2014 November & December ANR Newsletter

Cooperative Extension Service Nelson County 317 S. Third Street Bardstown, KY 40004 (502) 348-9204 Fax: (502) 348-9270 http://nelson.ca.uky.edu

RON’S RUMBLES Another crop year is almost behind us. While it wasn’t as good as last year it was still a pretty good year. Weather was a little more variable than last year and costs us some yield in some areas of the county, especially the Holy Cross area. Pastures got a little thin in early fall but have come back nicely. Overall most folks should have enough hay and pasture to make it through the winter. Livestock prices are still holding pretty good although hog prices have started slipping the last month. The Central Ky Premiere Heifer Sale a couple of weeks ago averaged a little over $2,600.

Major Change Please Read For many years the Soil Conservation District has paid for soil, forage and animal waste testing. That has been a tremendous service for our

Upcoming Events Nov 20—8:00 AM-6:00 PM Nelson County Extension Office Beef Check-off Referendum Nov 24—9:30 AM-3:30 PM Fayette County Extension Office Managing Beef Cattle in Confinement Conference* Nov 25—1:30 PM Hardin County Extension Office Farm Bill Workshop* Dec 4 - Nelson County Extension Office 6:00 PM – Beef Quality Assurance Certification* Dec 5 - Nelson County Extension Office 10:00 AM – Beef Quality Assurance Certification* Dec 5 - Nelson County Extension Office 1:30 PM – Cattle Handling and Care Certification* Dec 8 - Nelson County Extension Office 6:00 PM – Cattle Handling and Care Certification* Dec 10—8:00 AM Hardin County Extension Office Early Bird Meeting* Dec 15—Agritourism Workshop, Elizabethtown* *Meets CAIP Educational Requirement

Ron Bowman County Extension Agent for Agriculture/Natural Resources

producers. Because of budgetary restraints they will no longer be able to provide this service. Effective immediately soil tests will be $5 and the other tests will be on a cost basis.

Notice the “Calendar of Events” on the previous page and meeting announcements inside. Several of you still need to attend an educational meeting to meet the educational component requirements of the County Agriculture Investment Program (CAIP). There will be more opportunities as winter gets here and we get into the normal meeting season. Also there will be a “Bovine Animal Referendum” at my office on November 20th (See article inside).

If I can be of help give me a call.

Creep Grazing Getting beef calves to gain weight as efficient as possible is every producer’s goal, and creep feeding calves can help achieve that. Two main types of creep systems are used; creep grazing and creep feeding a concentrate-based supplement. Creep grazing pastures can add pounds to a calf’s weaning weight. In creep grazing, nursing calves either graze fields before the cows, getting first choice of the more luscious, higher quality pasture, or they have access to different pastures that cows cannot graze.

Creep grazing is generally less expensive than creep feeding grain, requiring less labor and being more convenient. The actual stocking density will depend on the land production potential, forage type, fertility, and season. Calves 3 to 4 months of age are less dependent on the cow for milk and high quality forage provides a substantial percentage of their nutrients.

Creep grazing can be accomplished by allowing access to a special pasture through an opening large enough for calves, but too small for cows to get through. These gates generally range from 15 to 18 inches in width and 36 to 42 inches in height. A special pasture with high quality forage can be set aside strictly for this purpose. When starting to creep graze, it may be helpful to allow both cows and calves into the special pasture for a short period of time. The calves will return to the high quality forage after cows have been removed due to their growing independence and natural curiosity.

Another method often used is to position an electric fence high enough (36 to 42 inches) for calves to pass under while still deterring 2

cows from jumping over or going under. This method works well in a rotational grazing system where the calves can advance to an adjacent paddock under the fence where forages are higher quality before rotating the cows to that paddock.

The type of forage or forage combinations that are best suited for creep grazing will vary depending on the season and weather conditions. Summer annuals can be established in tillable areas. Millet, sudangrass, and sorghum-sudangrass hybrids grow rapidly and produce high quality forage in a short amount of time and are best grazed from July to September. Forages, such as alfalfa and red clover, can be used in creep grazing from April until September 15th and then from November on into winter. Small grains such as oats, wheat, rye and triticale can be used during October and November and again in early spring for winter hardy varieties.

Annual ryegrass is best grazed from March until May. Creep grazing calves is an effective way to help increase weaning weights and is generally less expensive than creep feeding. However, creep feeding grain might be an economical option for many this year due to lower grain prices and dry conditions throughout the state. Contact your local extension agent about what could work best for your operation, and the steps you could take to utilize creep grazing in the future.

