestation pen housing system. The reason for this change has been credit to the passing of legislation which passed in 2009 which prohibits sow gestation crates, stalls for veal calves, and cages for chickens. Discussions between the Michigan Pork Producers and the Allied Poultry Industries Association and HSUS (Humane Society of The United States) resulted in a bill that included confinement standards as dictated by the HSUS. These groups felt that an HSUS-driven ballot initiative would be too expensive to fight and might include even tougher regulations. In negotiating the legislation, HSUS said it would “not pursue a Michigan farm animal confinement-related ballot measure prior to the effective date of the law.” The law does not come into effect until 2020 so this would give producers time to convert typical stall housing gestation systems into pen gestation houses. Within the law it is acceptable to have stalls for breeding and for farrowing. The sows can stay in the stall until “confirmed pregnant” and then they are moved back into a pen. They are then moved into a farrowing crate one week before they are due to farrow.

Designing the Barns

The particular farm that was showcased at the training was Dykhuis Farm sow farm with 15,500 sows in 5 different commercial sow units and one breeding stock herd in West Michigan. The design of the buildings all vary somewhat from one building to another. They have a formula they go by for planning a barn for the number of pens needed; farrowing target multiplied by number of weeks in the pen (10). As a general rule at their farm, the stocking rate is 15 square feet per sow and by the end of gestation the goal is 18 square feet per sow. This includes their estimated fall out rate for that pen. Then they use another formula to determine stalls needed for bred sows; breeding target multiplied by number of weeks in the stall (6). Also, in designing barns they have to figure in the number of stalls needed for the hospital area, gilts, and wean sows. Another general rule of 2 sows per feeding box is implemented. Depending on the size of the pen and how it is designed the distance between the feed boxes vary from 18” to 4’ on their farm. So the actual inside design of the barn depends on several factors like size, shape and style of the barn along with the farrowing target rate.

Health Management

Pens are grouped by their due date/breed date and then by their size and parity. When pens are mixed for the first time an extra serving of food is delivered for 2-3 days to the sows to help minimize fighting. If a sow was to become sick, lame, or thin they are removed from the pen and placed in a hospital stall for 35 days to regain body condition and/or health. When sows come into heat they are checked, marked and then moved out of the pen to stalls where they are bred. Vaccinations and ultrasounds are said to be easier done in the pen versus a stall when all the sows are distracted by feed. When sows are due in a week to farrow they are then marked and moved into farrowing crates. They started converting their farms in late 2009 to try to meet the new rule. Since then, the houses that are pen gestation have had close to the same production numbers as they normally would have been in stalls.

Conclusion:

Seven states have passed such laws to band or limit usage of crates, either through legislation or ballot initiatives. States included are Arizona, California, Florida, Maine, Colorado, Ohio, Michigan, and Oregon. All of the following states are ballot initiative states. North Carolina is not a ballot initiative state and this explains why North Carolina has not been affected yet by these types of laws. I thought this was important to bring to your attention because eventually this may become the situation for North Carolina farmers too. Farmers need to be aware of the animal welfare/rights organizations and what they are doing because 7 out of 50 states already have laws prohibiting any or all of the listed, gestation crates, cages for chickens and stalls for veal calves. The information the farm representative spoke on regarding their farm was great to learn about because of the lack of experience most farmers and myself have with pen gestation housing.

New Product for Weed Control in Bermudagrass

A New Product for Weed Control in Bermudagrass!

Eve H. Honeycutt

Livestock Agent, Lenoir & Greene Counties

There is great news this spring for bermudagrass pastures. Prowl H20 (pendimethalin) is now labeled for established bermudagrass pastures and hay fields for pre-emergent control of annual grasses.

This product has been in the works for many years. This application will provide excellent control of crabgrass and goosegrass and fair to good control of sandbur. If applied correctly, this treatment will provide season-long control of crabgrass and goosegrass, even with heavy populations. As you know, there are no registered or effective post-emergent

options for both of these grasses. But this treatment will prevent the need for

any post-emergent treatment for crabgrass and goosegrass.

There are two main points that need to be stressed to obtain season-long control. They are:

1. Prowl H20 needs to be applied at 3 lbs. active ingredient/acre and activated by water (rainfall or irrigation).

2. Prowl H20 needs to be applied by early March at the latest.

Crabgrass germinates when soil temperatures average about 55 degrees. This typically occurs by mid-March in sandy soil, particularly east off Raleigh. Also, the label states that it needs to be applied to dormant Bermuda.

