“The Mane Point” February 2019

ACROSS THE AGENT’S DESK

UPCOMING EVENTS

February 4-5 – Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale; Fasig Tipton; Lexington, KY February 21 – Kentucky Alfalfa & Stored Forage Conference; Fayette County Extension Office; Lexington, KY March 19 – Invasive Plant Species & Native Alternatives; Woodford County Extension Office; Versailles, KY March 20 – Novel Tall Fescue Renovation Workshop; Central Presbyterian Church; Princeton, KY

Woodford County 184 Beasley Drive Versailles, KY 40383-8992 (859) 873-4601 Fax: (859) 873-8936 woodford.ca.uky.edu

Make smart hay decisions this winter. As we are right in the middle of hay feeding this winter, we may find ourselves starting to wonder if what we have will last us until spring. Look at how much hay is being wasted at feeding. Are there

ways to reduce it? Can we get the hay off the ground? Cover it? Feed smaller amounts more frequently? Doing any of those things can help reduce hay waste by as much as 20% in some cases and can help stretch hay supplies. Last year was a very tough hay making year and what little hay may still be available is generally of lower quality. Other questions may be, have I gotten this hay tested? Is it meeting the nutritional needs of my horse? Exceeding it? Maybe I can get by with a lower quality hay

than what I have as long as I am meeting their nutrient requirements. Ask yourselves these questions this year. You may find that you are wasting more hay than you thought.

FORAGES

Taking Stock Source: Dr. Jimmy Henning; UK Forage Extension Specialist

Here are a few suggestions to start the move to healthier pastures.

Soil Test. Forages are crops, and they need nutrients. Knowing soil fertility levels helps you target your fertilizer dollar to the most needed fields. Thankfully pasture fertility levels don’t change as much as hay fields, since most are returned in the manure and urine.

Find ways to remove dense canopies of dead grass such as close mowing or brief periods of mob grazing. This allows sunlight to reach the crowns of cool season grass and initiate new tillers (which emerge next spring).

Nitrogen is an important tool to rejuvenate grass pasture. Consider applying nitrogen in the spring to a damaged pasture and harvest it as hay.

Upgrade your fencing and water plan for better utilization in 2019. Having water points centrally located in a pasture so livestock are always within 600 to 800 feet of water will result in more uniform grazing. UK will be offering Fencing Schools and Grazing Schools this spring that focus on pasture layout.

Address the production slump of mid and late summer that happens with cool season grasses. Consider summer annuals, a deep rooted legume like red clover or alfalfa and even native warm season grasses. All these options have payoffs that offset up front costs and management requirements.

Target some fields for complete renovation. Reseed these fields to cool season grass in late summer. One or two burn down sprays with glyphosate will help insure successful re-establishment.

Tall Fescues – Endophyte-infected, Endophyte-free, and Novel Endophyte Source: Dr. Tim Phillips, UK Forage Agronomist; and Dr. Karen McDowell, UK Equine Reproductive Specialist

Tall fescue is one of the most widely grown perennial grasses in the world and covers approximately 37 million acres in the United States alone. It can be infected with an endophytic fungus), which in a symbiotic relationship with the plant produces chemicals called alkaloids that confer benefits to the plant. This tall fescue, native to Europe, was introduced into the United States in the 1800s. In 1931, E.N. Fergus, a University of Kentucky agronomist, collected tall fescue seed from the Suiter farm in Menifee County, KY, on the basis of winter hardiness, persistence in high traffic areas, and

FORAGES (CONINTUED)

drought resistance, giving rise to the cultivar of fescue known as Kentucky 31 (KY31). However, some of the alkaloids, primarily the ergot alkaloids produced by infected plants, are detrimental to grazing animals, including horses. Historically, the endocrine hallmark of fescue toxicosis in several animal species is a decrease in the circulating concentration of the hormone prolactin. Prolactin is secreted by the pituitary gland, and control of its secretion is complex and not completely understood. Prolactin exerts effects on a variety of systems including milk production, steroidogenesis (estrogens, progesterone and testosterone), hair growth and shedding, libido, and synthesis of surfactant by the fetal lungs. Importantly, prolactin may also exert an effect on the feto-placental unit by altering steroid synthesis and/or metabolism and maturation of the fetal adrenal-pituitary axis, which is necessary for parturition. One major regulator of prolactin secretion is dopamine, a hormone produced by the hypothalamus. Dopamine, interacts with receptors in the pituitary gland and inhibits the secretion of prolactin.

