Coopera ve Extension Service Robertson County 39 E Walnut St. Mt. Olivet, KY 41064 (606) ‐724‐5796 samantha.woerner@uky.edu

Agriculture & Natural Resources

Newsletter

September-October 2018

I hope everyone is winding down the summer season and ready to head into fall. Hopefully the rain will hold up long enough for everyone to get hay put up and get the crops harvested. There are quite a few events coming up in these next couple of months, not only in Rob-ertson County, but also surrounding Counties! Our Beef Association Field Day will be held October 1st, and their Annual Meeting will be November 5th. Master Cattleman’s is coming up, along with a new Bull Value Assessment Program in Fleming County. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask! I hope to see all of you at the upcoming field days!

Samantha Woerner County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources & 4-H Youth Development

Don’t forget about our Farmer’s Market!

Kentucky Proud?

Become a member today!

It is free to join!

http://www.kyproud.com/member/register/index

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Be aware of poison hemlock dangers to livestock

Source: Michelle Arnold, UK extension ruminant veterinarian; J.D. Green, UK extension weeds specialist

In recent months, evidence of poison hemlock is widespread in Kentucky. Poison hemlock is toxic to a wide variety of animals including birds, wildlife, cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, horses and to humans.

People are usually poisoned when they eat hemlock mistaken for plants such as parsley, wild carrot or wild anise. Although, cattle seldom eat hemlock, they will if no other forage is available or if it is incor-porated in hay or silage. A common question is how much do cattle need to eat to kill them. Unfortunate-ly, the answer is not clear cut. There is considerable variation in the toxic alkaloid content of the plant de-pending on stage of growth, season, moisture, temperature, time of day and geographical region (southern plants are more toxic than northern plants). The alkaloids have two major effects: rapid, some-times fatal effects on the nervous system, and birth defects in calves and pigs. Cattle have died by eating as little as 0.2-0.5 percent of their body weight in green hemlock.

Although this plant is often seen along roadways, abandoned lots, fencerows and other non-cropland sites, in more recent years, it has expanded out into grazed pasture lands and hay fields. Poison hemlock is classified as a biennial that reproduces only by seed. It is capable, however, of completing its lifecycle as a winter annual in Kentucky if it germinates during the fall. Flowers and new seed are typically pro-duced in late May and June. Plants emerge as a cluster of leaves that form a rosette. Poison hemlock is most noticeable at this stage of growth in late fall through early spring with its parsley-like leaves which are highly dissected or fern-like. The individual leaves are shiny green and triangular in appearance.

As the plant begins to send up flower stalks, the leaves are alternately arranged on the main stem. Each individual leaf is pinnately compound with several pairs of leaflets that appear along opposite sides of the main petiole. As the plant matures, poison hemlock can grow upwards to about 6 to 8 feet tall. At maturity, the plant is erect, often with multi-branched stems, and it forms a deep taproot. Poison hemlock has smooth, hollow stems with random purple spots along the lower stem that help distinguish it from other similar plants. The flowers, when mature, are white and form a series of compound umbels (an um-brella-shaped cluster of small flowers) at the end of each terminal stalk. Although poison hemlock is often associated with areas that have moist soil conditions, it can also survive in dry sites.

Symptoms of poisoning can occur within 30 minutes to two hours of ingestion depending on the ani-mal, quantity consumed and other ecologic factors. Toxicity varies depending on stage of plant growth, location and environment. Poison hemlock foliage has an unpleasant mouse urine-like odor, detectable when near the plant or when a stem or leaf is crushed, so livestock generally avoid it.

Signs of acute poisoning include: nervousness, trembling, muscle weakness, incoordination salivation (slobbering) initial stimulation or excitement followed by depression dilation of the pupils weak heartbeat musty, mousy odor to breath and in the urine prolapse of the third eyelid across the cornea may cause temporary blindness death by respiratory failure, due to paralysis of respiratory muscles

Although acute disease is a primary concern, an equally serious problem is subacute intoxication of pregnant livestock that causes deformed bones and joints in calves and pigs. For this to happen, cows must eat the plants for an extended period of time during the first trimester of pregnancy. The susceptible stage of gestation for maternal exposure for cattle is from 50-75 days for skeletal defects to occur. These alkaloids continuously reduce fetal movement during tissue formation, resulting in crooked legs, de-formed necks and spines. Less commonly, cleft palate results from lack of fetal movement in the head and neck regions at 30-50 days gestation, resulting in the tongue preventing normal palate closure during embryo development.

