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Jul. 02, 2015
Flies are one of the major nuisances around livestock facilities. They are a particular problem during the summer and fall when temperatures work in favor of their reproductive cyle. Flies can negatively affect animal performance, causing reduced feeding and resting time which can result in reduced weight gains and reduced milk production. Flies can also vector some diseases. For all of these reasons, livestock owners and managers need to make an effort to control flies. A few weeks ago in the OSU Extension Beef Cattle letter, Steve Boyles OSU Extension Beef Specialist had a good...
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Jul. 02, 2015
This year some 1,500 youth in Wayne County and thousands more in surrounding counties are engaged in self-directed learning through their participation in more than 200 different 4-H projects. Projects include everything from the traditional cooking, sewing, woodworking, and livestock projects that 4-H is so well known for – but also include a myriad of other topics such as: acting, art, atronomy, babysitting, bicycling, career exploration, electricity, gardening, genetics, genealogy, geology, interior design, laundry, money management, robotics, rocketry, scrapbooking, shooting sports,...
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Jun. 29, 2015
As we close the month it’s a great time to celebrate June as Dairy month. I know, many of you know, Wayne County is the number one dairy county in the state of Ohio and according to the 2010 census we are ranked 11th in the nation. As you travel or have dinner, talk about how many different breeds of dairy cattle you might name and what they look like?
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Jun. 29, 2015
This past week Wayne County IPM scouts noted increased incidence of leaf diseases in soybean fields. Most of this can be attributed to our rainy weather. According to Anne Dorrance, OSU Extension soybean pathologist, foliar pathogens have the most impact on soybeans at the later growth stages (R3 to R6) by reducing the photosynthetic area of the leaves that contribute to pod development and seed growth. So, does this mean you should go out and spray a fungicide? The best defense against disease remains planting varieties that have a good disease resistance package, but that does not...
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Jun. 29, 2015
Given our recent weather pattern, the topic of haymaking is almost certain to come up in any conversation with farmers. Last week while bemoaning the havoc our rainy weather is inflicting upon harvest schedules and hay quality, a member of my program advisory committee brought up the topic of haylage in a day. This is a concept that is being promoted in New York by forage folks at Cornell. Later, that member sent me a copy of a newsletter from Cornell that outlined some of the important principles of the haylage in a day concept. Those principles include maximizing photosynthesis,...
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Jun. 25, 2015
It’s the season of ball games, picnics and many other gatherings when we enjoy not only the activity, but our summer food favorites. With this in mind, you know the basics of food safety
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Jun. 25, 2015
The 2015 Ohio Sheep Day will be held on Saturday, July 11 in Southwestern Ohio. This year's host is Schoolhouse Shropshires, located at 961 Hoop Road outside of Xenia. Although it is a bit of a drive from the Wayne County area, I don't think anyone with an interest in sheep will be disappointed if they make the effort to attend. There are some great program topics planned. Those topics include:
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Jun. 25, 2015
The annual dairy twilight tour is scheduled for Tuesday evening July 14 beginning at 6:00 pm. This year's host farm is Sterling Heights Dairy Farm, LLC (James, Matt, and Mark Saal and families). The farm is located at 7852 Easton Rd (SR 604) Sterling. The tour is planned and organized by the Wayne-Ashland Dairy Service Unit and its purpose is to highlight dairy farming and the dairy industry. A free chicken BBQ and pork dinner that includes milk, ice-cream and pie is offered throughout the evening.
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Jun. 25, 2015
Once we reach mid to late June, alfalfa growers should be scouting their fields regularly for potato leaf hoppers (PLH). The PLH does not overwinter in Ohio. It arrives each year when it is carried northward from the Gulf Coast region on storm fronts. After they arrive, PLH will reproduce and approximately three weeks are required to go from egg to adult. We can see high numbers of PLH as we get into July and symptoms of damage from this sucking insect include yellowing of leaf tips.
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Jun. 19, 2015
The show will now be held on Sunday June 28th starting at 1 pm.
