The Rural Voice, 1998-09, Page 61A demonstration of Total Mixed
Ration Equipment at the Elora
Research Station's brand new bunker
silo and feed storage complex,
rounds out day 2. TMRs will be
compared for mixing accuracy and
particle size breakdown. Participants
can bring their own feed mixes for a
free particle size analysis.
Manure application systems and
nutrient management is of concern to
all livestock producers and is a real
issue when expansion is
contemplated. A Liquid Manure
Application Information and
Demonstration Day is featured on
day 3 of the tour. Several speakers
will make presentations on livestock
waste management topics including
Global Positioning Technology,
Precision Waste Management and
OMAFRA's Nutrient Management
Computer Program. Presentations are
followed by demonstrations of the
latest technology in manure
handling.°
Use this Fall to build
a great 1999 pasture
season
By Susan Robinson
Pasture Specialist
I heard on the radio this morning
that it hasn't rained in our area in
over a month. At the middle of
August it was very easy to see what
this has meant to the pastures. Fields
Advice
that should be green look burnt off.
They either haven't regrown or have
been kept grazed down by animals
looking for any fresh bit of grass.
And there is little rainfall expected in
the near future.
This sort of season means that
more care is needed this fall to get
pastures in shape for next year.
Forage plants can take some stress,
but like most of us, too much is too
much and leads to a total breakdown.
For pastures that means poor winter
survival, slow growth in the spring
and low yields for the next season.
Fertilize your fields with
phosphorous and potash this
September. This will eliminate the
stress that a lack of these nutrients
puts on the plants and will help them
over winter. It will also help to
stimulate forage seeds already in the
soil the following spring. Take a soil
test to get an accurate measure of
what your fields need.
Nitrogen applied at this time of
year is also beneficial. Grasses will
store a percentage of the nitrogen as
energy reserves. The plants use these
reserves to survive the winter and to
fuel early regrowth next spring. In
the absence of a soil test use 50 - 75
pounds of nitrogen per acre.
Overseed with grasses and
legumes (except trefoil). This works
best on fields where you can see bare
spots (even dime size ones). It's
better to have forage secds
germinating in these spots than weed
seeds or shoots from thistle rhizomes.
Livestock can be used to work the
seed into the ground by letting them
grazc the fields after seeding. Their
hooves push the seed into the ground.
Seed mixtures with clovers or
alfalfa by the middle of August to
give the plants enough time to get
established before the first heavy
frosts occur.
Grasses can be seeded in the late
fall or early winter. This approach,
used by the turf industry, is a form of
dormant seeding. The soil is too cool
to allow the grass seed to germinate —
germination will take place in the
spring when the soil warms up.
Plan to frost sccd if you want to
add legumes. Frost seeding is done
when the frost is still in the ground
and can be done all winter long. It
docs not work with grasses but is a
great way to get legumes back into a
field inexpensively.
By using one or more of these
approaches this fall you will ensure
that the grass will be greener next
year. To discuss alternatives of
forage/pasture fields call your local
OMAFRA office.0
Culling criteria
for your beef herd
By Joanne Handley
OMAFRA Beef Specialist
Drought in specific regions of the
province have prompted beef
waterproof! waterproof!
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Wilt • -
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NEW WATERPROOF TOP COVER!
• cleans easy
• dries fast
resists abrasion
etter than any
we have ever tested!
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visit us at
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booths EH4015 - EH4016
for more information call
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or e-mail: young@golden.net
Manufactured by Promat Ltd U S Patents 5653195
SEPTEMBER 1998 57