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All parts of the plant, including the seeds, contain the toxic alkaloids. Ingestion of fresh, green plant material may quickly produce signs of intoxication within an hour and last for several hours. Seeds and dried plant material contain the highest concentrations of the most troubling alkaloid. Toxicity may be somewhat reduced in dried plants due to volatility of the alkaloids, but the potential for toxicity still exists, particularly when a sufficient quantity is consumed in dried hay. Seeds are highly toxic and can be a source of poisoning when they contaminate cereal grains fed to livestock. Use extreme caution before feeding animals hay or grain known to contain poison hemlock.

Diagnosis is based on history of plant ingestion, clinical signs and chemical analysis for pres-ence of alkaloids in rumen contents. No specific treatment for poisoning exists. If acute poisoning does not progress to respiratory failure and death, the prognosis for full recovery is good. Avoid overexcitement and stress that may exacerbate clinical signs and result in death.

Public health is a concern when dealing with poisoned animals because of the possibility of al-kaloid residues in meat. Elimination of plant toxicants through the milk is a minor route of excretion but may be important when consumed by a calf or a human.

The principle strategy for poison hemlock control is to prevent seed production which can be a challenge since a fully mature plant is capable of producing 35,000 – 40,000 new seeds. It is too late to use herbicide control methods after plants have produced flowers. Therefore, you should use me-chanical control efforts such as mowing or cutting down individual plants just before peak flower pro-duction to avoid or reduce the amount of new seed being produced.

Make note of areas heavily infested with poison hemlock and begin to look for emergence of new plants in the fall. During the late fall, November, or early spring, March, is the best time of year for herbicide treatment. In grass pastures and hayfields herbicide products containing 2,4-D can be effective when applied to young, actively growing plants that are in the rosette stage of growth. Spot treatments with products containing 2,4-D, triclopyr, or glyphosate can also be used depending on the location.

Artificial Insemination and Pregnancy Palpation Workshop When: October 24 and 25 from 10:00 am—4:00 pm ET Where: C. Oran Little Research Center in Versailles, KY Includes both classroom instruction along with chute-side training Lunch will be provided for the attendees The cost to register is $300.00 Registration is limited to the first 10 individuals, on a first come-first serve basis Call the Extension Office at 606-724-5796 if you are interested in attending.

UpcomingEventsEasternKYKFGCFieldDay‐September6thMoreheadStateUniversityFarmfrom4:30to8:00SmallScaleLoggingEquipmentDemonstration—September15th10am—3pm,Morehead,KYAppleOrchardFieldDay—September15thBrowning'sOrchard(Flyerattached)KYFallGrazingSchool‐Sept.25‐26:WoodfordCountyExtensionOf iceRinseandReturn—September24thBrooksvilleFarmSupply—9:00‐12:00AugustFarmSupply—1:00‐4:00MasterCattleman’s–October1st—December3rdMondaynightsfrom6:00‐9:00*SeeFlyerAttached*BullValueAssessmentProgram—November1stand8thFlemingCountyExtensionOf ice***Only50spotsareavailable!***Cost:$25/personPre‐registrationisrequired!

LocalUpcomingEvents

RobertsonCountyBeefFieldDay‐October1stPoeTriplePAngusFarm6‐8pmRobertsonCountyAnnualBeefMeeting‐November5thRobertsonCountySchoolCafeteria6‐8pm

What herbicides can be used to control Johnsongrass?

Source: Dr. Ray Smith , UK Forage Extension Specialist

In tall fescue, there are no selective herbicides for post-emergent Johnsongrass control. Glypho-sate can be spot applied or selectively applied through a ropewick or rotowiper type applicator. This technique requires a good height difference between the forage grass and Johnsongrass and at least two application passes (back and forth, or perpendicular) to get good coverage. This meth-od misses seedling Johnsongrass that is too short to receive the herbicide treatment. In warm sea-son grasses, there are four main herbicide options.

