Pasture

With the first freeze of the fall just around the corner, remember that a frost can result in potential hazards for certain forages. When a plant freezes, changes occur in its metabolism and composition that can cause toxicity issues for livestock. A few issues to be on the lookout for are discussed in this article.

Although fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) is a native pest to North America and a chronic pest in the southeastern US, reports of fall armyworm activity and outbreaks are unusually high this year. There are numerous reports of heavy fall armyworm activity coming out of Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and other states. In Maryland, there have been cases reported across much of the state so far, including Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Charles, Calvert, Frederick, Howard, Montgomery, Prince George’s, St. Mary’s, and Washington counties. Weather conditions have allowed fall armyworm to flourish this year, so producers are encouraged to be on the lookout for potential problems.

When it comes to something like mowing or clipping pastures, there are certainly two sides to the fence: those that think mowing or clipping pastures is just something that has to be done, and those that think it is a waste of time and fuel and offers little benefit. In truth, the reality is that both sides are right—the need to mow or clip is usually site and time-specific and will depend on several factors. Sometimes the decision is easy, and sometimes the decision is less clear, so what are the arguments for or against mowing or clipping?

With August upon us, we may still be feeling the heat of the summer at the moment but whether or not we’re ready, cooler temperatures are just around the corner and it’s time to be thinking about winter feeding strategies. Using harvested forages for winter feed represents a substantial expense for livestock operations. For many grazing operations, stockpiling can be an effective strategy to extend forage resources further into the fall and winter season, reducing the costs associated with harvesting and storing feed and providing high-quality pasture for fall and winter grazing.

Cattle Tales Livestock is a quarterly newsletter published by the University of Maryland Extension that focuses on bringing timely, relevant information to Maryland's livestock producers. Topics in this issue (August 2021, Edition 2) are Stockpiling Pasture for Fall and Winter Grazing, Weaning Tips and Vaccination Programs for Beef Calves, Managing Bloat in Pastured Cattle, and Limit Feeding Growing Cattle.

A fall armyworm outbreak is occurring throughout Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio. This week, we received a report of armyworm damage to sod from Maryland’s Eastern Shore as well as residential lawns in Lewes, Delaware. This appears to be one of the most significant armyworm flights in many years. Scout turf, sod, pasture grasses, any late sweet corn that has not yet headed, and when the time comes, small grain and cover crops. Females lay egg masses containing between 50 and 200 eggs, meaning damage can be localized and intense and that it does not take many moths to infest a field. It is important to catch an infestation as early as possible. Larvae consume 80% of their total intake during the last three days of larval development. Often, it is during this period or just after larvae have finished that damage is noticed, occurring seemingly overnight as if an army had stripped the field. It takes about 14-19 days for larvae to mature.

Fortunately or unfortunately, people are creatures of habit. Over the years, we’ve developed behaviors and habits that will stick with us for a lifetime. This applies to our daily routines and the choices we make, both good and bad. Whether it’s not getting enough sleep, skimping on the sunscreen, or neglecting to floss on a daily basis, we often find ourselves guilty of making the same mistakes again and again. Unfortunately, this same phenomenon also holds true when it comes to grazing livestock. As you make plans for the upcoming growing season, here are a few of the more common grazing mistakes that we often fall prey to. Let’s do our best to break that habit and avoid these mistakes moving forward.

Maryland Milk Moos Newsletter (March 2021-Volume 2, Issue 1). Topics include pre-weaned calf housing and nutrition, grazing tips, and management of poor alfalfa stands.

Agronomy News is a statewide newsletter for farmers, consultants, researchers, and educators interested in grain and row crop forage production systems. The topic for this edition is Preemergence Herbicides, Mowing Pastures: To Mow or Not to Mow, Checking Vegetative Growth Stages, Summer Nutrient Management Tips, Wheat Yields & Double-Crops—Time is Important to Maximize Yield, New Extension Agent, 2021-2022 Cover Crop Sign-Up, LEAD Maryland Fellowship Applications, MDA Pesticide Exams, MDA Pesticide Disposal Program, Weather Outlook, and Regional Crop Reports.

Topics include the cost of production, heifer benchmarks, fly control, and pasture management.