Water is the most essential nutrient for life. The health of our livestock and their performance depends on access to clean, adequate water. WQKT host Ron Hamilton and Wayne County Extension Ag Program Assistant Matthew Nussbaum discuss providing both the quantity of water that livestock require during the summer months as well as some management practices to ensure that the provided water is as clean and safe as possible. Livestock may drink more than you think, especially in the hot and...

Tank mixing allows for the treatment of various pests, for example weeds and disease, in the same sprayer pass. Successful tank mixing can save time and money. However, when tank mixes are not compatible, dollars are lost due to decreased pesticide or product efficacy and in increased time needed to clean out a sprayer. This podcast discusses common mistakes that lead to tank mixing errors and incompatible spray mixes and provides a protocol to use when considering tank mixes.

Moisture content drives what happens to forage after it is removed from the field, whether quality is maintained or degraded. Improper moisture content can reduce storage life. If the moisture content is not correct, hay can mold and spoil, baleage and silage will not ferment properly. This podcast discusses tools available to help determine forage moisture content including microwave ovens, commercial forage moisture testers, vortex dryers, moisture probes and moisture sensors.

Baleage combines baling with ensiling. Forage is baled at high moisture content and wrapped in plastic. Baleage offers the rewards of producing a high quality, highly palatable forage under weather conditions not conducive to dry hay production. If not made correctly, there are increased feeding risks from botulism and listeriosis organisms. This podcast covers practices that ensure high quality baleage, including moisture content, bale density, and wrapping. Risk factors of potential...

Pastures respond to management. Increase pasture productivity by following the four “R’s” of grazing management; Right beginning grazing height, Remove/Reduce seed heads, Residual leaf area and Rest period. This podcast describes each of the four R management practices, concluding with a practical application of what is needed to apply these management principles.

Dairy cows have an optimal environmental temperature of 40-60 F, so heat stress is a concern during summer months. This podcast discusses heat stress in dairy cows, the consequences of heat stress and visible indicators of heat stress. Fans are an important component of heat abatement and managing dairy cow heat stress. Basic ventilation system maintenance is outlined in the podcast.

The alfalfa weevil is an early season pest that can cause damage to alfalfa in terms of both yield and quality reductions as weevil larvae chew on alfalfa plant leaves. This podcast describes how to identify the weevil larvae and their damage and the scouting procedure for alfalfa weevil. Economic treatment thresholds depend upon the number or larvae per stem and the height of the alfalfa plant.

Typically, farm biosecurity focuses on protecting livestock health, but the concern with COVID-19 is human health. Since farms, in particular farm labor, are not able to work remotely, this podcast discusses on farm biosecurity practices that can help to keep farm family members and farm employees safe during the COVID-19 coronavirus focusing on farm personnel behavior, modification of common practices and disinfection.

Protocols are defined as a set of steps or procedures that guide or define how a larger task is accomplished. They are useful because they lay out the details of a specific task. This podcast discusses common pitfalls of farm protocols and how to write protocols that will be followed by farm employees and that will produce positive results on the farm. Some specific protocol examples are included.

As we look towards the 2020 planting season, we don’t want a cover crop competing with a primary or cash grain crop. Therefore, the grower needs a plan in place to control or terminate the existing growth before the corn or soybean plant emerges. This podcast covers timing of cover crop termination and methods of cover crop termination including both mechanical and chemical termination. Mechanically, tillage, mowing and rolling/crimping are discussed. Chemical termination includes use of both...

Evaluate winter wheat stand yield potential after green up. This podcast describes using stand counts and weed pressure assessments to determine yield potential and whether a stand should be kept or rotated to another crop. For stands that will be kept for grain harvest, the weed assessment also determines if there is a need for an herbicide application. The podcast closes with a discussion on nitrogen fertilization of stands, including the use of livestock manure.

Calf scours or diarrhea is one of the leading causes of early calf mortality. This podcast is based on a presentation given by Dr. Jess Goff at the 2020 NE Ohio Regional Dairy Conference in Wooster. The podcast begins with a discussion of normal small intestine function. The next point is causes of calf diarrhea and the resulting disruption of normal small intestine function. The podcast concludes with a discussion of how to evaluate the severity of calf diarrhea and use of rehydration fluid...