Ergovaline is the most abundant ergot alkaloid in tall fescue. Ergovaline, and several other alkaloids from fescue, have similar chemical structures to dopamine and can bind to dopamine receptors, thereby causing a decrease in prolactin secretion, resulting in partial or complete agalactia (the inability to produce milk) in foaling mares. Additional problems associated with KY31 fescue consumption in foaling mares include altered hormone concentrations, extended gestation, thickened placenta, placental retention, dystocia, birth of dysmature foals, and increased foal and placental weights. Dopamine receptors have been found in tissues other than the pituitary, including ovarian tissues and the corpus luteum, but the roles of those receptors in fescue toxicosis, if any, have not been fully elucidated.

The drug domperidone is frequently used in broodmares that are exposed to KY31 fescue and prevents or reverses the adverse reactions of ergovaline. Domperidone functions by binding to dopamine receptors, but rather than suppressing prolactin production, it competes with dopamine and allows for normal prolactin secretion. Because of the adverse health effects of common endophyte infected fescue in grazing animals, varieties of tall fescue which do not contain the fungal endophyte have been identified. Even though these endophyte-free varieties do not produce ergot alkaloids, animal performance is excellent. However, the plants do not persist well in pastures or compete well with other pasture grasses. More recently, endophyte strains that do not produce the alkaloids that are harmful to animals but still confer vigor and persistence to the plant, have been identified and inserted into tall fescue. These are called novel endophyte varieties of fescue, and some of these are commercially marketed as “Jesup Max Q,” “Texoma Max QII,” and “Baroptima Plus E34.” More recently, “Lacefield Max QII” was released by Dr. Tim Phillips in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at the University of Kentucky. The Alliance for Grassland Renewal is an association of seed companies, universities, and government agencies that regulate themselves by establishing certain quality control standards for novel endophyte tall fescues. For example, all seeds sold under the Alliance tag must be 95% pure, have 70% live (viable) endophyte, and have independent confirmation that the fescue variety does not cause fescue toxicosis in animals and will persist well under conventional grazing conditions. Although this article emphasizes the effects of ergot alkaloids on a dopaminergic receptor, it is important to remember that some of the alkaloids also bind to other receptor types, including adrenergic and serotonergic receptors, and thus may affect additional body systems.

HORTICULTURE

Habitat Network Not sure what to plant to attract butterflies, birds and more check-out Habitat Network. Just type in your zip code under “Your Local Resources” on the left hand side of the page and learn your eco-region, what to plant for pollinators, your native plants and much more. http://content.yardmap.org/explore/ American Holly The American holly is a beautiful native evergreen tree and is beneficial to pollinators and wildlife. In home landscapes, with limited area for growth, trees typically reach up to 30 feet high. Hollies are dioecious, meaning male and female flowers are on separate trees. Both trees are needed to have fruit on the female. Often American holly is used as greenery for Christmas decorations, as in “Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly.”

American holly prefers well-drained, slightly acidic soil, but will not tolerate consistently wet soils. If the soil pH is too high, chlorosis will occur, with some leaf drop associated

with this problem. The American holly is the only native holly with spiny leaves and red berries. The tree’s appearance is improved by letting limbs grow all the way to the ground, allowing this holly to be used for privacy screens and specimen plantings. In Kentucky, American hollies typically bloom in May and the flowers will last several weeks. Many different types of pollinators including honey bees, native

bees, and butterflies are highly attracted to holly flowers. Depending on what else is blooming at the same time, honey bees will collect nectar from the female flowers and nectar and pollen from the male flowers.