A few other key points from the label:

· Apply only to established Bermuda (planted in the fall or spring and gone through first mowing/cutting) when in winter dormancy;

· Rate range: 1.1 to 4.2 qt /A per season;

· Dense grass infestations; Apply at least 3 lb ai/A(3.2 qt/A)

· Split application timings: ½ rate at onset of dormancy followed by ½ rate prior to spring greenup.

RESTRICTIONS:

Do not apply in standing water

Do not exceed 4.2 qt/A/year

60 day hay restriction

45 day forage harvest or grazing restriction

*Always read and follow label directions.

Disclaimer: The use of brand names and any mention or listing of commercial products or services in this publication does not imply endorsement by North Carolina State University nor discrimination against similar products or services not mentioned.

Stockpiling Cool Season Grasses

Stockpiling for the Winter

Guest Post:

Submitted By: Margaret A. Bell, Assistant Livestock Agent in Craven & Jones Counties

Adapted from an article by Dr. Matt Poore, NCSU Ruminant Specialist

For beef cattle producers, the winter can be the hardest time of the year. Producers have to get the tractor out everyday and have to purchase a lot of hay to get their cows through the winter successfully. Here is an alternative to that vicious cycle. Have you ever thought about stockpiling your fescue so you don’t have to feed hay constantly through the winter? The average savings was $0.89 per cow per day as opposed to feeding hay.

Tall fescue is a hearty grass and responds well to fertilization in the late summer. If a pasture of fescue is allowed to accumulate from late summer and fall until winter, cows can be fed efficiently without the mud associated with a long winter hay-feeding season. This is also a much more economical alternative to feeding hay all winter. If you want to “stockpile” fescue, you would apply 50 to 75 pounds of nitrogen per acre to a healthy fescue field in late August to early September. For our area, the ideal time is September 1 to 15. It is important to graze or clip the fescue to about 3 or 4 inches and let it rest several weeks before the fertilizer is applied. The nitrogen source that you apply is also very important. Ammonium nitrate gives the best response and liquid nitrogen gives the least response. Also, make sure that other soil nutrients such as potassium and phosphorus are at least at medium levels and pH is about 6.0 to get the best response.

Another important aspect of preparing to stockpile fescue is the timing of the rainfall. You want to make sure to get your fertilizer out before the rain. Use the rain to your advantage. By November you will know how much forage you will have for the winter to graze. During a normal year, you can expect to have about 2,500 to 4,000 pounds of grazable forage dry matter per acre. This amount of forage is equivalent to about five to eight 4’ x 4’ round bales of hay per acre.

When you are planning how you’re are going to stockpile your fescue, it is important to think about your herd and their needs. A 1,200-pound gestating cow can be maintained on about 20 pounds of stockpiled fescue dry matter per day. With about 15% waste, one acre would feed 100 to 160 cows per one day. Lactating cows will need 30 pounds per day with a 25% waste allowance, meaning one acre would give you 65 to 100 “cow days.” In other words, one acre of stockpiled fescue will give a dry cow enough to eat for well over 100 days and a lactating cow for 65 to 100 days. You can often manage your lactating cows with just adding a mineral supplement during the winter when you are implementing nutritional stockpiled fescue practices.

According to the research, the best technique to graze your cows is called “strip-grazing,” or “frontal-grazing.” This is when you allot your cows a strip of grass using a roll of polywire and temporary posts every one to three days. When they graze the target height of 2 inches, they are moved to a new strip. Start the cows near the water giving them fresh strips and slowly move them away from the water. There are many advantages to this including cows become tamer because you are in close contact with them every day. Also, manure is more evenly distributed than with a typical hay feeding system, so your soil fertility will increase. Thirdly, your cows are cleaner because there is less mud, meaning your calves will most likely be healthier.

You can also stockpile other grasses, including bermudagrass and rye/ryegrass.

Criteria for Culling Cattle- a new approach

A New Culling Criteria: Hair Coat Shedding

Guest Post:

By Eileen A. Coite, Wayne County

Compiled from: Differences in hair coat shedding and effects on calf weaning weight and BCS among Angus dams, K.A. Gray, et al.