Weaning Calves on Pasture Beef calves often experience stress during the time of weaning, and limiting this stress can help daily gain. Four main types of stress affect calves: physical, environmental, nutritional, and social. These issues can be avoided or at least minimized with proper calf management and planning.

Physical stress can occur during long periods of standing in working facilities, mishandling in the working chute, hauling to weaning facility, etc. Castration and/or dehorning can also increase the level of stress experienced at weaning if these processes occur at weaning time. Castration at birth and vaccinating before weaning will help decrease this stress.

Another form of stress is environmental, which can be either manmade or climatic. The weaning pen is the main human-induced environmental stress. Transferring calves from a clean pasture to a dry-lot can add stress as they are not familiar with these new surroundings. Also, moving calves to a dusty dry-lot where they 3

walk around in a confined space turning up dust can cause respiratory problems and decreased weight gain. Climatic issues such as rain, ice, and snow are out of our control, but we can try to plan weaning time to avoid these conditions. Social stress is the removal of the calf from its mother. This is inevitable when weaning, but the amount of stress can be decreased by using cross-fence weaning.

The cross fence weaning method is where the calves are separated from the cows by a good fence that will keep them apart. Remaining in “nose to nose� contact with the cow keeps calves calmer and separation is not such a large factor. This can be effective even with a small distance between the cows and calves, but where they are still able to see each other.

Nutritional stress occurs when calves are changed from a milk and pasture diet to a stored forage and grain diet. Having high quality pasture available to calves at weaning time is important both in the spring and fall. For fall weaning, calves can graze fields cut for hay which are beginning to regrow, or stockpiled fescue fields. Pastures used for fall weaning should be grazed or clipped between mid-August and mid-September to allow enough time for regrowth.

For spring-weaned calves, vegetative-growth provides an excellent quality forage as long as the grasses are maintained and not grazed too young or too mature. Grasses will generally start vegetative regrowth in April and May when temperatures begin to get warmer. Recommendations are to turn calves into a pasture when grasses are 8-12 inches tall and graze until grasses are 3-4 inches.

Pasture weaning offers a low-stress alternative to the conventional dry-lot weaning programs. Pasture weaning reduces the environmental and nutritional stress because calves are accustomed to pasture and the diet does not change. Demonstrations have shown that calves weaned on pasture and supplemented gain more weight than calves that are weaned in a dry-lot. New Mexico researchers reported that calves weaned on pasture had daily gains of 1.57 lb./day while drylot weaned calves gained 0.95 lb./ day during the first 3 weeks post-weaning. The advantage was lost at the end of the 42-45 day backgrounding period. University of Kentucky Beef Specialist, Jeff Lehmkuhler, conducted a field demonstration with two different herds. One herd was weaned on pasture with supplement while a second herd was weaned in drylot 4

pens. Gains for pasture weaned calves were near 4 pounds per day and only 1.2 lb. for drylot calves during the first 7-9 days postweaning. During the fall of 2013, Lehmkuhler worked with a producer in Anderson County where calves were weaned on pasture with supplement. Calves gained about 2.25 lb./d the first 19 days after weaning. Other studies have shown that pasture weaning is an effective way to keep beef calves healthy and productive during the weaning process.

Weaning calves on pasture is an option for cow-calf producers in Kentucky which can improve health and performance of calves during the weaning period. For this method to be successful, planning has to be done in advance regarding pasture quality and availability. Providing calves with a high quality forage and a clean environment is critical to performance during weaning. When weaning try to keep the stress at a minimum to improve animal health and performance.

Bug proof your house this fall Lee Townsend and Mike Potter, UK entomologists

You may have noticed your home being invaded by an assortment of pests this fall, including Asian lady beetles, boxelder bugs, crickets, spiders and black soldier beetle larvae. These creatures typically visit homes that provide easy entry this time of year, often seeking refuge from changing weather.

Pest proofing your home is the most efficient way to keep these critters out. A swatter, broom or vacuum cleaner and trash container will take care of pests that occasionally wander indoors. It’s best to deal with boxelder bugs and lady beetles outside, before they enter your home.

Following these guidelines will help pest proof your home or place of business and some may even help you conserve energy and increase the comfort level this fall and winter.

Install door sweeps or thresholds at the base of all exterior entry doors, paying particular attention to the bottom corners that are a common entry location. Insects and spiders can enter through a gap of one-sixteenth of an inch or less. Get down on the floor and check for light entering under doors; this indicates possible pest entryways.

