ISU Extension
IA State Univ.
IA Dept. of Ag
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August 2002

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In this issue
Drought Stress in NW Iowa 
2002 Farm Bill Information 
Beef Solids Settling Field Days 
Manure Application Field Days 
Lease Meetings 
Swine Issues 
Cyclone Beef Day Features the Calf 

Drought Stress in NW Iowa
by Joel DeJong, ISU Extension Crops Field Specialist

Some areas of NW Iowa have missed many of the rain events that have gone through Iowa so far this year - at least as of this writing.  Hopefully, by the time you get this, much has been corrected. 

One of the things I do to monitor how fields are progressing includes checking pollination to insure that the heat and moisture stress did not get in the way of this critical process.  To do that, carefully peel the husk from an ear, then shake from the tip of the ear.  Silks that pollinated kernels should easily drop off.  Silks that are still attached did not pollinate the kernel.  Also, at this time, you can likely see a difference on what pollinated and unpollinated kernels look like - pollinated kernels are bigger.

I also like to watch what kind of water usage the plants are undergoing right now.  For example, this web page has a segment on evapotranspiration (http://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/agclimate/index.php), along with other very good weather data in Iowa. The sites listed here are the Experimental Farms located across Iowa. Evapotranspiration is a measure that estimates the total moisture demand that corn and soybean fields have during the season.  If corn is unable to take up this much moisture in a day, then these plants curl their leaves to reduce their level of water demand.  Curling leaves indicate stress and some crop yield loss.  A rule of thumb says that 12 hours of curled leaves during pollination costs about 3% of yield, and after pollination 12 hours costs 1% of yield.  Peak corn moisture use, on a daily basis, is from mid-July to mid-August.  Peak soybean moisture use occurs about 70 days after emergence until maturity.  That is why we can sometimes have severely reduced corn yields due to drought, but very good bean yields.  August rain makes a huge difference for soybeans!

Elwynn Taylor has part of a graduate course on the web that discusses water use in crop production: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Information/introweather.html.  Corn and soybean crops need a total of about 22 to 25 inches of moisture to not have water as a yield limiting issue.  NW Iowa soils had about 10 inches at the start of the season (a nearly full profile), but needs rain to make up the difference.

If drought is severe in your neighborhood and few ears are found on corn, then making silage of this stressed corn does have a potential for having a high nitrate problem.  The fewer the ears, the higher the risk.  But, proper ensiling of this corn can greatly reduce the amount of nitrate in the feed later.  If in doubt have your feed tested for nitrate level.  Check with your Extension office for more information.

2002 Farm Bill Information
by Ron Hook, ISUE Farm Management Field Specialist

FSA is sending a letter to producers and they will have until August 31 to indicate if they do not agree with FSA records of acres planted to each crop.

Information meetings are being planned for August and early September around northwest Iowa.  Check with the county Extension office to find out if there is a meeting scheduled in your area.  Meetings have been scheduled for:  August 6, 7:30 pm, Dickinson Co Community Bldg, Spirit Lake; and the afternoon and evening of August 29 in Osceola County. 

There is a spreadsheet available at http: www.extension.iastate.edu/feci to help in the decision on updating base acres and yields.

Beef Solids Settling Field Days
by Beth Ellen Doran, ISU Extension Beef Field Specialist

If you have less than 1000 head of cattle in an open feedlot, solids settling is required before effluent is discharged.  Settling can be accomplished in the lot or outside the lot using basins, terraces or diversions.  Building a settling basin is fairly easy and can be inexpensive, but there are a number of factors, such as access and manageability that producers must take into consideration.

ISU Extension and the Iowa Beef Center are sponsoring a series of field days in NW Iowa that will showcase solids settling systems, beginning August 6 and concluding September 4.  Please call the County Extension Office listed to obtain details about a specific field day.  While fees will be taken on site, you are encouraged to phone 3 days in advance of the field day so that we can plan the field day supplies.  The fees will cover plastic boots for bio-security, refreshments and publications from ISU Extension that describe in detail how to design settling basins and manure management resources.

The field days will feature how to design a solids settling system, potential funding for solids settling systems and current and future open feedlot regulations.  Field days are scheduled as follows:

August 6  Sac/Buena Vista Counties (712-732-5056)
August 7  Lyon County (712-472-2576)
August 8  Sioux County (712-737-4230)
August 15  ISU Allee Research Farm near Newell  (712-732-5056)
August 19  Plymouth/Cherokee Counties (712-546-7835)
August 21  Lyon County following the ISU Demonstration & Research Farm Field Day at Doon (712-472-2576)
August 22  Dickinson County (712-336-3488)
August 23  Ida/Woodbury Counties (712-364-3003)
August 26  Humboldt County (712-332-2001)
August 28  Osceola/O’Brien Counties (712-754-3648)
September 3  Carroll County (712-792-2364)
September 4 Sioux County (focus is dairy) (712-737-4230)

Manure Application Field Days
by Kris Kohl, ISU Extension Ag Engineer

Still looking for more information on manure?  ISU Extension is planning three manure application field days to demonstrate injection equipment and manure spreader calibration.

