Forage Fax

Don’t forget to check out the “Events” tab for upcoming events in Central and East Texas! Events occurring through out the year will be posted under the “Events” tab. Upcoming Events:   Natural Resource Webinar: November 4, 2021 @ noon CT Common Mistakes When Managing Aquatic Vegetation Brittany Chesser TDA Credit: 1 GEN CEU Register here.     Overton Pesticide CEU Program November 19, 2021 Webinar TDA Credit: 5 CEUs (3 general, 1 IPM & 1 L&R) FLYER Register here       Ag in the Evening Series Webinars… Read More →

Silver Leaf Nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium Cav.) is an upright, usually prickly perennial in the nightshade family. It normally grows 1 to 3 feet tall and reproduces by seed and creeping root stalks. Leaves have a silver color (hence the name) with wavy margins and are lance shaped to narrowly oblong. Flowers are violet or bluish (sometimes white) with yellow centers. The fruits are round and yellow and are present from May to October. The plant has poor forage value for livestock and wildlife and can be poisonous to… Read More →

Yellow Nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus) is often referred to as nutgrass or watergrass. Yellow nutsedge is a perennial plant that reproduces primarily by small underground tubers (called nutlets) that form at the end of underground stems (rhizomes). A single plant can produce several hundred of these tubers throughout the summer. Yellow nutsedge can also spread by rhizomes. Yellow nutsedge can be identified by the triangular shape of its stem as can all sedges. You can feel the shape by rolling the stem in your fingertips. One method of control… Read More →

Baleage involves baling forage with 50 to 65 % moisture content, then wrapping the bales in plastic to create an air tight environment. This reduces the weather risk producers commonly face while waiting for the forage to field cure and harvest. Harvesting the forage at higher moisture levels allows for the forage to more readily retain its nutritive value and digestibility compared to conventional hay. Aerobic (free oxygen requiring) bacteria consume the oxygen remaining inside the hay within a few hours. Under these conditions, anaerobic (non-free oxygen requiring) bacteria… Read More →

Curly Dock (Rumex crispus) is a perennial broadleaf plant that usually grows in wet areas and is frequently associated with standing water. Leaves are alternate to one another along the stem forming a rosette. The mature plant stands erect and grows 2 to 5 feet tall. Leaves are alternate to one another along the stem. The small greenish flowers are arranged in dense clusters on elongated stems. The fruiting stem dies back in mid to late summer, and the fruits and stems turn a distinctive rusty brown. New… Read More →

I introduce to you a new publication…”On-Site Brush Pile Burning in Texas” written by Dr. Morgan Treadwell, Associate Professor and Range Extension Specialist and Tiffany Lashmet, Associate Professor and Agricultural Law Specialist. Brush pile burning is something that many of us do yearly to help clean up unwanted or dead plant material. Most of us may not give it enough thought beyond compiling the stack and lighting the match. This publication addresses outdoor burning regulations, time of year, smoke management, weather conditions, and more. I highly recommend reviewing… Read More →

Friday, February 19, 2021 Virtual Program Forage Fertilization Considerations Weed Control in Pastures and Hay Meadows Laws and Regulations of Pesticide Use Effects of Alternative Nutrient Sources on Bermudagrass Production Active Ingredients, Application Rates, and Herbicide Costs FLYER Registration: Cost: $25/person Register online at: https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/overton; or call Extension Conference Services @ 979-845-2604 The program will be divided into 2 sessions to allow attendees to have a break between sessions 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM                

Missing those face-to-face meetings? Texas A&M AgriLife Extension is offering web-based opportunities to continue to provide educational information on agriculture, including forage production. Below are some upcoming events you may be interested in… AgriLife Extension Events Calendar Ranchers Agricultural Leasing Workshop Texas Range Webinars   Check with your local County Extension Agent for other opportunities. Are you a Facebook user? Many of our County Extension Agents have County Facebook pages that can serve as a good source for timely articles and other web-based events that may peak your… Read More →

Blackhawk Arrowleaf Clover is a new cultivar that was released by Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Overton, TX in 2013. Blackhawk has multiple disease tolerance compared to Apache and Yuchi cultivars. Blackhawk is slightly earlier in maturity than Apache arrowleaf and is in full bloom around May 10 at Overton, TX. Test soil and follow lime and fertilizer recommendations Soil pH should be 6.0 to 6.5 Plan acreage needed (0.5 to 0.8 acre/cow + calf) Graze or hay warm season grasses to about 2-inch height before planting. Disturb sod… Read More →

Weed of the Week: Silverleaf Nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium) Silverleaf nightshade has foliage with gray or silvery appearance, violet, light blue or white flowers, and is 1 to 3 feet tall. Stems are sparsely covered with short yellow thorns. Leaves and stems have a dense silvery covering of hair. Optimum time to spray with a herbicide is during bloom.   Select Herbicide Options: Weedmaster Duracor GrazonNext HL Grazon P+D Pasturall HL Surmount Chaparral (for bermudagrass pastures, will destroy bahiagrass) Cimarron Max (for bermudagrass pastures, will destroy bahiagrass) Pastora (for… Read More →