Agriculture
UPCOMING GAPS Food Safety Plan Workshop
Thursday, June 13, 2019 from 9 am - 12:30 pm FREE for Any produce grower interested in becoming GAP certified.
Information & Registration form on Workshop GAPS Workshop
2019 Southwest Missouri Regional Management-intensive Grazing Schools
Why should you attend one of these schools? The single most important management factor in determining the profitability of a livestock operation is keeping feed cost low. So, why buy it when you can grow high quality feed yourself through a Management-Intensive Grazing (MIG) system?
Grazing School SW Region Dates and Locations
Ozark Grazing School Registration Form Schedule
Overseeding crabgrass now to improve fescue pastures for summer grazing
STOCKTON, Mo. - Missouri pastures are primarily made up of KY 31 fescue. Grazing KY 31 fescue in the summer time can lead to low cattle performance due to low quality forage and endophyte toxicity. “One way to combat this problem is to overseed crabgrass into your KY 31 fescue pastures,” says Patrick Davis, MU Extension Regional Livestock Field Specialist.
Crabgrass improves summer grazing of KY 31 fescue pastures in two ways. Since crabgrass has an optimum growing period of June to August, its incorporation improves the quality of the pasture during the summer grazing period. Crabgrass incorporation also results in less consumption of the toxic endophyte KY 31 fescue. Consumption of toxic endophyte KY 31 fescue causes vasoconstriction of blood vessels, which reduces blood flow to extremities. This causes reduced heat dissipation resulting in heat stress, excessive salivation, decreased intake, decreased weight gains and poor reproductive performance. Lack of blood flow to extremities also causes loss of extremities like tail switches and in case of hooves, fescue foot. Other symptoms related to toxic endophyte fescue consumption include less milk production, retained rough hair coat, and unthrifty appearance. More information on toxicosis symptoms associated with toxic endophyte KY 31 fescue consumption in cattle is mentioned in MU Extension Guide Sheet G4669. “Overseeding crabgrass into KY 31 toxic endophyte fescue pastures improves summer grazing pastures and reduces the chance of cattle exhibiting toxicosis symptoms, which should improve cattle operation performance and profitability,” says Davis.
"Download MU Extension Guide Sheet 4661 or contact your local MU Extension Agronomy Field Specialist for proper fertility requirements, seeding rates, and seeding methods for crabgrass,” says Davis. "At establishment, your soil pH should be greater than 5.5. April is the optimal seeding time and seeding rate should be 3 to 4 lbs per acre. For optimum forage management and animal performance, use management intensive grazing (MiG) practices along with the incorporation of crabgrass into your KY 31 fescue pastures,” says Davis. MiG allows management of grazing height between the range of 8 to 10 inches and 3 inches. Staying in that range allows crabgrass to provide high quality forage for cattle grazing and persist through the grazing season.
For more information on utilization of crabgrass in summer cattle grazing programs, contact your local MU Extension Livestock Field Specialist. You may also find more information on how to improve your grasslands at https://extension2.missouri.edu/programs/nrcs-mu-grasslands-project.
- Ag in Focus — A bi-monthly newsletter for agriculture producers written by MU Extension agriculture specialists covering west central Missouri
- Ag News and Views — A monthly newsletter written by MU Extension agriculture specialists covering southwest Missouri
- Beef Newsletter — A monthly newsletter written by Eldon Cole, MU Extension livestock specialist in southwest Missouri
- NE MO Ag Connection — A monthly newsletter written by MU Extension agriculture specialists covering northeast Missouri
- SC MO Ag News — A monthly newsletter written by MU Extension agriculture specialists covering south central Missouri
- Farmland — Get a first-hand glimpse of how agriculture really works. See lesson plans for high school students.
Agriculture business management
- AgEBB (Agricultural Electronic Bulletin Board) — University of Missouri-operated site provides marketing information, agriculture software, weather reports and more
- Ag Engineering Edge — Useful tips and timely advice about structures, ventilation, energy management, water and waste systems, forage and soil conservation, machinery and safety from Bob Schultheis, MU Extension natural resource engineering specialist based in southwest Missouri.
- Agricultural Software Directory — This directory lists all known agricultural software packages that are distributed in North America.
- Farm Lease Forms — Ag Lease 101 for both land owners and operators from the North Central Extension Farm Management Committee
- Missouri Alternatives Center (MAC) — Information on alternative agriculture enterprises
- Value-Added Agriculture Marketing Resource Center — This national information resource for value-added agriculture is hosted by Iowa State University and has general and commodity-specific information on value-added businesses, marketing opportunities, and access to consultants. Call toll-free 1-866-277-5567.
- Agriculture and Livestock Apps - Changing the Face of Farm Management (PDF)
Livestock, poultry and forages
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