Two Area Row Crop Clinics Coming Up

Local crop producers who are interested in hearing the latest in row crop production are invited to one of the following venues.  They are set for February 15 at the Parker Community Building, and February 16 at the Renner Legion Hall.

Programs run from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at each location.  The programs are sponsored by the Cooperative Extension Service of South Dakota State University.

Guest speakers include the following Extension Specialists from SDSU:  Al May, Marketing; Mike Moechnig, Weeds; Mike Catangui, Insects; and Jim Gerwing, Soils.  The southeast Extension Agronomy Educators on the program are Matt Berber, Craig Rosenberg, Connie Strunk, and Steve Sutera.

Al May begins at 10:00 with crop price outlook and discussion on pricing opportunities.  At 11:15 Mike Moechnig will discuss weed management strategies in continuous corn production.  He will also talk about new products for 2007 as well as identification of herbicide misapplications.

Lunch will be served at 12:15.

At 1:15 Mike Catangui will highlight insect management strategies in continuous corn production.  He will also discuss management of some of the resistant insects in row crops.

Jim Gerwing wraps up the program at 2:30 with fertility management for continuous corn as well as an update on potassium needs for row crops.

The Extension Agronomy Educators will provide reports on corn and soybean diseases, soybean aphids, and yield goal fertility management.

The Row Crop Clinics are open to anyone interested in getting the latest research information on corn and soybean production,  CCA credits will be available.

Dealing with Cold Weather at Lambing

Providing warm facilities for newborn lambs and adequate nutrition for ewes is critical during severe cold temps during lambing.
    

Newborn lambs require far less assistance when lambing barns are kept in a temperature range of 35 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit according to Jeff Held, SDSU Extension Sheep Specialist.
   

Housing that is well bedded and dry, protected from direct wind, with feeding areas close by or inside, will allow a comfortable environment for gestating or lactating ewes. Limiting moisture in the barn, especially the bedding surface, is more important for ewe and lamb comfort than the actual temperature.
    

Ewe nutritional needs, especially for energy, are sharply higher during cold subzero temperature. It’s also critical that producers pay attention to the location where feeds are offered, especially with shorn ewes. Ewes are less willing to stay at the feed bunk if the wind is blowing directly into this area.
    

Held noted that most ewes are shorn two to four weeks ahead of lambing. This common management practice requires that producers offer more total pounds of dry matter to account for the animal heat loss that occurs with shorn ewes.
    

Energy demand increases at least one-third for shorn versus wooled ewes at the same stage of production.
    

The gestating ewe requires 3 pounds of TDN and 0.75 pounds of crude protein. That means that 4 to 5 pounds of mid-bloom alfalfa or high quality grass hay plus 0.75 pound feed grain will meet her requirement.
    

In addition, a gestating ewe will consume 1 to 1.5 pounds of water per pound of dry matter intake. In lactation, a ewe will consume 2 pounds of water per pound of dry matter, or approximately 2 gallons.
    

Limited fresh water access during lactation will reduce total dry matter intake, subsequently reducing milk production for baby lambs.  Making sure we have ice-free sources of water will improve milk production, thus reducing the risk of lamb starvation losses. Starvation is the number one cause of neonatal death loss in U.S. sheep flocks.
    

Held added that sudden reductions in feed intake in late-gestation can lead to pregnancy disease (ketosis) in ewes carrying multiple lambs.
    

The key is to offer adequate forage and supplemental energy feeds until feeding practices return to normal. Adequate, good quality forage along with supplemental energy feeds – grains or coproduct feeds such as distillers grains or soy hulls – will enable pregnant ewes to get through weather-related alterations in feeding pattern.