Cooperative Extension Service Franklin County 101 Lakeview Court Frankfort, KY 40601-8750 (502) 695-9035 (502) 695-9309 (Fax) franklin.ca.uky.edu

June/

Shared Use Equipment Available By Keenan Bishop, County Extension Agent for Ag & Natural Resources

There are many pieces of equipment that are either too expensive to justify purchasing or

only get used occasionally. Realizing this, the Extension Office and in some cases the local

Cattlemen’s Association has purchased items and equipment for shared used. Some items

were purchased with Kentucky Agricultural Development Funds through their Shared-use

program. A deposit and a small fee will allow use of a piece of equipment for a specified

time and it’s best to call in advance and reserve.

We have vegetable equipment for creating raised beds and laying

plastic mulch (mulch layer) and then a transplanter (water wheel

setter) for setting through the plastic row cover. These were

purchased with the idea that producers interested in vegetable

production might want to try it for a season or two and if it wasn’t for

them they weren’t out the investment of unique equipment. These

are both trailerable and then hook to the tractor via 3-pont hitch.

On the livestock end of things there is a top notch portable squeeze chute with scales (For-

Most) for those without handling facilities or needing to use a better

one. There is also a basic scale platform that can be placed in the

alleyway. If you are unfortunate enough to have a cow that’s down

or experiencing

calving difficulties we

have a sling and calf

puller as well.

Continued, Page 2

February 2018

Shared Use Equipment, Continued

The newest item is the Cattlemen’s Association’s grill. Southern States donated an old

propane tank and the Franklin County Career and Technical school’s welding class created

a nice big portable grill, you might have seen it at Field Day or the Cattlemen’s meetings. It

can be rented but is free to Cattlemen members.

We even have smaller items such as soil probes and a core

sampler for hay & silage sampling, a hay moisture tester (for

bales or windrows) and 3’ thermometers for checking bale

temperatures for safety. So, if you could use any of these

items but don’t want to purchase them or at least try it out

before you do give us a call or stop by, a deposit is required

but refunded when returned in good order.

Next Door, at the Conservation District, they also rent out

equipment for the same reasons. They have the following:

No Till Drills (5) $6.00 Per Acre

Lime Spreader $50.00 Per Day

Pasture Sprayer (2) $30.00 Per Day

Weed Wiper $30.00 Per Day

Chain Harrow (2) 30.00 Per Day

Manure Spreader $50.00 Per Day

Tree Planter $30.00 For Half Day or $50.00 For Full Day

Filter Fabric

They have just received funding for a Brillion Seeder and an in-line

wrapper. The Conservation District is partnering with the Cattlemen’s

Association for an on-farm meeting in April or May to demonstrate

their new wrapper. Stay tuned for the date and location.

To find out more about the rentals, or should you have any

questions, please be sure to call the Extension Office at 502-695-

9035, or the Franklin County Soil Conservation District at 502-32-2701.

Quote of the month: “Soil is a seed’s best friend.” In order for a seed to germinate, it must absorb many times its weight in water. Furthermore, the longer it takes for the needed water to be absorbed, the longer the germinating seed, and subsequently the young seedling, will be vulnerable to unfavorable weather conditions. Good seed-soil contact favors water uptake by seeds. Thus, practices such as drilling seed (especially using a drill with press wheels), use of a cultipacker when seed is broadcast on a prepared seedbed or even using livestock to “trample in” seed (without convering them too deeply favor stand establishment). Purchase Forage-

Livestock Quotes and Concepts books for $5 each by contacting ukforageextension@uky.edu.

Buttercups in Grazed Pastures Submitted by: Dr. J.D. Green, Reprinted from Grazing News

One of the signs that spring has arrived is when the yellow

flowers of buttercup begin to appear, but it’s during the winter months that the vegetative growth of buttercup takes place. As a cool season weed, this plant often flourishes in over grazed pasture fields with poor stands of desirable forages. In fact, many fields that have dense buttercup populations are fields heavily grazed by animals during the fall through the early spring months.

Buttercups are sometimes classified as short-lived perennials, but often grow as winter annuals. Plants typically produce five, shiny yellow petals in the early spring. There are four different species of buttercups that may be found in Kentucky: bulbous buttercup (Ranunculus bulbosus), creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens), tall buttercup (Ranunculus acris), and small flower buttercup (Ranunculus arbortivus). Although each of these plants may have somewhat similar flower heads, each of these buttercup species differs somewhat in their vegetative leaf characteristics. New seed are produced during the time petals are showy. Waiting until after flowers appear can be too late to implement control tactics. This is one reason buttercups can survive year to year and new plants emerge each year.

Most buttercup plants emerge from seed during the fall or late winter months. Therefore, pasture management practices that improve and promote growth of desirable plants during these months is one of the best methods to help compete against the emergence and growth of this plant. Whereas, livestock animals allowed to overgraze fields during the fall and winter months is one of the main factors that contribute to buttercup problems. Mowing fields or clipping plants close to the ground in the early spring before buttercup plants can produce flowers may help reduce the amount of new seed produced, but mowing alone will not totally eliminate seed production.