August 14   North of Whittemore
August 30   10 am AND 1 pm  - ISU Research Farm, Sutherland (712-757-5045)
September 16  1 pm  - ISU Research Farm, Doon (712-472-2576

For more information contact your local Extension Office or Kris Kohl at 712-732-5056.

2002 Leasing Meetings
by Ron Hook, ISUE Farm Management Field Specialist

Farmland leasing workshops have been scheduled in many locations in northwest Iowa.  These workshops are designed to assist landowners, tenants and other ag business professionals with financial issues related to farmland ownership, management, leasing agreements and related issues. 

Pre-registration for these workshops is requested at the host county Extension office.  The schedule of upcoming meetings follows:

Swine Issues
by Dave Stender, ISU Extension Swine Field Specialist

Pseudorabies (PRV) status is continuing at zero positive herds in the state.  If a herd is found PRV positive, that herd is allowed 15 days to depopulate so the zero positive status can be maintained.

Remember - Each operation must test for PRV every 6 months.  Sows/Breeding Stock must be vaccinated 4 times per year and Finishing Swine must be vaccinated 1 time - suggest about 8 to 12 weeks of age. Maintain records of vaccine purchase and usage in case documentation is requested.

Questions concerning Pseudorabies have been winding down.  If you have questions, call the PRV Hotline - 1-888-PRV-PORK (888-778-7675).   The hotline provides direct communication with State of Iowa Veterinarians.

Group Tracker, a swine finisher closeout program, version 1.4 is now available.  This program is flexible with more detail, closeout summaries and the ability to compare.  Contact Dave Stender (712)225-6196 for more information.

New air quality publication from MWPS
A new publication, “Outdoor Air Quality,” MWPS-18 Section 3, is now available from MidWest Plan Service. It’s an expanded and revised discussion of a single chapter from the original Livestock Waste Facilities Handbook and uses a science-based approach to measuring air quality and emphasizes the basic principles involved in controlling dust and odor. Jeff Lorimor, Iowa State University, is one of five researchers who authored this 95-page book. Outdoor Air Quality, MWPS-18 Section 3, costs $15 plus $4.50 postage; quantity discounts are available. To order, call 800-562-3618; e-mail mwps@iastate.edu; or visit the MWPS Web site at <http://www.mwpshq.org/>.

Read labels - Remember to read and follow the label for all medication used this summer.  Pay close attention to extra label use of products such as penicillin.  If purchased at a farm supply store, only label dosage can legally be used unless otherwise directed by your veterinarian.  Both changes in dosage, as well as volume delivered per injection site, will impact withdrawal time considerably.  Continue making efforts to maintain a safe pork product for the consumer.

Cyclone Beef Day Features the Calf
by Beth Ellen Doran, ISU Extension Beef Field Specialist

Cow-calf producers who want to make the most of their calf crop are invited to:

Cyclone Beef Day
Thursday, August 29;  12 - 4 p.m.
Deer Run Ranch;  Sutherland, IA

The session will focus on adding value to the calf and will involve a mixture of hands-on training, chute-side discussions and classroom instruction.  The topics and presenters will be:

Retained Ownership Alternatives: How Have They Performed? - John Lawrence, ISU livestock economist, will compare economic outcomes of four retained ownership alternatives (60-day backgrounding, 125-day backgrounding, Sept 1 early weaning and Nov. 1 weaning).  Ten years of livestock and feed prices will be used to estimate the historical profitability of each scenario.

Nutrition for Newly Weaned Calves - Beth Doran, ISU Extension Beef field specialist, and Merv Hoermann, Land O' Lakes Beef Specialist, Sutherland, will look at calf needs and feeds: total mixed rations, energy and protein requirements, example rations, bunk management, home-grown feeds and the feeding value of ethanol co-products.

Improve Profits by Preventing Bad Days - Daryl Strohbehn, ISU Extension cow-calf specialist and a local veterinarian will discuss the economics of sound immunization programs, go through procedures of detecting sick calves, approaches in treating sick calves and the best health practices to assure a high-quality and safe product.

The fee to participate in Cyclone Beef Day is $25 in advance or $35 at the door and includes meals, breaks and program materials. To pre-register, contact the Cherokee County Extension Office (712-225-6196) or the O'Brien County Extension Office (712-757-5045). 

Registrations must be received by August 23.  Participants are encouraged to register early because total registration is limited to 25.

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