FARM SERVICE AGENCY

(Washington, D.C., January 22, 2019) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced that all Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices nationwide will soon reopen to provide additional administrative services to farmers and ranchers during the lapse in federal funding. Certain FSA offices have been providing limited services for existing loans and tax documents since January 17, and will continue to do so through January 23. Beginning January 24, however, all FSA offices will open and offer a longer list of transactions they will accommodate. Additionally, Secretary Perdue announced that the deadline to apply for the Market Facilitation Program, which aids farmers harmed by unjustified retaliatory tariffs, has been extended to February 14. The original deadline had been January 15. Other program deadlines may be modified and will be announced as they are addressed. “At President Trump’s direction, we have been working to alleviate the effects of the lapse in federal funding as best we can, and we are happy to announce the reopening of FSA offices for certain services,” Perdue said. “The FSA provides vital support for farmers and ranchers and they count on those services being available. We want to offer as much assistance as possible until the partial government shutdown is resolved.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture has temporarily recalled all of the more than 9,700 FSA employees to keep offices open from 8 am to 4:30 pm weekdays beginning January 24. President Trump has already signed legislation that guarantees employees will receive all backpay missed during the lapse in funding. For the first two full weeks under this operating plan (January 28 through February 1 and February 4 through February 8), FSA offices will be open Mondays through Fridays. In subsequent weeks, offices will be open three days a week, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays if needed to provide the additional administrative services. Agricultural producers who have business with the agency can contact their FSA service center to make an appointment. FSA can provide these administrative services, which are critical for farmers and ranchers, because failure to perform these services would harm funded programs. FSA staff will work on the following transactions:

Market Facilitation Program.

Marketing Assistance Loans.

Release of collateral warehouse receipts.

Direct and Guaranteed Farm Operating Loans, and Emergency Loans.

Service existing Conservation Reserve Program contracts

Sugar Price Support Loans.

Dairy Margin Protection Program.

Agricultural Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage.

Livestock Forage Disaster.

Emergency Assistance Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-raised Fish Program.

Livestock Indemnity Program.

Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program.

Tree Assistance Program.

Remaining Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program payments for applications already processed.

Transactions that will not be available include, but are not limited to:

New Conservation Reserve Program contracts.

New Direct and Guaranteed Farm Ownership Loans.

Farm Storage Facility Loan Program.

New or in-process Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program applications.

Emergency Conservation Program.

Emergency Forest Rehabilitation Program.

Biomass Crop Assistance Program.

Grassroots Source Water Protection Program.

With the Office of Management and Budget, USDA reviewed all of its funding accounts that are not impacted by the lapse in appropriation. We further refined this list to include programs where the suspension of the activity associated with these accounts would significantly damage or prevent the execution of the terms of the underling statutory provision. As a result of this review, USDA was able to except more employees. Those accounts that are not impacted by the lapse in appropriation include mandatory, multiyear and no year discretionary funding including FY 2018 Farm Bill activities. Updates to available services and offices will be made during the lapse in federal funding on the FSA shutdown webpage. Programs managed by FSA that were re-authorized by the 2018 farm bill will be available at a later date yet to be determined.

Sincerely, Adam Probst County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources Email: adam.probst@uky.edu

Visit our website at: http://ces.ca.uky.edu/woodford

Follow us on Facebook - www.facebook.com/woodfordcountyCES

Join Our Email Distribution List! You may subscribe on our website

WC CONSERVATION DISTRICT

Free Soil Testing Free soil test vouchers are available at the

Woodford County Conservation Office to be

redeemed when soil samples are submitted through the

Woodford County Extension Service. Up to 20 free soil

tests are available per farm or homeowner. This program

will run through June 30, 2018, or until the funds are

depleted.

Equipment Location

(4) No-till drills Southern States

(2) No-till drills Woodford Feed

(2) Tubeline bale wrappers Woodford Feed

Chain Harrow Woodford Feed

The Woodford County Conservation District has the following equipment for rent! Please contact the

location of equipment for availability.

Happy Gardening Faye Kuosman County Extension Agent for Horticulture Email: faye.tewksbury@uky.edu

Woodford County Extension Service Equipment

Grain Moisture Meter

Liquid pH Meter

Sprayer Calibrator

Grain Test Weight Meter

Hay Probes

Soil Probes

Please contact the Extension Office, 873-4601, for details and availability.

Electrical Conductivity (EC) Meter

Hay Moisture Tester

Walk-behind BCS tractor - Attachments include: 3 foot plastic layer with drip tape applicator, single rotary plow and 30 inch tiller

Raised Bed Plastic Mulch Layer - Model 2400 lays 4 foot wide plastic and adjustable 3 to 5 inch bed height (requires 30-hp and 4-wheel drive)

Portable Livestock Scales