Faulkner County Agriculture Update
June 7, 2024
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4-H Pork Butt Fundraiser
Our 4-H'ers are now taking orders for our Annual 4th of July Pork Butt Fundraiser. Orders are due June 14th and the pork butts can be picked up either July 2 or July 3. For more information or if you want to put in your order please call the office 501-329-8344.
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Weather
Rain last Friday and Monday were welcomed even though it did add up to almost 4 inches. Temperatures have been mild, but the humidity has been higher. So even though we had mild temperatures for most of the week, you could still get a good sweat going from the humidity.
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Drier weather is in the forecast for the next week with higher temperatures. Rain chances are low for the whole week. | |
Rice
The rain has been tough on some of the rice fields in Faulkner County. We have some fields that were flooded and the nitrogen is being spoon-fed weekly. There are some fields that the levees still need to be pulled and the fields are ready for flood. Hopefully this week of drier weather will get us back on track. There should be several fields starting midseason nitrogen next week. I have heard of a few producers still wanting to plant rice. It is getting late for me to think about planting rice, I would look to moving to soybeans.
Below is a link to Dr. Hardke's Arkansas Rice Update from last Friday.
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Herbicide Trainings
Anyone that applies Enlist, Dicamba, or Paraquat are required to go through additional education hours. The Enlist and Dicamba training is done online through the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. Paraquat is done through the National Pesticide Safety Education Center and there is a $25 charge.
For Enlist and Dicamba follow the link to our Pesticide Training Page. On the left side of the screen there is a menu that links you to Enlist and Dicamba training. I have also added the link to the NPSEC website for the Paraquat training.
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Soybeans
Hopefully we can get into a good swing with soybean planting next week. Wheat should be coming off soon, so that will lead us right into double cropped soybeans. I would stick with 150,000 on my seeding rate to make sure we get the amount of soybeans up that we need. I am still seeing very light insect pressure in the county. Moth trap counts went down this week so hopefully insect pressure will continue to be light.
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Corn
Corn continues to look better and better each week as we move into the hot part of the summer. This is the time corn is growing at a very fast pace so I am always a little nervous about high winds at this time. Drier weather is a welcome site right now. At this stage of the game I would rather irrigate every week than to have rains, it seems that the best yields I have ever seen have been with dry weather and steady irrigation.
This week we accumulated 171 units which brings us up to 1343 total heat units since April 1. That would put corn around VT to R1.
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Corn Rusts
Jaley Pearson - Faulkner County Extension Intern
Common Rust
Common rust, as the name suggests, is something corn producers see often. It has been reported in every U.S. state that produces corn and Arkansas is no different. Even though this rust frequently occurs in Arkansas corn, yield losses are minimal because environmental conditions in the summer are not favorable for common rust. Common rust is caused by the fungus P. Sorghi. This rust only infects corn and not sorghum as the scientific name suggests. Pustules of common rust are circular to elongate, golden brown to cinnamon brown and found on upper and lower leaf surface. Conditions that favor infection consist of moderate temperature (61ºF to 77ºF) and high relative humidity (>95%). At least 6 hours of free moisture is required for rust spore germination and infection. In contrast to southern rust, common rust is considered a minor disease in Arkansas and typically requires no management practice. Resistant hybrids are effective and available; however, environmental conditions during the summer are often unfavorable for common rust to be a significant disease issue. Fungicides are effective, but not economically practical.