It’s always exciting when we learn of new university research to pass on to you, the producer. After all, that is a big part of what Extension does. So, when I learned of beef cattle research being conducted in North Carolina and Mississippi that could impact management and decisions of cattle producers, I was excited to share the news. At our annual livestock agent training held each August, agents are given time to interact with one another and NCSU specialists, in an effort to gain the most up to date knowledge, practice skills, and share ideas. This year, amongst many presentations and workshops, we learned of collaborated research being conducted by the Department of Animal Science at NC State University and the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences at Mississippi State University with regard to the impact hair coat shedding has on calf weaning weight and body condition score of Angus cattle.

Angus producers have long been interested in finding ways to help their cattle get through the hot summer with less stress and complications from the heat, particularly because of their black hair coat. Humidity in the southeast added to the hot summer temperatures creates risks of heat related challenges for all livestock, but particularly cattle with dark, thick coats. For these reasons, researchers at NCSU and MSU teamed up to learn how much variation in shedding exists among purebred Angus cows, and the effects of this shedding on weaning weight of their calves and the cow’s body condition score. Researchers of this project adapted a scoring system to evaluate a cow’s shedding progress, referred to as a hair shedding score.

So what did they find? Through evaluating over 500 Angus cows in four different locations of MS and NC, cattle were grouped in five categories of shedding, ranging from a full winter coat to a slick, short summer coat. All cows weaned a calf at approximately six months of age and weaning weights were recorded and submitted to the American Angus Association. Data was analyzed to show how early cattle began to shed, an indication to how well adapted they were to the heat of the southeast. The study found that there was a definite correlation between speed of shedding and weaning weights, showing cows with slower shedding to raise lighter calves at weaning. The study states that there are many possible reasons why this relationship is present. One possible reason there is a connection between weaning weight and hair coat shedding is that prolactin levels in cows were affected. Prolactin is a hormone present in cows that affects lactation, but also has effects on hair loss. The study brought about possible conclusions that higher prolactin levels could influence hair shedding as well as milk production, leading into heavier calves at weaning.

The study concluded that even though more research is needed to fully understand this correlation, a conclusion was made that producers could lessen heat stress in their herds and improve weaning weights by culling cows that are slow or poor at shedding. Scoring cattle for shedding in late May or early summer, and removing cows from the herd that receive scores that reveal little to no shedding should increase herd productivity by increasing weaning weights of calves produced.

Drenching for Sheep and Goats

Drenching, Do It and Do It Right!

guest post:

Emily Herring, Livestock Agent

Pender County

Drenching in sheep and goats can be the oral application of medications into the throat of the animal. This is the recommended way to administer dewormers to sheep and goats. There are other methods of administering dewormers such as injectables and pour-ons, but I will only focus on the oral method in this article. Intestinal parasites are the biggest threat to sheep and goats causing numerous health problems like weight loss, low birth weight, un-thriftiness, and even death. The best medications will not work properly if they are not given to the animal correctly. In Australia resistance to drenches is becoming a noted steadfast problem as well as other parts of the world, due to the incorrect methods of drenching. Parasite resistance is not a welcome problem among any farmer. For a refresher on oral drenching I have included some key steps a producer needs to remember to do before and after drenching a sheep or goat.

Before drenching an animal make sure the drench gun is calibrated and is not leaking. Check the nozzle for rough edges that may cause discomfort when medicating. Then think about how you are going to medicate the animals, as in how much you will administer to each of them. If the animals are various in sizes, group them into smaller groups according to their size. Then physically weigh the heaviest animal in the group and treat all animals in that group to that weight to make sure enough dewormer is given. Remember underestimating the weight of the animal promotes parasite resistance and has been one of the main contributing factors in parasite resistance, so don’t guess. Be sure to read and follow the specific labeled directions on the medication given.

When giving medications make sure the sheep/goats are properly restrained and can’t leap around when you are orally drenching. Hold the animals head horizontal by placing your hand under his chin. This encourages that the animal will swallow the whole amount given. Sheep and goats can suffer serious injury, or even death, if they are not restrained properly if the gun strikes the tissues at the back of the mouth. So be patient and don’t rush. Place the nozzle in the gap between molar and incisor teeth and then over the back of the tongue. Be sure the animal swallows the medication before letting the head go. If drenching is not done properly the animal will not receive the medication within the stomach and it can possibly go into the lungs, which can be fatal to the animal.

After giving the drench, be sure to record what and how much you gave to your animals and then place all unused drench back into original container. Be sure to clean your equipment by following the manufacture’s cleaning instructions. If you have any questions or need help with drenching contact your local County Livestock Agent.