News Update
June 13, 2013
Armyworms Eat Fescue Pastures, Hayfields
Armyworms, which can strip pastures and hayfields bare as they march across the landscape, have shown up in Missouri, warns a University of Missouri (MU) entomologist. “I had about 50 calls on May 23. Most reports were on fescue fields,” Bailey said. Early scouting to detect the young larvae makes control easier, Bailey said at a weekly MU Extension teleconference with field staff.
The immature worms feed at night. Scouting at dusk and early morning will be more successful than at mid-day.
“You must get down into the grass to find them,” Bailey said. “They start feeding down low and work up. Just looking at the top of the grass, you will miss them.”
Armyworms are easier to control when small than when they become large brown, white-striped worms feeding in a mass. “With the value of the hay crop, it may pay to use the lower number this year,” Bailey said. “As an alternative to spraying, cut the forage for hay.”
Wheat, which is starting to set seed heads, will be vulnerable to the armyworm invasion. Spraying armyworms in wheat fields is trickier because of pre-harvest intervals after spraying. Different sprays have different intervals, ranging from seven to 30 days.
There are no pre-harvest intervals for fescue. “Read the label for the interval for the pesticide to be used,” Bailey said.
The location of the armyworm infestations depends on where the winds blow the adult moths flying in from the south, Bailey said. Armyworms strip the leaves from the wheat. This stops the filling of seed heads. Sometimes the worms crawl up the seed stalk and clip the stem about 2 inches below the seed head. Both types of damage reduce yields.
“Scouting the fields requires getting out of the pickup truck,” Bailey warned. “If you see damage from the truck window, it’s probably too late.”
Norwegian Cruise Line Now Offers Certified Angus Beef
Norwegian Cruise Line announced it is now the only cruise line to serve Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®) brand steaks, the world’s leading Angus brand and consumers’ top choice for premium beef. CAB brand steaks are rated above USDA Prime, Choice and Select, and are known for their superior flavor, juiciness and tenderness.
“With the addition of Certified Angus Beef in our steakhouse and French restaurant, we’ve taken an already great meal and made it outstanding,” said Kevin Sheehan, CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line. “There is no better steak available and, as a New Yorker who knows a good steak, it was an obvious choice to bring these high quality selections to Cagney’s Steakhouse and Le Bistro.”
Guests can choose from a wide variety of premium cuts, ranging from a 14-ounce dry-aged center-cut strip loin to an 18-ounce bone-in ribeye. Additional offerings include an eight-ounce center-cut filet and a 16-ounce boneless ribeye. Guests can also customize their CAB steak with an array of seasonings and signature sauces including garlic butter, gorgonzola-crusted, chimichurri, green peppercorn and more. Cagney’s Steakhouse serves all of the selected cuts, while Le Bistro offers the eight-ounce center-cut filet.
“Norwegian Cruise Line is at the forefront of cuisine at sea, and the ranchers and farmers behind the Certified Angus Beef brand are pleased to be a part of this culinary evolution,” says John Stika, the beef brand’s president. “Guests will appreciate knowing their steak experience matches some of the finest steakhouses in New York and beyond.”
Oklahoma Gold and SuperGold Cattle Programs
Right on Schedule
Drought conditions gave way to significant rainfall over much of Oklahoma and surrounding regions this spring, leading some producers to wonder whether or not they need to alter their Oklahoma Gold and SuperGold cattle feeding programs.
“The short answer is no; cattle producers in Oklahoma and many areas of the region should be right on schedule for getting the most out of both programs,” said Chris Richards, Oklahoma State University (OSU) Cooperative Extension beef cattle nutrition specialist.
Lightweight calves that weigh about 400 pounds or less, or cattle with limited forage, should use the SuperGold program now. Animals weighing 600 pounds or more with adequate available forage should be on the Oklahoma Gold program in late June and no later than July 1.
While improved forage conditions caused by recent rainfall are most definitely a benefit to producers, it can lead to some head-scratching when it comes to determining appropriate stocking rates and forage quality.
Economically, grazed forage is an inexpensive feed source for cattle and the producer needs a balanced management approach to maximize use of available forage yet allow for pasture recovery, with an emphasis on promoting sustainable operational efficiency.
Developed by scientists with OSU’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, the Oklahoma Gold and SuperGold programs make cattle eat more forage and use it for positive body condition, growth and health functions. Furthermore, the programs represent a well-planned protein plan to offset deficiencies caused by decreases in forage quality.
In several OSU research trials conducted with mid-summer harvested prairie hay, forage intake has been increased by 20% to 30% while digestibility improved by 15% to 20% when cattle were fed one pound of a 38% to 41% protein supplement.
NFU Applauds Speaker Boehner’s Support of the Farm Bill
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson issued the following statement upon reports that Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives John Boehner, R-Ohio, will support the 2013 Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management (FARRM) Act:
“It is promising to hear that House leadership is embracing the 2013 Farm Bill and its importance to all Americans. I also applaud Reps. Lucas and Peterson for their bipartisan leadership in getting the bill to the floor. In order to provide certainty for U.S. family farmers and ranchers, it is critical that the farm bill continues making progress toward conference and final passage prior to the Sept. 30 deadline.
“FARRM makes significant, much-needed reforms to agriculture programs, including significant deficit reduction. The farm bill also prevents the necessity for emergency ad hoc disaster programs, which almost always represents deficit spending.
“NFU also supports the bill’s elimination of direct payments. American farmers need a safety net in times of natural disaster and long-term price collapse, not when conditions are more favorable. We will continue to work with members of Congress through the passage in the House and conference process to ensure that we end up with a comprehensive, five-year bill that is the best that it can be.”
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