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Faulkner County Agriculture Update

August 16, 2024

General Conditions

Weather


We missed a couple of good chances for rain Sunday and Monday. I know some parts of the county got some rain but for the most part it was a bust. The rain was coming this way then just died down before it got here. The temperatures we a little milder those two days but the last three days have been super hot.

Our best chances for rain are this weekend and then we see a trend towards milder temperatures in the middle of the week. We need a rain bad as we move forward with the summer.

Arkansas River

Drought Monitor
US Drought Monitor
Row Crop

River Valley Row Crop Tour


The River Valley Row Crop Tour was a big success. We had 45 people attend the tour and had some really good discussions on the crop situation this year. Thank you to all the producers that attended! I really appreciate all that you do. I also wanted to thank our sponsors, speakers and cooks for making all this possible!

Rice


The majority of the rice in the county is starting to be drained and drying down to harvest. Talking to some producers and consultants they feel like this crop is moving really quickly. Dr. Hardke stated at the River Valley Row Crop Tour that average temperatures have been just a few degrees higher than normal which has led to this crop moving so fast.


For the late planted rice, continue to scout for stink bugs. They will all be moving towards the newly headed fields now that everything else is drying down.


Below is the link for last Friday's Rice Update from Dr. Jarrod Hardke.

Arkansas Rice Update 8/9/24

Soybeans


Irrigation is the big input for soybeans right now. We can't get behind on pivots with this heat and dry weather. We need to stay ahead of them as much as possible. We can terminate irrigation in soybeans when 50% of the pods have soybeans that are touching in the pod (R6 - attached picture) with good soil moisture present in the soil.


I am still not catching enough earworms to treat but we do need to continue to watch.

Corn


Corn harvest has started in Faulkner County. The first fields harvested have done pretty good so far. Dr. Jason Kelley said that harvest across Arkansas is really good and some reps I have talked to said some producers are making the best crop they have ever had. USDA has projected our state yield at 186 bushels per acre which would put us just below the state record. This does not help with the price we are receiving for corn right now. After the report corn prices continued to fall which means we really will need a bumper crop to break even this year on corn.

Corn Earworm Moth Traps


This week was just like last week, the Cadron trap was over alert level at 136 moths while the two traps in Lollie barely had any moths in them. Scouting beans over on the Cadron, I do pick up more corn earworms, but still not treatment level.

2024 County Trap Catches
Arkansas Crop Progress and Condition
Beef, Small Ruminants, & Forages

Armyworms, Stem Maggots and Sugarcane Aphids


I received one call on armyworms yesterday. Somebody noticed very small ones in a field that has had a history of worms this summer. Being very small with no bigger worms in the mix, I recommend just watching the population. Very small worms do not eat enough to justify a spraying and there is natural predators and diseases that take out some of the population. With the weather being dry and grass not being as tender as it was I think the best bet here is to sit and wait.


I have noticed sugarcane aphids really attacking johnsongrass. This is not a big deal on johnsongrass, but if you have any sorghum sudan grass I would be scouting really closely. These aphids can take out a stand very quickly if the populations build up.


Continue to scout and spray for bermudagrass stem maggot in bermudagrass fields. Populations have built up over the summer and I have seen a couple of stands really devastated by this insect.

Fertility Demonstrations


I have harvest the four fertility demonstrations in the county. I am excited to see the results. Two of them were harvested last week and two this week, so we are still drying down and weighing the samples. The results will be available in my demo book at the end of the year.


The demos included:

  • Nitrogen rates
  • Nitrogen inhibitors
  • Sulfur rates
  • High nitrogen input

Bale Weights vs Size


This is just something interesting I thought I would throw in this weeks newsletter. I went to a producers farm this week to weigh his hay bales. He randomly picked the bales and I noticed the weight difference on two of them so I went and measured the height. One was 5 ft tall and the other was 4 ft 8 in tall. There was a 200 pound difference by adding 4 more inches to that bale. That was a 19% increase in bale weight. There is a lot of hay on those last few layers in a bale!

Keeping It Fresh and Clean- Livestock Water Tank Maintenance

Maggie Justice, PhD- Extension Beef Cattle Specialist- Assistant Professor


While this seems like one of those simple chores, making sure our animals have clean fresh water is a simple reminder that we could all use. Cleaning water troughs periodically is a good idea. All troughs should be drained and cleaned properly at least once a year or every 6 months. But if they are prone to getting very dirty then more frequent cleanings may need to occur. Cattle may drink from 7 to 30 gallons of water a day and water quality can impact overall maintenance of a herd’s health and productivity.


What if the tank needs a good scrubbing?


1. Drain the tank- getting the tank empty can be difficult unless the tank has a built- in drain. If there isn’t a built-in drain, consider letting the herd drink the water down to a point where it can be easily accessed.

2. Add in one part household chorine bleach for 32 parts of water and let sit for 15 minutes then drain again.

3. Using a stiff brush, scrub the sides and bottom really well.

4. Rinse and repeat.

5. Let the tank dry out and keep the herd away from the tank for at least 30 minutes during cleaning.


Other helpful tips


  • Location location location- keeping troughs out of direct sunlight can also help minimize algae growth.
  • If needed add 2 ounces of household chlorine bleach (unscented) to 50 gallons of water weekly to help regulate algae growth.
  • Other chemical control options including copper sulfate can also help- make sure to follow all label instructions.


Spending a few minutes each week to scout out water troughs will pay off in the long run. Routine cleaning can help solve most of the issues surrounding livestock water troughs. Clean tanks and good quality water will promote healthy productive herds.

Webinar “Abortion and Respiratory Diseases in Sheep and Goats”


This webinar will be on August 27 (Tuesday) from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m (CT) promoted by the University of Missouri .


The guest speaker is Dr. Maggie Highland, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVP.


The loss of lambs and kids due to abortion directly reduces the number of offspring, impacting the overall productivity and profitability of the flock. Respiratory diseases can impair productivity which translate into financial loss for the producer. Managing outbreaks of abortion and respiratory diseases often requires significant intervention, including diagnostics, treatments, and preventative measures.


Dr. Highland is the section head of pathology sciences, Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, University of Wisconsin-Madison. She maintains a strong interest in small ruminant health and disease, particularly infectious disease processes and immunology.

This webinar is hosted/facilitated by Dr. David Brown (University of Missouri Sheep & Goats Specialist). 

Register for Webinar
Cattle Market Notes Weekly
Livestock Market Report

The weekly livestock market report is available on the Arkansas Department of Agriculture website.
ADA Livestock Market Report

Online Pesticide Applicator Training


I have had several calls about Private Pesticide Applicator Training. In person classes will begin again in the fall, but if you need to get certified now and can't wait, you can do the class online. The link is listed below and this training costs $20 just like the in person class.

Online Private Pesticide Applicator Training

Sign up for Text Alerts


You can now sign up for text alerts from me throughout the year. I have two areas you can sign up for which includes Faulkner Livestock or Faulkner Ag (Row Crop Updates). To sign up you can follow one of these links or use the QR Codes below.

Faulkner Livestock


Use either the QR Code or this link:

https://slktxt.io/10lLe

Faulkner Ag (Faulkner Row Crops)


Use either the QR Code or this link:

https://slktxt.io/10lLc

Upcoming Events


Contact Kevin Lawson, County Extension Agent–Agriculture, Faulkner County | Kevin Lawson
uaex.uada.edu/faulkner