Northeast Missouri Ag Connection

Volume 7, Number 8 - August 2020

This Month in Ag Connection

• Fall Cattle Management Strategies
• Planting a Fall Vegetable Garden
• Small Business Grant Program-includes Farms
• Gardening Tips for August
• PDF version of this newsletter (printer friendly)

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Fall Cattle Management Strategies

Weaning is a stressful process on cattle and producers, which can cause a negative impact on performance. However, proper management can reduce much of the stress and lead to better performance and yield higher profits. One effective method proven to reduce stress on cattle is fence line weaning. This allows calves to have contact with their dams across the fence and has shown decreased weaning stress. This method provides a sense of security and can reduce the amount of bawling since they are still close to one another.

Nutrition is another important factor in weaning management. A proper nutrition plan can set the stage for success for the rest of the calf's life. Always provide access to clean, fresh water in an easily accessible location. Provide free choice access to grass or quality grass hay and introduce a grain supplement at a low level to allow the rumen to acclimate to this new feed source. This allows the calf to learn to eat from a bunk and become more comfortable with people and surroundings. A good health program is also essential to successful weaning and can vary, therefore, it is important to have a good relationship with a veterinarian.

This is also a great time to evaluate the cow herd. Individual calves and their dams may be evaluated using adjusted 205-day weaning weights. Adjusted 205-day weaning weight allows fair comparison to be made by compensating for calf age and age of dam. The following example calculates adjusted 205-day weaning weight using the formula and table.

Example:
A heifer calf out of a 4 yr old cow weighed at 210 days of age weighs 650 lbs. The calf weighed 80 lbs at birth.
Adj. 205-d WW =
(WW-BW / weaning age in days) x 205 + BW + age of dam Adj. factor
(650 - 80 / 210) x 205 + 80 + 18 = 654 lbs. adj WW Wt.

This will allow producers to build detailed production data on individual cows and make management decisions on an individual level. For total cow herd evaluation, weaning weight per cow exposed can determine cow-calf productivity. For this measurement take the sum of all calf weaning weights and divide by the number of cows exposed to breeding. This measurement can be used when birthdate and birth weight are unknown.

Following weaning, cows' nutritional demand is at its lowest and evaluating body condition score (BCS) is another useful management tool. Data collected provides valuable information to determine forage allocation and supplemental nutrition to keep cows in proper condition. This is also a great time to conduct a pregnancy check, vaccinate, deworm, evaluate for lameness, udder problems, as well as disposition.

Cattle handling facilities can also be evaluated during the fall. A well-designed facility will make handling more efficient reducing stress and injuries for both livestock and producers. Cattle build upon previous experiences in working facilities. Solid sided alleys prevent cattle from balking by removing visual distractions from the outside. This prevents animals from trying to return to the group and provides only one way for the cattle to move.

When upgrading or designing a new working facility consider the following:

1. Visit other operations when working cattle to see how different equipment and designs work.
2. Design the new facility to have enough pens to sort cattle multiple directions.
3. Make the lead-up alley long enough to hold at least three cows so there will be a continuous flow of cattle into the chute.

For most producers, time and labor are the largest limiting factors when working cattle. If facilities are designed for safe and efficient cattle flow, time and labor can be reduced. Contact a local MU Extension Livestock Specialist or Ag Engineering Specialist for design recommendations on cattle handling, and space requirements for holding pens, crowding pens, and sorting alleys.

Source: Daniel Mallory, Livestock Specialist

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Planting a Fall Vegetable Garden

Most gardeners are not thinking about autumn right now with temperatures still warm, but now is the time to plant a fall garden. Many vegetables are well adapted to planting in the summer for a fall harvest. Planting a fall garden will extend the gardening season so vegetables can continue to be harvested after earlier crops have finished. The fall harvest can be extended even further, possibly into November and December, by providing protection from early frosts, planting in cold frames or hotbeds, or by using row cover during light frosts.

Many cool-season vegetables, such as carrots, parsnips, broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts, produce their best flavor and quality when they mature during cool weather. In Missouri, spring temperatures often heat up quickly causing these vegetables to bolt (flower) or develop a bitter flavor when they mature during hot summer weather.

Vegetable crops like lettuce, peas, radishes, spinach, broccoli and green beans can be planted for a fall crop. Some seeds will germinate better if refrigerated for a few days before planting. Spinach and lettuce are leafy greens that have a higher germination rate if refrigerated before planting in the fall. When ready to plant, cool the soil by wetting it with cold water. Then plant seeds, and keep the soil cool and moist until the seeds germinate. Late plantings of some vegetables like summer squash and green beans are recommended to avoid insect problems. Gardeners often have a better crop of green beans in the fall than the spring because of less insect pressure, and the plants grow better in the cooler days of fall. Keep vegetable plantings well-watered if rainfall is not sufficient. Growing a productive fall vegetable garden requires thoughtful planning and good cultural practices, but can reward a gardener with a bountiful harvest.

