Agriculture Newsletter August / September 2015oces.okstate.edu/alfalfa/uploaded_files/Aug-Sept 15 NL AG...Agriculture Newsletter August / September 2015 Oklahoma Quality Beef Network

Page 1 August/September

Agriculture Newsletter

August / September 2015

Oklahoma Quality Beef Network fall sales Gant Mourer, Oklahoma Beef Value Enhancement Specialist

Once again the Oklahoma Quality Beef Network

(OQBN) is preparing for fall sales. Last winter

proved to be challenge for many in the state due to

lack of rain, but thankfully many parts of the state

received starting in late spring and continuing

through the summer. Pasture conditions are in good

shape and we have only seen a handful of days over

100 degrees. At this point many producers are decid-

ing how to market calves this fall. With the record

high cattle prices the decision to precondition calves

prior to shipping will be much harder for some.

Many management options exist and even with in-

creased prices those management options are still

valuable to producers and may have more value than

we think.

The Oklahoma Quality Beef Network (OQBN) is

available to aid producers in making preconditioning

decisions and capturing value of preconditioned

calves when it becomes time to market. OQBN is a

program, which began in 2001, and is a joint effort

by Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service

(OCES) and the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Associa-

tion. At its core, OQBN provides improved commu-

nication among producers of all segments of the beef

industry and allows for increased education while

providing tools to improve access to value-added

programs. One way in which this is done is through

the OQBN Vac-45 health verification program. Cat-

tle meeting the management requirements are veri-

fied through OCES and can be marketed as OQBN

Vac-45 cattle. Once verified producers have the op-

tion but are not obligated to market cattle in a

certified OQBN sale.

The program benefits both buyers and sellers in

several ways, including reduced shrink, improved

immune system, and weight gain during the

weaning period increased market demands and

feedlot performance. In addition to healthier,

heavier calves when sold, sellers may earn higher

prices per/cwt. In 2012, OQBN participants real-

ized almost $9/cwt premium over cattle that had

no weaning or health history. Light weight calves

realized a record high premium at over $20/cwt.

As cattle prices increase so does risk and buyers

are willing to spend 60-70$ more a head to de-

crease the risk of health problems on those calves.

The following page has a list of several OQBN

sales scheduled this fall across the state. For a

producer to take advantage of these value-added

opportunities, the cattle must be enrolled in the

OQBN Vac-45 program, follow one of three

health protocols, weaned by the deadline, and

third party verified by extension personnel.

For additional information or questions about the

Oklahoma Quality Beef Network, contact Alfalfa

County OSU Extension Office (580-596-3131) or

Gant Mourer, OQBN Coordinator at

405-744-6060.Additional information may also

be found at www.oqbn.okstate.edu

Prussic Acid Poisoning is a Concern After a Light Frost

Glenn Selk, Oklahoma State University Emeritus Extension Animal Scientist

It was discovered in the early 1900s that under

certain conditions sorghums are capable of releas-

ing hydrocyanic acid (HCN) or commonly called

prussic acid. Prussic acid when ingested by cattle,

is quickly absorbed into the blood stream, and

blocks the animal's cells from utilizing oxy-

gen. Thus the animal dies from asphyxiation at

the cellular level. Animals affected by prussic

acid poisoning exhibit a characteristic bright red

blood just prior to and during death.

Lush young re-growth of sorghum plants are

prone to accumulate prussic acid especially when

the plants are stressed such as drought or freeze

damage. Light frosts, that stress the plant but do

not kill it, are often associated with prussic acid

poisonings. Producers should avoid grazing fields

with sorghum type plants following a light

frost. The risk of prussic acid poisoning will be

reduced, if grazing is delayed until at least one

week after a "killing freeze". As the plants die

and the cell walls rupture, the hydrocyanic acid is

released as a gas, and the amount is greatly re-

duced in the plants. One can never be absolutely

certain that a field of sorghum is 100% safe to

graze. Sun-curing of hay will reduce HCN, especial-

ly if the hay is crimped. The complex that binds the

HCN is hydrolyzed and the HCN evaporates in gase-

ous form.

Cattle that must be grazed on sorghum pastures dur-

ing this time of year should be fed another type of

hay before turning in on the field, and should be

watched closely for the first few hours after turn

in. If signs of labored breathing, such as would be

found in asphyxiation, are noted, cattle should be re-

moved immediately. Call your local veterinarian for

immediate help for those animals that are affect-

ed. Be certain to read OSU Fact Sheet PSS-2904

(Prussic Acid Poisoning) before turning cattle to po-

tentially dangerous fields.

Beef Cattle OQBN Meeting

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Noon—Lunch Provided

Alfalfa County Fairgrounds

Alfalfa County Exhibit Building

Cherokee, OK

Topics & Speakers

“Oklahoma Quality Beef Network” OQBN

Gant Mourer

OSU Asst. Livestock Specialist

“Prussic Acid Or Nitrates”

Dana Zook

NW Area Livestock Specialist

“Alfalfa—Soil & Forage Testing”

Tommy Puffinbarger

Alfalfa County Extension

For more information contact the Alfalfa County OSU Extension office at

580-596-3131. Oklahoma State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, State and Local Governments cooperating. Oklahoma Coopera-

tive Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender,

age, disability or status as a veteran, and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Page 5 August/September

Beef Cow Herd

September

Fall Calving

1. Separate cow herd into management groups for the

calving season and the winter feeding period (i.e., first

calf heifers, mature cows, open heifers).