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Southern Rust
Southern Rust is one of the most important foliar corn diseases in Arkansas, which is reintroduced each year from southern states. Unlike common rust, southern rust is a disease that one should be on the lookout for, because when southern rust arrives late in the growing season on dough or dent growth stages it causes minimal losses. However, the risk of yield loss is much higher when infection occurs at tasseling or silking. Southern rust is caused by the fungus Puccinia polysora, which only infects corn. Pustules of southern rust are small (0.2 to 2 mm in diam.), circular to oval, and light cinnamon brown to orange. Typically, early season scouting for rust is easily overlooked by the casual observer because initial infections are typically only one to two pustules per plant. The absence of sporulation on the lower leaf surface is an indication of southern rust. In contrast, rust sporulation on the lower leaf surface is frequently associated with common rust, a minor disease. Free moisture such as dew or light rain is necessary for rust spores to germinate and infect. Symptoms appear about 3 to 6 days after infection and by 7 to 10 days the pustules may rupture to expose more rust spores. Thus, new infections can occur very rapidly after the initial infection when conditions favor disease. Conditions that favor disease development consist of high temperatures (80ºF to 90ºF), high relative humidity, and frequent rainfall. Even in hot summer conditions with temperatures above 100ºF pustules continue to sporulate, hence the name southern rust. Fungicides are effective at suppressing southern rust though there is no economic threshold for a fungicide application. Producers should consider yield potential, hybrid susceptibility, growth stage, and the long-range forecast when southern rust threatens. A fungicide application at tasseling or silking when southern rust has had been observed on a susceptible hybrid with good yield potential may be the most beneficial at suppressing disease development; however, additional application may be needed for season long crop protection.
Collectively common and southern rust have similarities and differences in appearance and effect on yield. Be sure to be on the lookout for those differences as temperatures continue to get higher. For more information on common rust and southern rust refer to the link provided.
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Corn Earworm Moth Traps
Corn Earworm moth numbers really went down this week from the previous two weeks. After talking to some specialists, they said that these number dropped all across the state. It was also time for me to add new pheromone to the traps which attracts the moths, so this could have had an effect also. I am still not seeing any worms out in the soybeans, so we will continue to do counts and keep an eye out.
There was no southwestern corn borer moths this week in the trap.
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2024 Precision Crop Management Workshop
Jason Davis, Mike Hamilton, Aurelie Poncet, and Terry Spurlock will host the very first Arkansas Precision Crop Management Workshop. The program will feature a series of short breakout sessions and demonstrations.
The meeting is Wednesday, June 12 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Jackson County Extension Center, 649 Jackson Rd 917, Newport, AR. In-person registration begins at 8 a.m. and training begins at 8:45 a.m. The program ends with free lunch at noon.
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Beef, Small Ruminants, & Forages | |
Faulkner and Perry County Grazing Field Day
Save the date of Saturday July 13th for a joint grazing field day between Faulkner and Perry Counties. We have been working with the Natural Resource Conservation Services staff to come up with a field day to help producers needing an educational meeting for their EQIP contract. This field day will be open to anyone that wants to attend, it isn't just for EQIP producers. A formal agenda will be coming soon. The field day will be at the Jeff Owen Farm just north of Enola on Heffington Cemetery Road.
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The Impact of Better Forage Conditions
Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist
With the growing season well under way, pasture and range conditions in the U.S. are generally good. Nationwide, just eight percent of range and pasture is rated very poor, with 14 percent rated poor. According to the Drought Monitor, there is less drought in the country than anytime since April 2020. Several important beef cow areas continue to experience drought including much of Kansas, much of New Mexico, Arizona and southwest Texas, central and western Montana, and southern Florida. Percentages of range and pasture reported as poor to very poor are highest in New Mexico (70 percent); Texas (38 percent), Florida (32 percent), Arizona (27 percent), Kansas (21 percent), and Montana (18 percent).
Most of Oklahoma has gotten rain in the past month, with some of the driest areas in the northwest and Panhandle receiving rain this past week. Just seven percent of Oklahoma pasture and range is rated poor to very poor, with 57 percent rated good to excellent. Hay harvest, along with winter wheat harvest is proceeding despite some interruptions due to recent rains.
Better forage conditions remove one of the barriers to stabilizing and rebuilding the beef cow herd. Cattle producers, in many cases, can begin retaining heifers…but are they? What producers want to do at this point is unclear. Cattle producer expectations are influenced by several considerations. Despite improved current forage conditions, the threat of rebuilding La Niña conditions later in the year is likely tempering some production plans. Moreover, while higher calf prices provide incentives to increase calf production, it’s not clear that producers are yet reacting to long term profitability prospects (to retain heifers) as much as short-term revenue from selling more calves now.