Source: Jennifer Schutter, Horticulture Specialist

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Small Business Grant Program-includes Farms

Recently, a grant program, for small businesses and family owned farms, was announced. The program is being administered through the Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED). Funding is from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). The purpose of the Small Business Grant Program is to provide grants to small businesses and family-owned farms for reimbursement of costs of business interruption caused by required closures in connection with the COVID-19 public health emergency. Legislation details and program specifics may be found on the Missouri DED website https://ded.mo.gov/content/small-business-grant-program

The focus of the program is on the hardest hit industries, which include retail trade, accommodation and food service and health care, in addition to family-owned farms. The application period is July 14, 2020 to August 31, 2020. Other industries may apply September 1, 2020 if there are funds available.

Applicants must meet requirements to be eligible. The program guidelines contain details on the pool of funds and grant limits.

Following are abbreviated guidelines. Full guidelines can be found on the DED website listed above.

1. The applicant must be a for-profit business or family-owned farm that employs 50 or fewer full-time employees, including the owner(s).
   Family-owned farm includes family farms and family farm corporations.
• Full-time employee means a person who is scheduled to work 35 or more hours per week
• "Family Farm" means an unincorporated farming unit owned or leased by one or more persons residing on the farm or actively engaging in farming.
• "Family Farm Corporation" means a corporation incorporated for the purpose of farming and the ownership of agricultural land. A person actively operating a farm shall include, but not be limited to, a person who has an ownership interest in the family farm corporation and exercises some management control or direction.
• "Farming" means using or cultivating land for the production of (a) agricultural crops; (b) livestock or livestock products; (c) poultry or poultry products; (d) milk or dairy products; or (e) fruit or other horticultural products, provided; however, "farming" shall not include a processor of farm products or a distributor of farming supplies contracting to provide spraying, harvesting or other farming services.
2. The applicant must be located in Missouri.
3. The applicant must be incorporated in Missouri, with the exception of family farms.
4. The applicant must be registered to do business in Missouri and in good standing with the Secretary of State, with the exception of an unincorporated family farm.
5. The applicant must complete and submit Form 943 to obtain a tax clearance certificate (valid for 90 days) from the Missouri Department of Revenue for each owner and the business. Form 943 is available at http://dor.mo.gov/forms/943.pdf
6. The applicant must not employ illegal workers and must provide proof of enrollment in E-Verify.
7. The applicant must register as a vendor with the State of Missouri through the MissouriBUYS web portal.

Eligible costs must have been incurred since March 1, 2020. Examples might include the following:

• Costs associated with business interruption caused by required closures in connection with the COVID-19 public health emergency
• Unemployment insurance costs related to the COVID-19 public health emergency if such costs will not be reimbursed
• Facility redesign and labor for redesign
• Leasing additional space for social distancing
• Air filtration system
• One time inventory replacement if business had to close or sales decreased
• Costs needed to make the business resilient as a result of COVID-19 (examples: equipment to do different or more electronic work, PPE, prescreening equipment for employees to work)
• Increase to solid waste disposal as it relates to disposal of used PPE
• Overhead that had to be paid while the business was closed or sales decreased
• Salaries of workers during closure or reduced hours
• Website design to do e-commerce

Applications:
Applications are available only by request via e-mail as follows:

• For a Family-owned Farm application e-mail
  farmilyfarmgrant@ded.mo.gov


• For a Small Business application e-mail
  smallbusinessgrant@ded.mo.gov

Applicant awards will be determined at the discretion of DED based on the applicant's eligibility, eligible costs, and overall availability of program funds.

Source: Darla Campbell, Ag Business Specialist

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Gardening Tips for August

Ornamentals:

• Deadhead annuals and perennials as needed.
• Continue spraying roses that are susceptible to black spot and other fungal diseases.
• Divide bearded iris now.Replant so tops of rhizomes are just above ground level.
• Soak shrubs periodically during dry spells with enough water to moisten the soil to a depth of 8-10 inches.
• Once bagworms reach full size, insecticides are ineffective. Pruning off and burning large bags provides better control.
• Hummingbirds are migrating through gardens now.
• Monitor plants for spider mite activity. Hose these pests off with a forceful spray of water.

Vegetables:

• Compost or till under residues from harvested crops.
• Broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower transplants should be set out now for the fall garden.
• Cure onions in a warm, dry place for 2 weeks before storing.
• Plant beans, beets, spinach, and turnips now for fall.
• Begin planting lettuce and radishes for fall the last 2 weeks of August.
• Pinch the growing tips of gourds once adequate fruit set is achieved, to direct energy into ripening fruits.

Fruits:

• Prop up branches of fruit trees that are threatening to break under the weight of a heavy crop.
• Spray peach and other stone fruits now to protect against peach tree borers.
• Sprays will be necessary to protect late peaches from oriental fruit moth damage.

Lawns:

• Apply insecticides now for grub control on lawns being damaged by their activity.

Source: Missouri Botanical Garden
Source: Jennifer Schutter, Horticulture Specialist