To close other potential pest entries, apply caulk on the bottom outside edges and sides of door thresholds; fit garage doors with a 5

rubber bottom seal because vinyl doesn’t seal well in the winter; and line the bottom track of sliding glass doors with foam weather stripping ½ to ¾ inch wide to seal any gaps.

Utility openings where pipes and wires enter the foundation and siding are common entry points for spiders, ants, yellowjackets and rodents. You can use caulk, cement, urethane expandable foam, steel wool and copper mesh to plug openings around outdoor faucets, receptacles, gas meters, clothes dryer vents and telephone or cable television wires.

Apply a good-quality silicone or acrylic latex caulk to cracks around windows, doors, fascia boards and other openings. Before you apply the caulk, clean existing caulk, and remove any that’s peeling to aid adhesion. Be sure to use a good caulking gun. Desirable features are a back-off trigger to stop caulk when desired, a built-in “slicer” to remove the tip from new caulking tubes, and a nail to puncture the seal within. These guns are available for less than $10.

To reduce the entry of lady beetles, cluster flies and other overwintering pests, repair gaps and tears in window and door screens.

Keep windows closed when adults are emerging to prevent entry.

Repairing screens also will keep out flies, gnats, mosquitoes and midges next summer.

Another way to prevent pest entry is to apply an exterior barrier treatment with insecticides. To gain the most from this effort, apply long-lasting liquid formulations that contain synthetic pyrethroids.

These products are available at some hardware, lawn and garden shops.

If you apply the barrier treatment, use a compressed air or hoseend sprayer to treat the base of all exterior doors, garage, crawl space entrances, foundation vents, utility openings and beneath siding. It’s also useful to treat the outside perimeter of the foundation with a two- to six-foot wide band along the ground and two to three feet up the foundation wall.

If you prefer not to tackle these pest-proofing activities, contact a professional pest control firm. Many firms are beginning to offer pest-proofing services.

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Kentucky Beef Checkoff Referendum Slated for November 20th November 1, 2014—Lexington, KY— As the largest cattle producing state east of the Mississippi River, Kentucky is home to over 1.1 million beef cows and over 38,000 cattle producers. That results in cash receipts for the sale of cattle and calves in 2012 totaling over $656.7 million (National Agriculture Statistics Service).

November 1, 2014—Lexington, KY— As the largest cattle producing state east of the Mississippi River, Kentucky is home to over 1.1 million beef cows and over 38,000 cattle producers. That results in cash receipts for the sale of cattle and calves in 2012 totaling over $656.7 million (National Agriculture Statistics Service).

On November 20th, Kentucky beef and dairy producers that are engaged in the production of bovine animals on a commercial basis will have the opportunity to vote in a referendum to establish a Kentucky Beef Checkoff through collection of a $1.00 per head sold. A “uniquely Kentucky” program, the checkoff, if passed, would be funded by Kentucky producers and spent by Kentucky producers in the areas of education, research, promotion, global marketing and market development. The referendum will take place at local Kentucky Cooperative Extension Offices from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., local time.

To date, promotional efforts through the Federal Beef Checkoff found that for each dollar invested by farmers into beef checkoff activities from 2006 – 2013, $11.20 was returned to beef industry producer profit. In the state of Kentucky, beef education and promotion efforts in just 2013-2014 alone resulted in reaching over 650,000 consumers through a Summer Media Tour, extensive retail and restaurant training efforts and a total beef tonnage increase of over 33% on three lean cuts, at grocery retailer, Kroger.

Creating a Kentucky Beef Checkoff not only allows Kentucky producers to focus promotional and educational efforts close to home, but gives Kentucky cattlemen the opportunity to share their story.

“Promotion is important, but for me, supporting the Kentucky Beef Checkoff is all about who is defining our industry,” Grayson County Cattleman Russell Hackley shares.

“Someone has to speak for the beef and cattle industry, and it should be us.”

The Kentucky Beef Checkoff program is different and separate from 7

the current Federal Beef Checkoff efforts. The Kentucky Beef Checkoff program may complement and extend the Federal Beef Checkoff, but unlike the federal program, the entire Kentucky Beef Checkoff would be managed by Kentucky beef producers.

For more information about the upcoming referendum, visit www.kybeefcheckoff.com.