Late winter and early spring are traditionally good times to frost seed in Ohio. Frost seeding is a pasture and hayfield renovation practice. It involves broadcasting seed during periods of freeze/thaw cycles to ensure good seed/soil contact. This podcast covers what is necessary for a successful frost seeding regarding sod condition, timing, species, and seeding rates.

Cattle lice are contagious and can build up to high population levels during the winter to early springtime period. This podcast discusses the types of lice, their biology and lifecycle, along with the potential for reduced weight gains, anemia and increased illnesses associated with heavy infestations. Symptoms of cattle with lice infestations are discussed. The podcast concludes with treatment options.

All employers, including farms hiring farm labor need to report new hires to the state of Ohio. This podcast outlines the reporting requirements including the necessary forms such as the W4 and I-9 Employment Eligibility form that need to be filled out and filed. Timelines and resources for more information are provided. The podcast concludes with some tips for a first day orientation to provide a positive first day employment experience.

What is the land rental rate in “X” county? There is not a single price point answer to this question. There are tools that can help provide a framework. This podcast discusses the factors involved in determining a land rental rate and why this is a discussion between landowner and land renter to arrive at a rental rate. The podcast discusses why written agreements are important to prevent misunderstandings, protect both parties and provides examples of what should be included in the...

The first 10 minutes of this podcast focuses on the Acreage Risk Coverage (ARC), Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program decision that farm commodity crop growers need to make by March 15 to participate in the 2018 farm bill. Each program is briefly explained, along with scenarios where each program is most likely to result in a payment. Listeners are directed to decision help tools on the OSU Extension farm bill web site at go.osu.edu/farmbill2019 for more information. The podcast...

Calves are more susceptible to cold stress as compared to older animals because they have low body fat reserves and a larger surface area to body mass ratio, so they lose body heat more rapidly. Calf managers need to understand the lower critical temperatures of young calves as a starting point. Winter care needs to focus on the calf’s physical environment including housing, and nutrition. This podcast provides some recommendations to keep calves dry, comfortable and growing in winter...

Winter weather complicates general hoof care management because we get frozen and uneven walking surfaces, along with cold, wet surfaces and slippery areas. Wet conditions, and physical trauma that can result from those uneven walking surfaces and slips while walking contribute to higher incidences of digital dermatitis. This podcast discusses the effect of winter weather on digital dermatitis management and provides some ideas and tips to keep hooves healthy and digital dermatitis at...

There are two primary risks associated with bunker silos and silage piles: a person working on top of the pile or the bunker falling off the pile/bunker, and second, a person or persons on the ground near the silo or pile being buried by a silage avalanche. All bunker silos and silage piles are not the same. Factors that should be considered when assessing safety risks are height of the silage, face management, and labor tasks. Safety measures and guidelines are discussed.

High somatic cell count (SCC) milk is lower quality milk. This podcast focuses on explaining the significance of SCC, its relationship to mastitis and what the farm can do to manage for low SCC. Use of bulk tank SCC as well as individual cow records can help to identify high SCC issues. Management practices to reduce mastitis and keep SCC low include good milking protocols and providing a clean environment for the cow.

This podcast covers some common methods of measuring milk quality and the quality standards associated with each including somatic cell count, standard plate count, preliminary incubation count, laboratory pasteurization count and coliform count. These quality measures are directly affected by cow health, cow handling, the cows ration, cleanliness of the cow’s environment, milking procedures, milking equipment maintenance & cleaning procedures, and post-milking handling of the milk.

Employee turnover is costly, with sources estimating anywhere from 50% to 150% of an employee’s yearly wage to hire and train a replacement. Increasing employee retention is about more than increasing wages. Surveys indicate that people stay in a job when they feel appreciated and have a sense of belonging. This podcast discusses some strategies to provide that atmosphere for farm employees and increase employee retention.

Dairy heifer calves represent the future profit center of a dairy operation. Getting a dairy calf off to a healthy start by reducing calf-hood diseases and ensuring good average weight gains translates into a significant milk production advantage in the first lactation. This podcast covers three management factors to start calves right; colostrum feeding, post-colostrum nutrition and the physical calf-raising environment.