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USDA Releases CRP For Grazing In Flood
Regions
Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer announced yesterday
that he is releasing Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres for
livestock grazing in counties recently designated as presidential
disaster areas because of flooding. The release permits grazing only in
counties designated as primary and contiguous disaster areas and only
because of flooding.
Click
here to read the rest of this story.
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Alfalfa Seed Growers Fight Lygus Bugs
by Fae Holin, Managing Editor, Hay & Forage
Grower
Despite having three new insecticides with new
chemistries registered, alfalfa seed growers still have a problem pest
that’s eating away their profits, says Mark Wagoner. Wagoner is a
Touchet, WA, alfalfa seed grower who’s working to find research
dollars to fight lygus bugs.
Click
here to read the rest of this story.
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U.S. Hay Acreage Down Slightly
U.S. hay growers are expected to harvest 60.4 million
acres of hay in 2008, 2% fewer than in 2007, according to the June 30
Acreage Report released by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics
Service (NASS). Harvested area is expected to decrease throughout the
Great Plains and the West. Increases are expected along the East Coast.
For alfalfa and alfalfa mixtures, expected harvested area is 20.8
million acres, down 4% from last year’s number. Acreage decreases
are expected in the Corn Belt, the Southeast and most of the West, while
increases are expected in the Rocky Mountain states and portions of the
Northeast.
Expected harvested acreage of all other types of hay totals 39.7
million, down 1% from the 40 million acres harvested in 2007. Declines
are expected in the West Coast, Southwest and Southern Great Plains
regions, while increases are expected along the Atlantic Coast, northern
Rockies and northern Great Plains.
Unclear is just how accurate the NASS numbers are given the effects of
flooding in parts of the Midwest last month. NASS gathered the data for
the report during the first two weeks of June, before much of the
flooding started. It will conduct a more extensive update of planted and
harvested acreage this month in areas impacted by floods. That
information, along with data normally collected from across the country
during this time, will be reflected in USDA’s Aug. 12 Crop Production
report.
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Midwest Hay Prices Head North
Compared to year-earlier levels, hay prices in the
Upper Midwest ticked steadily upward during the first half of 2008,
reports University of Wisconsin extension educator Ken Barnett in the
July 4 edition of the “Weekly Hay Market Demand and Price Report for
the Upper Midwest.”
For the period Jan. 1-June 30, Barnett notes small square bale prices
were 51% higher overall in 2008 compared to 2007. Prime hay increased by
33%, grade one by 60% and grade two by 61%.
Over the same time period, large square bales were 51% higher overall.
Prime hay increased by 26%, grade one by 71% and grade two by 56%. Large
round bales were 74% higher overall. Prime hay increased by 68%, grade
one by 72% and grade two by 82%.
When all bale types and qualities were combined, Barnett says the
overall increase in hay price was 59%.
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Stress Hay’s Value To Dairy Customers
With feed prices pushing into the stratosphere, many
dairy producers are questioning how much hay they can afford to feed at
current price levels. Hay growers selling into dairy markets may want to
steer their clients to the following calculations offered by North
Dakota extension dairy specialist J.W. Schroeder. “Be aware that hay
can improve rumen digestion and microbial growth,” says Schroeder.
“Adding 5 lbs of high-quality (170 relative feed value) hay could
improve milk yield by 3-5 lbs. If milk is worth 18 cents/pound, each
pound of hay would be worth 11-18 cents/pound, or $220-360/ton.”
Schroeder advises dairy producers to make changes gradually, by 1-lb
increments, and to closely monitor responses in the herd when adding or
removing hay.
He also has advice for dairy producers thinking of adding straw to the
ration to reduce forage needs. “One guideline is 1 lb of straw dry
matter to replace 3 lbs of hay/hay silage dry matter due to straw’s
higher lignin content and longer rumen retention time. But adding too
much straw will affect total dry matter intake, reducing nutrient levels
and milk yield. Before adding straw, evaluate the current ration levels
of NDF, lignin and ADF, and determine what the straw will add. I
recommend adding 0.5 lb of straw to the ration and monitoring cow
response – milk yield, milk components and manure score – for one to
two weeks. If the response is favorable, consider adding another 0.5 lb.