I suspect some heifer retention is beginning but we will not have any direct data until next year because the July Cattle Inventory has been cancelled. Heifer slaughter data, along with quarterly heifer feedlot inventories will eventually show the impact of increased heifer retention. However, current heifer slaughter reflects feedlot placement decisions made roughly six months ago and thus will indirectly reflect heifer retention only well after the fact. Moreover, heifer slaughter data includes both beef and dairy heifers; and the dynamics of beef on dairy crossbreeding is likely confounding heifer slaughter data somewhat. While it is possible that some yearling heifers from last year may be in development for breeding in 2024, it appears that if (when) heifer retention begins more earnestly this year, it will be with heifers from the current calf crop. This could include some fall-born heifers being weaned now but is more likely to be spring calves weaned this fall. Most of these heifer calves will not breed until 2025 and enter the herd in 2026.
Regardless of whether heifer retention is beginning now, the beef cow herd is likely to be smaller yet on January 1, 2025, with limited (at best) herd growth prospects in 2026. The question of when heifer retention begins is important in two respects. First, heifer retention will further squeeze feeder supplies and push feeder cattle prices higher. That is likely to happen later this year. Secondly, the longer it takes to start heifer retention, the longer the industry will continue to see reduced cattle inventories, smaller beef production, and high average cattle and beef price levels.
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Double-trouble!
Dr. Dan Quadros - Small Ruminant Specialist
Coccidia outbreaks and barber pole worm infections all over Arkansas.
Lots of calls from extension agents and producers about it. Some have animals experiencing black scours, rough coat, pot belly, and depressed appetite, notably lambs and kids, but also affecting adults. Others have noticed sudden deaths, bottle jaw and anemia in their animals, more accentuated in lambs and kids. And even worse, some are facing both challenges!
Coccidia (Eimeria spp.) is a protozoon that is transmitted by contaminated forage, feed, water. So, hygiene of the environment and troughs are recommended. Isolating sick animals and reducing overcrowd pens and stress also are helpful. As dehydration is a major concern, so fluid therapy can save a lot of animals. Also, proper nutrition is always important.
Coccidiostats are used in very low doses in the feed, so don’t try to mix by yourself. Buy medicated feeds instead. Monensin (Rumensin®) is approved for goats, Lasalocid (Bovatec®) approved for sheep and Decoquinate (Deccox®) for sheep and goats. Read the labels for more details. But they are used more for prevention than treatment. Consult your veterinarian to determine the best treatment. Off-label medications must be prescribed by your veterinarian. Amprolium (Corid®) has been used in water or drenching, normally associated with thiamin. Sulfonamides (several commercial names) have also been used to treat coccidiosis. Single treatment with Toltrazuril and Diclazuril is approved in other countries. It is very important to have a Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship (VCPR).
Excellent results of feeding the forage legume Sericea lespedeza AU Grazer on reducing coccidia levels give us hope for a natural approach of prevention and treatment.
There is a recent publication in the American Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control about coccidiosis (https://www.wormx.info/single-post/2019/03/26/new-fact-sheet-on-coccida).
Barber pole worm (Haemonchus contortus) is a major problem for most producers. A holistic approach should be taken to adopt an integrated parasite management program involving pasture management (species, rotational grazing, stubble height etc), genetic selection (culling less resistant or resilient animals), nutrition (supplementation, condensed tannins-rich forages) and frequent inspections (Famacha) and other practices.
We should treat only the animals that need to be treated according to the charts available at https://www.wormx.info/single-post/dewormer-charts-updated. Again, be very careful about off-label products and adjust the dose according to the animal’s body weight, which is challenging for many producers that don’t have a scale.
There is a webinar coming about the subject, free to attend. It is from the University of Missouri and will be held June 25 from 12:00 - 1:00. Click here to register.
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Here is this weeks Cattle Market Notes Weekly | |
Livestock Market Report
The weekly livestock market report is available on the Arkansas Department of Agriculture website.
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Faulkner/Perry Grazing Field Day - July 13, 2024, 9:00 - 12:00 at Jeff Owen Farm in Enola. | | | | |