1. Outrider or Maverick (Sulfosulfuron). Apply at 1.33 oz/A, or as a spot treatment (1.33 oz/100 gallons of water). Add a nonionic surfactant at 0.25% v/v (1 quart per 100 gallons of spray mix) to either foliar treatment. Apply from 18 inches to bloom. This can be safely used on estab-lished bermudagrass and bahiagrass.

2. Pastora (Nicosulfuron + Metsulfuron). Apply at 1.5 oz/A + a nonionic surfactant at 0.25% v/v (1 quart per 100 gallons of spray mix) as a broadcast treatment within 5-10 days after hay harvest to actively growing Johnsongrass, but before bermudagrass regrowth starts. This treatment timing may still result in a temporary yellowing of new bermudagrass growth, but yields should not be reduced at next cutting. This treatment can only be used on established bermudagrass.

3. Roundup Powermax or generics (Glyphosate). In coastal bermudagrass, glyphosate can be used as a post-emergent treatment to control newly emerged seedling Johnsongrass just after hay cutting, but before bermudagrass initiates new growth. This treatment can only be used on established bermudagrass.

4. Prowl H2O (pendimethalin). In established warm season grasses, there is one option for preemergent (seedling Johnsongrass) control. Prowl H2O can only be applied during dormant period. This treatment can be used on established warm-season forage grasses.

Soil Samples

First 10 Soil Samples are free!

(Per person)

$10 deposit on soil probe

Refund upon return

Hay Samples

$10/sample For more information call the Extension Office at

(606)-724-5796

Be sure to bring your soil samples in during the September-October-November months

for faster results!

2018 Robertson County

Farm Bureau Agricultural Fair Tuesday, September 20

Floral hall Registration—5-8 pm (RCS Ag Room)

Livestock Show and Sale Registration—3:30-5 pm

12th 4-H/FFA Livestock Show and Sale—5:30 pm (RCS Ag Barn)

Friday, September 21

Floral Hall Closed for Judging—9 am; Opens—11 am

School Athletic Events—10 am

Robertson County Beauty Pageants (Pre-teen, Teen, Miss)

Registration—5-6:30 (RCS Lobby)

Pageant Begins—7:00 (RCS Cafeteria)

Saturday, September 22

RCS Athletic Boosters 2nd Annual 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament

RCS Gym—Registration begins at 8:30 am

Sunday, September 23

29th Robertson Co. Farm Bureau Car Show @ RCS Parking Lot

Registration—9:00-1:00

Judging—1:00-3:00

Trophies Presented at 4:00 pm

Haymaking Weather Tips • Be Weather wise. Listen closely to the extended weather outlook and the daily hay cutting advisory in addition to the forecast. •Try to cut your hay just after a cold front passes in order to have the long-est period of dry weather for the crop to cure. •Use a hay conditioner, if one is avail-able, to help speed up the drying rate and reduce the time the hay is left on the ground. •Put the hay into a porous, fluffy wind-row so the air can move through it eas-ily. •If you turn a hay swath, do so when there is still dew on it in order to re-duce the number of leaves lost by shat-tering. Try to avoid touching it during the middle of the day when the leaves are brittle and easily knocked off

J. K. Evans Department of Agronomy

Equipment Rental—Robertson Conservation

No-till Drill $50/day, 1-10 acres $50 + $5.50/acre, 11 acres and up

No-till Drill (Hay Buster) $65/day, 1-10 acres $65 + $6.50/acre, 11 acres and up Lime Spreader $50/day

Contact Grant Paynter

to schedule:

(606)-842-0320

C.A.I.PUpdate

Detailsforthe2018

Programwillbe

releasedinthefall.

NewItemsandguidelineshavebeenadded.

Anyquestionscontact:DianeHardestyRobersonConservation(606)‐724‐5472

Robertson County Extension PO Box 283 Mt. Olivet, KY 41064 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

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Robertson County Agriculture & Natural Resources

Newsletter September/October 2018