2. Monitor the herd closely for health problems.

3. Monitor first calf heifers closely for calving difficulties.

Assist heifers after one hour of labor, and cows after 30

minutes.

4. Thirty days before breeding, vaccinate replacement

heifers with7-way Clostridial, Leptospria/Campylobacter

vaccine, IBR, BVD, PI3, and BRSV vaccines and other

diseases the veterinarian prescribes.

5. Treat for internal and external parasites, as needed.

6. Weigh yearling heifers. Adjust weights and calculate

ratios. Base selection on both weaning and yearling

information. Purebred breeders should send performance

data to the national breed association office.

7. Prepare for herd sire selection and procurement as

outlined in August.

8. Conduct fertility check and provide a breeding soundness

exam for all herd sires.

Spring Calving

1. Continue to creep graze calves on sudan or other high

quality pasture.

2. Prepare for weaning. Purchase needed veterinary supplies.

Give calves pre-weaning vaccinations. Prepare

equipment and facilities for weaning. Reevaluate marketing

and retained ownership alternatives.

3. Identify and record unsound cows that should not be kept

for another year.

4. Weigh calves, adjust weaning weights, and calculate

ratios. Identify and cull bulls that have sired groups of

calves that are significantly below the herd average in

weaning weight or feedlot and carcass performance.

Purebred breeders should send records to the national

breed association for processing.

5. Continue creep feeding program for calves (OK Sil-

ver).

6. Wean calves from thin young cows. Supplement one

pound of high protein feed (38-41%) to thin cows in

order

to allow increase in body condition before winter.

General Recommendations:

1. Treat for cattle grubs, if not previously done.

2. Obtain laboratory analysis on hay to be fed during the

winter. Borrow the special core sampler from the

Extension office to obtain representative samples. Re-

quest protein, TDN, Ca, and P analysis, and nitrate lev-

els on sudan and sudan hybrids.

3. Plant clean-tilled small grain pastures in early Sep-

tember, if they are intended for winter grazing.

4. Establish hairy vetch, clovers (white, crimson, subter-

ranean arrowleaf, and red), alfalfa, and fescue during

September and October. Consider planting fungus-free

fescue rather than endophyte infected fescue.

5. Remove fescue and bermuda forage growth by hay-

ing, mowing or grazing. Fertilize fescue and bermuda

pastures before Labor Day with 50 lbs. N/acre plus P

and K, according to soil tests.

6. Do not graze weeping lovegrass between September

1 and December 1.

7. With stockers, rotation graze fescue throughout the

winter. With cows, stockpile fescue for grazing after

December 1.

Page 6

Landscape and Maintenance

August • Water all plantings thoroughly unless

rainfall has been adequate.

• The fall vegetable garden is planted

now. (HLA-6009)

• Divide and replant spring blooming per-

ennials.

• Irrigated warm-season lawns may be

fertilized again. (HLA-6420)

• Hedges and shrubs can be pruned, if

necessary, about mid-August.

• Young trees and shrubs may be ferti-

lized again.

• Discontinue dead-heading roses by mid-

August to help initiate winter hardiness.

• Brown patch disease of cool-season

grasses can be a problem. (HLA-6420)

• Meet water requirements of turf. (HLA-

6420)

• For areas being converted to tall fescue

this fall, begin spraying bermudagrass

with glyphosate products in early-August.

(HLA-6419 & HLA-6421)

• White grub damage can become visible

this month. Apply appropriate soil insecti-

cide if white grubs are a problem. Water

product into soil. (EPP-7306)

• Watch for a second generation of fall

webworm in late-August/early-

September.

• Pre-emergent herbicides for winter-

annual weed control in warm-season

grasses can be applied in late-August.

Water in the product after application.

(HLA-6421)

September • Last nitrogen fertilizer application of

the year on warm-season grasses should be applied no later than September 15.

(HLA-6420)

• Brown patch disease of tall fescue can

still be a problem. (HLA-6420)

• White grub damage can become visible

this month. Apply appropriate soil insecti-cide if white grubs are a problem. Water

product into soil. (EPP-7306)

• Continue bermudagrass spray program

with glyphosate products for areas being converted to tall fescue this fall. (HLA-

6421)

• Meet water requirements of turf. (HLA-

6420)

• If pre-emergent control of winter-

annual weeds is desired in lawns, the

application should be completed by the

2nd week of September. Note: Do not

treat areas that will be seeded in the fall.

(HLA-6421)

• Plan to seed bluegrass, fescue, or

ryegrass as needed in shady areas in late

-September through mid-October. Fall is

the best time to establish cool-season

lawns. (HLA-6419)

• Choose spring flowering bulbs as soon

as available.