What we’re seeing in the fields…
Posted Aug 15, 09 in Scouting
Rootworm levels are variable some fields have very high numbers and other fields have nothing.
Leafhopper levels are variable as well all areas have some but not enough to treat. A few farms have had to spray seedings and some established stands. Most of the farms are at the point where they will be or have just recently harvested third cutting.
Soybean aphid populations were high enough to spray early on but have leveled off recently. Counts have been ranging from 50-125 per plant.
Immature Corn Challenges
Posted Aug 15, 09 in Crop Management
by Nate Herendeen, Crop Consultant
The May through July Growing Degree Days (GDD) for corn were about 250 below the long term average for the Rochester weather station. This is typical for all of western NY. Add to that the delayed planting due to excess rainfall and the conditions are right for a dry corn disaster. Heat has improved in August, but it will take two exceptionally warm months to catch up. That puts us into late September for corn silage and who knows when for 56 lb test weight dry grain. GDDs determine corn growth, not calendar days. We are into shorter days and cooler nights.
GDD to Make Maturity: On an August day when the high temp is 85 and the low temp is 55, we accumulate 30 corn GDDs. It takes 900 GDDs to go from blister stage to physiological maturity. That means you need 30 of those days to finish the corn!!
It takes 700 GDD to make it from milk stage and 475 GDD to make it from early dent stage. At that stage, whole plant moisture is barely at 70 %, generally too wet to make the best silage and still at 80 % of maximum yield. But, this year it looks like that will be the time to start. Don’t even think about the possibility of an early frost. That would be a catastrophe! At full dent stage, the plant has reached maximum yield and whole plant moisture is about 65%.
Once corn grain reaches physiological maturity (black layer formation), it is all a matter of dry down whether for HMC or dry grain harvest. On a good fall drying day, corn grain will lose about 3/4 to 1 point of moisture per day. On a rainy day, it may regain a little moisture. On a cloudy, cool day it won’t change much at all. for optimum HMC, grain needs to be less than 30% moisture. To harvest for dry shelled grain, anything below 32 % will harvest OK, but it will cost a lot for fuel to dry it to 14 %. Some years the grain will get down to 20% in the field, but that is not likely this year.
What are your options? Many fields were still at blister stage in mid-August. Have fields scouted now and record growth stage or stage of maturity. If you have the option of making late maturing fields into silage, plan accordingly now. The problem is that they may not be dry enough to make silage until after a frost and then they will all be dry enough at once. Save the most mature fields for grain, if possible. Perhaps you need to select some early fields for silage to get started and also some of the latest ones. Work with your consultant and nutritionist when considering alternatives.
Know What’s in Your CAFO Plan
Posted Jun 15, 09 in CAFO
By Robert Hatrick
Whether you’re a large or medium size CAFO operation, your CAFO plan developed for your farm includes both an ) & M (Operations and Maintenance) plan and an emergency action plan.
Operation and Maintenance - Scheduled Inspections
Most farms have invested thousands of dollars in the installation of BMP’s (Best Management Practice), which are required in your CAFO plan. However, as the Farmstead Consultant conducts at least an Annual Review of the Farmstead or come during DEC Inspections, more often than not, little or no maintenance has been accomplished.
Your CAFO plan does include an “operation and maintenance” schedule outlining what items should be inspected and when those items need to be looked at and fixed, or repaired.
Some of the most common items we see that need attention are:
1. Bunk Silo - high/low flow collections systems. Pipes, tanks, spreader devices and screens cleaned.
2. Vegetated treatment strip vegetation and splitter devices in need of reseeding or repair.
3. Manure and waste transfer systems including pipes, pumps, etc.
4. Fence and warning signs either lacking or in need of repair.
5. Earthen manure pond dikes-reseed bare areas on dikes, repair or woodchuck or burrowing animal holes that need filling. Mowing of dikes often to prevent burrowing animal from digging dens.
6. Gutters, downspouts and tile outlets should be inspected and perform any necessary repairs.
7. Pastures and loafings and abuse area - seedings should be inspected and reseeded as needed. Cattle should be rotated or removed to rest these areas and allow for re-growth of vegetation.
These are just a few reminders so as to insure proper and regular operation and maintenance is occurring. If you are unsure of what items may need attention or need advice on fixing practices feel free to contact your CAFO planners for assistance.
Emergency Action Plan
The purpose of the emergency action plan is to provide for a plan of action should an emergency occur on the farm. These could be emergencies that involve personal injuries, chemical or manure spills, manure pond/pit failures, accidents involving tractor/spreaders, etc.
Should an emergency happen that threatens a persons’ life, obviously 911 should be called first for fire/rescue to respond.
If it involved a chemical/manure spill and contaminants could enter a water body such as a stream, lake, water supply, reservoir, or ground water aquifer, the farms first response should be to contain the spill to prevent the contaminant from entering the water source. If it is a small spill the best recommendation is to clean it up. However, if it is a large spill, after containment is achieved, the farm should immediately contact the DEC Spill Hot line and your WNY Crop Management Farmstead Planner. If entry to a stream is imminent contact your earth-moving contractor to get dozer/backhoe equipment there to divert or contain the spill. The plan should be reviewed with all staff and yourself and provide adequate training and direction so everyone knows their responsibilities and where emergency equipment is located.
WNY Crop Management staff is currently in the process of updating Emergency Action Plans for all farms we services as our time permits. The new plans will no include updated information regarding emergency contact numbers, locations of emergency equipment lists of contractors and engineers and now a listing of emergency spreading fields. This will e a separate documents, which should be kept in a fully accessible location for all farm staff.
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