For chemical control, herbicides registered for use on grass pastures that contain 2,4-D will effectively control buttercup. Depending on other weeds present products that contain dicamba+2,4-D (eg. Weedmaster), aminopyralid (eg. GrazonNext, Milestone), triclopyr (eg. PastureGard, Crossbow), or metsulfuron (eg. Cimarron) can also be used. However, legumes such as clovers interseeded with grass pastures can be severely injured or killed by these herbicide products. For optimum results apply a herbicide in the early spring (February – March) before flowers are observed, when buttercup plants are still small and actively growing. For best herbicide activity wait until daytime air temperatures is greater than 50 F for two to three consecutive days. Consult the herbicide label for further information on grazing restrictions, precautions, or other possible limitations.

For fields heavily infested with buttercup a variety of control tactics may be needed. Apply a herbicide to help reduce the population of buttercup plants in the spring plus use good pasture management techniques throughout the year to help improve and thicken the stand of desirable forages.

Helpful hint: The chemical control recommendations for buttercups are also perfect timing for thistles, poison hemlock, and other early

emerging weeds.

UK to host tall fescue pasture renovation workshop By Katie Pratt

Lexington, Ky., (Jan. 24, 2018) – Tall fescue is a double-

edged sword for many forage and livestock producers.

University of Kentucky forage extension specialists are

teaming up with the Alliance for Grassland Renewal to host a

workshop to teach producers how to renovate their tall fescue

pastures with a novel endophyte variety.

The Tall Fescue Renovation Workshop will take place March

8 at the Bluegrass Stockyards and UK’s Spindletop Research

Farm in Lexington.

Producers have widely used tall fescue in pastures for

decades, because it survives well under many conditions

including drought, cold, overgrazing, insects and diseases.

However, the most common variety, KY-31, also contains

toxins that can severely affect cattle and horse performance.

By replacing it with a novel endophyte variety, producers can keep the beneficial aspects of the grass while

reducing the negative impacts.

“There are a growing number of novel or friendly endophyte tall fescue varieties on the market, including

UK’s own variety, Lacefield MaxQ II,” said Ray Smith, forage extension specialist in the UK College of

Agriculture, Food and Environment. “This workshop will help producers learn how they can begin to

incorporate these varieties into their operation.”

During the workshop, participants will hear from Kentucky producers, UK specialists, industry

representatives and speakers from the University of Missouri, Noble Research Institute and U.S. Department

of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service.

To register visit http://www.2018UKYNovelTallFescue.eventbrite.com or for more information visit the UK

forage extension website at http://www.uky.edu/Ag/Forage/.

Newly established tall fescue stands PHOTO: Katie Pratt, UK Agricultural Communications

Forage Timely Tips: February Collect and submit a soil test

Begin frost seeding clovers on closely grated pastures

Consider herbicide options for early spring weed

Apply 40-50 lbs. of nitrogen at green-up to promote early grass growth

Plan pasture utilization strategy (fencing, water, shade).

Stocker Conference Coming to Logan County Dr. Jeff Lehmkuhler, Extension Beef Specialist, University of Kentucky

The Mid-South Stocker Conference will be back in Kentucky in 2018 at the Logan County Extension

office in Russellville, Kentucky. Mark your calendars to join us on March 7th, 2018 beginning at

8:00 am CT with registration and plan to stay the day with us. The Logan County Extension office

will be a great venue for the conference. The facility provides plenty of space for the tradeshow as

well as the educational sessions. The Logan county area had been identified as a desirable location

several years ago. It is near the Tennessee border and between the I-65 corridor and the western

Kentucky region that is home to several stocker and backgrounding operations.

This year’s theme, “Pursuing Greater Profits”, lays the foundation for this year’s conference.

Speakers from South Carolina, Kansas, Tennessee and Kentucky will be providing valuable

information to assist the stocker and backgrounding operations in the region to find additional profit

margins in their business. Confinement housing considerations, recent findings in mineral

supplementation, and alternative forage options topics are slated to kick off the educational sessions.

Participants will have time to view the trade-show and visit with vendors in the morning, lunch and

early afternoon to learn about

products and services

available. In the afternoon,

topics include accessing

international markets, virtual

tours of local operations,

managing health of feeder

cattle and a cattle market

outlook will round out the

program.

Early-bird registration is $50

and ends January 31, 2018.

After January 31st, registration

will increase to $65. You may

register either online or by

mailing in the registration

form. Additional information

on how to register and the

complete agenda can be found

on the Mid-South Stocker

website housed by UT at

https://ag.tennessee.edu/

midsouthstockerconference

You may also contact Dr. Jeff

Lehmkuhler,

jeff.lehmkuhler@uky.edu or

859-257-2853 for additional

information. We look forward

to seeing you in March in

Logan county.

Franklin County 101 Lakeview Court Frankfort, KY 40601-8750 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Keenan Bishop County Extension Agent for Agriculture

and Natural Resources Education

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FRANKFORT, KY PERMIT 10090