A cattle artificial insemination school will be offered on Aug. 5-7 by the Adair County Cooperation Extension Service in collaboration with KABA-Select Sires.
The three-day training will include both classroom and hands-on instruction.
Hands-on portions of the training will be held at the Adair County FFA barn. Sessions will start at 8:30 a.m. daily.
Registration for the course is $450. Each participant will receive a $200 rebate on semen purchase.
Interested farmers should contact the Adair County Cooperative Extension Service at 270-384-2317 to register. Pre-register ASAP as class size is limited and is expected to fill up soon.
Plan for Fall Grazing Now
It’s a long time until fall but a few management practices applied now and a little planning for late summer can reap additional grazing days into the fall. While hay may be plentiful this year, hay does not provide the nutrients that forages harvested by grazing in the vegetative state can provide.
• Plant a summer annual. Summer annuals such as Sudangrass, pearl millet, etc. can provide grazing in as little as 30-45 days after planting and remain productive until frost. Grazing these forages during the summer can reduce the pressure on cool season grasses and give them a much-needed rest.
• Make use of existing summer grasses. Crabgrass and Johnsongrass are great forages when kept in a vegetative stage. Rotate cattle across fields containing these species to take advantage of growth and regrowth.
• Plan for late summer nitrogen applications. Cool season grasses such as tall fescue and Orchard grass can benefit from nitrogen applied in mid to late August. An application of 100 to 150 lbs. of urea per acre is usually adequate. Utilize nitrogen inhibitors to reduce the chances of nitrogen volatilization. Growth of cool season forage through the fall are increased substantially with adequate rainfall. Tall fescue can be stockpiled and saved for grazing late into the year with minimal losses in quality and dry matter.
• Seed annual ryegrass and/or cereal ryegrass in mid to late August in thin pastures. Both species can provide good fall growth and grazing later into the fall and periodically throughout warmer than normal winters. Additionally, these species develop rapid growth in the spring 2-3 weeks before tall fescue and Orchard grass.
For more information on forages for grazing, contact the Adair County Cooperative Extension Service at 270-384-2317.