Adding more than 2 lbs of straw may be too much.”
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Watch For Leafhoppers In Pennsylvania
Alfalfa growers in southern Pennsylvania should monitor
fields for infestations of potato leafhoppers (PLH) well into
mid-August, says Paul Craig, Penn State University extension educator
for Dauphin County. He says the insects began migrating to the area in
early June, and probably didn’t have time to reach threshold levels
before alfalfa’s second cutting. “However, third cutting and all new
seedings need to be closely observed and scouted,” says Craig.
He says producers often make the mistake of waiting to treat until
hopper burn is observed. By then significant yield and quality are lost.
He recommends using a sweep net for monitoring PLH populations. Make 20
sweeps at five locations in each field, count the number of adults and
nymphs, then divide the total number collected by 100. (For example, 60
leafhoppers/100 sweeps equals 0.6 PLH/sweep.) Next, compare PLH/sweep
to the height of the alfalfa. If the number per sweep equals or exceeds
the average height of the alfalfa, treatment is necessary. (For example,
0.6 PLH/sweep in 6” alfalfa would need treatment). Labeled
insecticides provide excellent control, but typically only protect the
stand for one to two weeks. Be sure to check labels for preharvest
intervals following application.
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Illinois
Rainy weather forced a major operational change during
this year’s first-crop harvest at Pinnacle Farms, Milan, IL. Vince
Heyer, Pinnacle’s executive vice president, and Brian Johnson, farm
manager, had planned to put up their 400 acres of alfalfa and
alfalfa-grass mix in 60-lb square bales “Most of our hay goes to
horse owners,” says Heyer. “A lot of them aren’t set up to handle
large bales.”
This year, though, nearly three-quarters of Pinnacle’s first crop went
into the barn in 3 x 3 x 8’ square bales. “The stuff we put up
around Memorial Day was just beautiful,” says Heyer. “But then it
just started raining and raining and raining, and we couldn’t get back
in the field for three weeks. When we finally were able to get back to
baling, we wanted to get the crop off the field as quickly as possible.
We usually put the small bales in packages of 21 bales in the field for
easier transport. But that adds to harvest time. We figured making large
squares would just be more efficient.”
Even with the weather delays, Heyer says first-crop quality was
satisfactory overall. “It stayed cool and cloudy for the most part, so
the crop didn’t overmature as much as we thought it might,” he says.
A majority of the hay harvested at Pinnacle is marketed at the
company’s own retail feed store in Morriston, FL. Pinnacle opened the
store in March 2008 to serve horse owners wintering animals in the
Florida panhandle. Hay coming off the Illinois fields goes into two 65 x
156’ pole barns. As Florida store inventory demands, hay is moved out
on one of Pinnacle’s two 53’ semi-trailers.
Heyer expects significant increases in hauling costs this year “We
have a regular backhaul lined up out of Georgia, so that helps,” he
says. “But even then, we figure our transportation cost will be about
$7 per 60-lb bale this year. When we first opened the store last spring,
the cost was closer to $4/bale.”
To learn more about Pinnacle Farms, visit the company Web site at www.thishayisforyou.com or
call Heyer at 309-787-4100.
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Georgia
Northern Georgia hay grower John Watson had enough rain
this spring to produce a very nice first crop of fescue-orchardgrass
hay. “We were right on schedule with first cutting in the last week of
May,” says Watson, of Turkey Creek Farms, LaFayette. “We had a lot
of undergrass and that helped on thickness and quality. Overall, there
were very few weeds in it.”
Watson puts up his hay in 800-lb (4 x 5’) round bales. He’s
currently charging $40/bale for first-crop hay. “We’ve seen prices
all over the board so far this season,” he says. “On the low end,
it’s selling for $30-35/roll. On the high end, we’ve seen prices of
$55- 60/roll.”
Watson is wondering, though, how his second crop, normally harvested in
early August, will fare. “It’s been pretty dry for the last three
weeks or so,” he says. “Last year, we were able to take three
cuttings. This year, I’m not so sure.”