Chronic Pneumonia in Stocker Calves due to Mycoplasma bovis Dr. Michelle Arnold, UK Ruminant Extension Veterinarian

In an age of new, long-acting, and expensive high-powered antibiotics, why do chronic pneumonia cases (“chronics”, “lungers”, “railers”) continue to occur? Perhaps more importantly, how should these chronic cases be managed in the face of record high prices for calves? Mycoplasma bovis is considered the bacteria most often responsible for the development of chronic pneumonia in stocker and feeder operations. While the bacteria Mannheimia hemolytica is the most frequent cause of the dramatic pneumonia signs of high fever, depression, anorexia and rapid death, Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis) is the smoldering fire that continues to send calves back to the treatment pen. M. bovis is now regarded as a major cause of Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex (BRDC) and lameness in beef cattle. It is normally found in the nasal passages of healthy calves but with stress such as transportation and commingling, it descends into the lungs and the problems begin.

However, recent studies suggest that the M. bovis pulmonary infection observed during BRD outbreaks occurring early in the feeding period are primarily due to calf-to-calf transmission of one clone among the cattle. The organism has several unique mechanisms allowing it to dodge the immune system and actually suppress the calf’s normal response to disease. Once in the lungs, it can travel to the bloodstream then to joints, organs, and nerves.

These calves generally stay relatively alert with a fair appetite and are seldom treated early. It may take 7-14 days after lung infection before a calf shows dramatic clinical signs and, by that time, permanent damage has occurred in the lungs.

Transmission: In general, infection with Mycoplasma is considered low in preweaned calves, typically reported between 0-7%.

However, infection is much more widespread once cattle reach a feedlot situation; after 2 weeks on feed, studies suggest 40-100% 8

of calves will carry the organism. The disease is spread by close and repeated contact with nasal secretions of infected calves, especially in areas with poor ventilation and overcrowded facilities.

The source of the M. bovis clones that spread among pen mates is either newly acquired calves or chronic calves housed in neighboring pens. Some evidence suggests that transportation and other stressors (such as weaning, commingling, or extreme weather) increases shedding and therefore spread of the organism. Historically, the environment (watering troughs, feed bunks, bedding) has not been considered a major risk factor for spread of disease but new evidence has shown that M. bovis can persist longer under adverse conditions than previously thought and may actually be more virulent in this state.

Clinical Signs: Few, if any, clinical signs exist that allow differentiation of M. bovis pneumonia from other causes of pneumonia at first treatment. Cattle are typically pulled for evaluation and treatment based on one or more of the following signs: depression, separation from the group, lack of rumen fill or “gutted” appearance, persistent cough, excessive nasal discharge and difficult or rapid breathing. Respiratory disease with fever of 104°F or above confirms the diagnosis. However, certain clinical signs strongly suggest M. bovis involvement.

Typical signs of pneumonia due to Mycoplasma bovis include one or more of the following: 

Late Pneumonia-Usually 3-4 weeks after arrival to the backgrounder/ stocker operation/feedlot or 1-2 weeks after an initial case of pneumonia

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Initially treated as routine case of respiratory disease (BRD) but calf does not respond to antibiotic treatment or suffers repeated relapses of pneumonia after antibiotic therapy.

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Moderate fever/ Occasional cough

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Development of lameness with swelling and pain in one or more joints, commonly the stifle, carpus (“knee”), hock and elbow.

Many cases of pneumonia appear to respond to therapy but develop lameness without reappearance of the respiratory component.

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Extreme weight loss (Wasting or “cachectic”)

A small percentage develop ear infections with drooped ear that 9

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occasionally drain pus.

Diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumonia is challenging and is usually based on history of repeated antibiotic therapy and clinical signs of chronic pneumonia and arthritis. It is common to find the organism in nasal passages and the conjunctiva of healthy calves. Only lung tissue or fluid removed from the lung can be used to reliably determine whether an individual calf’s lung is affected or not. The diagnosis can be made most reliably at necropsy if Mycoplasma bovis is cultured in an animal with caseonecrotic (dry, crumbly) lung lesions. Arthritis is present in 15%-50% of cases with the stifle joint most commonly affected. Mixed lung infections with other diseasecausing bacteria such as Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, and Histophilus somni are common in the field but antibiotic therapy may eliminate these other bacteria that initiated disease.

Caseonecrotic lung lesions of Mycoplasma bovis Treatment: Response to antibiotic treatment is variable and frequently unrewarding. Mycoplasma organisms are very small and have no cell wall; therefore they are unaffected by penicillin and other “beta lactams” (Polyflex, Excenel, Excede, Naxcel) that kill bacteria by destroying the cell wall. They are also very capable of mutating (changing their genetic makeup) in order to survive other types of antibiotics. Currently Draxxin, Baytril and Resflor (available by prescription only) are FDA approved to treat Mycoplasma pneumonia. Use of other antibiotics is considered “Extra label” and requires a valid veterinary/client/patient relationship.

