Two years of abnormal weather changed plant growth, which changes livestock digestion and in the end, cows die. The words “it’s very complex” kept popping up in a University of Missouri emergency teleconference of state and regional MU Extension specialists. This winter farmers find groups of cows dead, often falling on newly unrolled baled hay. […]
On top of dealing with harsh winter weather in feeding cows, cattle farmers must guard against too much nitrate in poor-quality hay. “Just from cases we’ve confirmed, I know of 150 cows dying in the last month,” says Tim Evans, head toxicologist at the University of Missouri Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory. High nitrate, mostly concentrated in […]
Winter feeding of forage to beef herds doesn’t rank high as a favored job for herd owners. But there’s a bright side to feeding fescue, whether in hay or grass. Fescue toxins are down. “This is the best fescue will be, now until pastures green up again,” says Craig Roberts, University of Missouri Extension forage […]
Managed grazing makes better use of forage in a year of high-priced hay. After a drought with short grass and little hay, fall pastures grew fast with good rains. Management-intensive grazing (MIG) extends fall grass supplies. Or the grass can be saved for winter grazing, says Craig Roberts, University of Missouri Extension forage specialist. Controlled […]
Odd fall weather and fescue pasture growth set up potential poisonous pastures causing fescue foot in cow herds. Fall growth after a drought produces more toxins in infected tall fescue grass. The poison develops after rains start regrowth following a drought, says Craig Roberts, University of Missouri Extension specialist. Roberts urges herd owners to keep […]
Mother Nature has much to say about soybean yield and grain quality almost every year, says University of Missouri Extension soybean specialist Bill Wiebold. This year was no exception. Several important soybean-growing regions in Missouri experienced severe drought this year. The most worrisome effect from drought is yield loss, but producers face several other effects […]
Livestock producers can stretch short supplies of hay this year by using a simple ammonia treatment on bales, says University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Zac Erwin. Erwin and MU Extension agronomy specialist Valerie Tate will lead-free hay ammoniation demonstrations Oct. 9 and Oct. 11 at 5:30 p.m. to show farmers how to boost the […]
A meeting has been scheduled in Savannah to discuss livestock concerns caused by drought conditions, a shortage of pasture and hay, as well as water concerns. The University of Missouri extension reports the meeting is to be held Wednesday, July 11th at 5:30 pm in the Andrew County Youth Building, 201 South Banyon, in Savannah. […]
Shortage of cattle forage is forcing some Ozark herd owners to chop trees to feed leaves. That method was used in big droughts of the 1930s and 1950s. Damage comes from more than an intense drought, said Craig Roberts, University of Missouri forage specialist in a weekly teleconference. Regional extension specialists update state staff on […]
The summer slump in cool-season grass growth got a knockout punch from heavy rains in July across much of Missouri. Good growth for most grasses won’t be good for toxic tall fescue pastures, says Craig Roberts, University of Missouri Extension forage specialist. “Keep your eyes open,” Roberts tells cow herd owners. “The rapid grass growth […]