Many Georgia counties continue to experience an extreme drought, says
Joe McManus, assistant director of the Georgia Farm Bureau’s
Commodities/Marketing Division. “Rainfall has been extremely
spotty,” he says. “In some areas, people were able to get a good
first crop. In other places, pastures are burning up and people are
already having to feed hay or other supplemental feeds to their
livestock.”
To connect hay buyers and sellers, Georgia Farm Bureau maintains
hay-for-sale listings on its Web site, www.gfb.org/drought.htm.
Contact John Watson at 423-834-3457 or johnwatson@windstream.net.
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Deadline Approaches For Wisconsin Grazing School
Signup
July 14 is the registration deadline for a July 22
Wisconsin Grazing School workshop in Fond du Lac. The workshop provides
opportunities for in-depth discussions and field exercises covering
agronomic and livestock topics related to grazing and dairy and
livestock production on pastures. The cost is $35, with materials and
meals included. A two-day grazing school is scheduled for Aug. 19-20 in
Richland Center.
For more information, contact Dennis Cosgrove, University of
Wisconsin-River Falls at 715-425-3345 or dennis.r.cosgrove@uwrf.edu.
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Calendar
Aug. 19-20 -- Wisconsin Grazing School, Richland
Center. Call 715-425-3345.
Aug 19-21---Pennsylvania Ag Progress Days, Russell E. Larson
Agricultural Research Center, Rock Springs, PA Visit: apd.psu.edu/
Aug. 28 -- Hay & Farm Field Day, WW Ranch, Jacksonville, FL.
Phone 386-362-6447
Sept. 4 -- Kentucky Forage & Grassland Council Field Day,
Christian County. Learn more at www.uky.edu/Ag/Forage/.
Sept. 4-6 – Stockman’s School For Profit, Rockin H Ranch,
Norwood, MO. Call 417-259-2333.
Sept. 17-20 -- National Hay Association Convention, Oak Brook
Hills Marriott, Oak Brook, IL. Contact Don Kieffer at 800-707-0014, or
visit www.nationalhay.org.
Sept. 30-Oct. 4 -- World Dairy Expo, Alliant Energy Center,
Madison, WI. Visit www.worlddairyexpo.com.
Oct. 23 -- Kentucky Grazing Conference, Fayette County extension
office, Lexington. Learn more at www.uky.edu/Ag/Forage/.
Oct. 31-Nov. 2 -- Virginia Equine Extravaganza, Richmond Raceway,
Richmond. Learn more at www.equineextravaganza.com.
Nov. 6-7 -- 2008 BEEF Quality Summit, sponsored by
BEEF magazine, Antlers Hilton Hotel, Colorado Springs, CO. Visit
beefconference.com/.
Nov. 13-16 -- Massachusetts Equine Affaire, Eastern States
Exposition Center, West Springfield. Visit www.equineaffaire.com.
Dec. 2-4 -- California Alfalfa & Forage Symposium, Town & Country
Resort and Hotel, San Diego. Learn more at alfalfa.ucdavis.edu/2008AlfalfaConference/.
Dec. 5-6 -- 2008 Missouri Livestock Symposium, Kirksville.
Programs for horse, beef cattle, sheep, meat goat and forage producers,
and trade show. Details at missourilivestock.com, or call Bruce Lane at
660-665-9866 or Garry Mathes at 660-341-6625.
Feb. 15-16, 2009 -- Southwest Hay And Forage Conference, Ruidoso,
NM. Contact Gina Sterrett at 575-626-5677 or Justin Boswell at
575-840-9908.
June 21-23, 2009 -- American Forage & Grassland Council Annual
Conference, Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, Grand Rapids, MI. Call
800-944-2342 or email info@afgc.org.Calendar
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Send Questions & Comments
To...
Rick Mooney, Editor,
eHay Weekly,
hfg@hayandforage.com
For information on Hay & Forage Grower, contact:
Neil Tietz, Editor, ntietz@hayandforage.com
or
Fae Holin, Managing Editor, fholin@hayandforage.com
For specific information from past issues of eHay Weekly and
Hay & Forage Grower, click on hayandforage.com, and use the search
function in the upper right-hand corner of the homepage.
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