Response to therapy may be fair at best because of limited drug distribution into the lung lesions where the bacteria are concentrated.

The two most important factors to keep in mind regarding treatment are: 

Early recognition and treatment and timely assessment of response to therapy is crucial.

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Prolonged treatment is necessary (continuous therapeutic levels for 10-14 days). The feed additive Chlortetracycline (CTC) is often used for extended therapy after an injectable antibiotic.

Prevention depends on sound biosecurity and biocontainment practices. Because M. bovis pneumonia or polyarthritis may develop secondary to other viral or bacterial pathogens, control should 10

begin with minimizing the effect of well-recognized factors predisposing to BRD. Stress plays a major role in disease through immunosuppression so excellent nutrition, vaccination protocols and management are critical. The commercially available Mycoplasma vaccine is not currently considered effective although further research must be done under field conditions to determine if there is any benefit. Consult with your local veterinarian for the best management plan for your operation.

The following steps should reduce the risk of Mycoplasma pneumonia in stockers: Vaccination with a 5 way respiratory virus vaccine. Cattle with low antibody titers to the BVD virus are much more prone to respiratory disease.

Cattle with extremely low blood levels of the trace elements selenium and copper have difficulty fighting any disease challenge.

An injectable trace mineral supplement is often needed to boost the copper and selenium levels during the initial arrival period.

Metaphylactic treatment (treatment of all calves on arrival) of high risk calves with long-acting antibiotics is a well-established, beneficial procedure that can reduce morbidity (sickness) and case fatality (death) by up to 50%. Be aware that overconfidence in and reliance on metaphylaxis and long-acting antibiotics can lead to delayed follow-up treatment if clinical signs are not adequately monitored for a long period of time.

Keeping chronically ill calves away from calves treated for the first time should minimize the spread of Mycoplasma.

Eliminating exposure by reducing unnecessary traffic through the farm, isolating new arrivals, and treating sick cattle early will help reduce the risk of disease.

Buying preconditioned calves that have been vaccinated for respiratory diseases (especially BVD) and dewormed will help minimize losses to the producer.

USDA NRCS in Kentucky Announces First Application Cut-Off Period for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) will be November 21, 2014 The USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Kentucky is encouraging landowners, farmers and producers to 11

visit their local NRCS office now to receive information and apply for conservation technical assistance and possible financial funding opportunities.

The application process for NRCS’s conservation programs is continuous, but funding selections for specific programs are made throughout the year. For the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) the first application cutoff period date for consideration for 2015 funds is November 21, 2014. Applications received after November 21, 2014, will be held until the next application cut off period, which will be March 20, 2015.

EQIP is a conservation program that provides financial and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers who face threats to soil, water, air, and related natural resources on their land. Through EQIP, NRCS develops contracts with agricultural producers to voluntarily implement conservation practices. Persons engaged in livestock or agricultural production and owners of non-industrial private forestland are eligible for this program. Eligible land includes cropland, pastureland, private non-industrial forestland, and other farm or ranch lands.

EQIP offers several National and State Initiatives which include the Seasonal High Tunnel Initiative, Organic Initiative, On-Farm Energy Initiative, Wildlife Initiative, and Forestry Initiative. Interested land users should visit their local NRCS Office to find out what opportunities are available through each of these EQIP Initiatives.

“We’re getting an earlier start on EQIP contracts this year to give farmers more time to install practices,” said Deena Wheby, assistant state conservationist for programs.

All recipients of assistance are required to develop a conservation plan. Conservation planning is an integral part of the conservation process. Landowners should work with a conservation planner to develop the plan based on the landowner’s operational goals to improve the productivity, sustainability and profitability of their operation.

“Good conservation planning helps us identify the practices that will best address a landuser’s resource concerns,” Wheby said.

The conservation plan will serve as a roadmap to a variety of technical assistance and financial assistance through EQIP as well as .

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other options available to the landowner.

For more information visit NRCS on the web at www.ky.nrcs.usda.gov or contact your local NRCS service center at 502/348-3363. http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/ app Equipment Manager The Nelson County Conservation District is looking for an Equipment Manager. Our Equipment Manager, Allen Abell has decided to retire. We have four pieces of equipment. Two no-till drills, one hay bale wrapper and one aerator. If you are interested and would like more information please call the Conservation District office at 502-348-3363.

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MANAGING BEEF CATTLE IN CONFINEMENT CONFERENCE

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RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Bardstown, KY 40004

317 South Third Street

Nelson County

University of Kentucky

Cooperative Extension Service NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID BARDSTOWN, KY PERMIT #028