By Randy Reeves
As printed in The Marshall News Messenger, May 11, 2008.

There will be a forage field day or "Hay Day" Friday, May 23, at the Larry Slone Ranch, just south of Marshall on U.S. Highway 59. The program will start at 9 a.m. with registration and will conclude that afternoon. Live equipment demonstrations will start after the noon meal around 1 p.m.

There are several great speakers scheduled for the day, and two credit hours will also be made available for those producers who are looking for credit hours toward their pesticide license.

Rethinking fertilizer management
We all know how expensive fertilizer is, and it does not look like it will be going down anytime soon. Producers will need to be even more cost-conscious than ever, as far as adding to the expense column in their day-to-day management activities.

Fertilizer is one of those big ticket items; In reading what the experts have to say, one might be able to skip, or cut back on some of the elements, if they are not needed. Hence, this is where the soil testing part of pasture management comes into play. If soil samples are showing adequate levels of P and K, you might be able to reduce or skip those and just use nitrogen, but this will be limited to those producers who have properly managed their pasture nutrient levels. Skipping all fertilizer is not the key here – this would lead to more problems down the road with desired forages declining and evasive species taking over.

Producers that are just going to apply nitrogen to the pastures should be looking at a minimum of 50 to 60 pounds per acre. If you are using urea, that would be 130 pounds per acre to get 60 pounds of N. You also need to look at how the forage is going to be used. If it is for hay, I sure would not store the hay outside unless it was absolutely necessary. Hay is one of the most expensive commodities that we currently grow in Harrison County. If nothing else, cover them with a tarp, and don't store them under trees!

Fertilizer applications need to be reserved for high production hay meadows – not grazing pastures. Hence, again the need for soil testing so that you will know where those fields are located and the shape that they are currently in. The day of $25 to $30 hay is gone. Producers could easily have $75 to $100 per ton or more invested in hay cost alone, fertilizer being the largest share of the cost, followed by fuel and labor.

Weed control is another timely topic that needs to be addressed. Yes, if pasture weeds are a major problem, they will need to be controlled. It has been often said, "For every pound of weeds, you can grow a pound of grass," and this holds true!

Pasture weeds also need to be controlled prior to applications of fertilizer. There is no need to feed the weeds. They take up and rob the grass of nutrients. So, control weeds first, then fertilize if at all possible.

According to Dr. Eddie Funderburg, soil and crops specialist with the Noble Foundation in Ardmore, Okla., "If you use a herbicide that costs $10 per acre (including application) to control the weeds, you have or will gain 500 to 1,500 pounds of grass for your money. This equates to a grass value of $13 to $40 per ton of dry matter forage gained for your herbicide cost." Be sure and treat for weeds when the weeds are young and tender. Waiting until late May or June will only cause you to use higher rates, and therefore increase your herbicide cost dramatically.

The 35th Annual 4-H Roping School is slated for June 15-19 in Stephenville. Young ropers from across the state should start limbering up their strings for the 35th Annual Texas 4-H Calf Roping and Break-a-way School scheduled for June 15-19 at the Tarleton State University Equine Arena.

Scott Anderson, event coordinator and Texas AgriLife Extension Service agent in Brown County, said the statewide event is open to boys and girls 12 and older. Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

"There are still some spots available, but make sure you don't wait too long to apply," Anderson said. "This is one of the most popular events the 4-H program offers, so spots don't last long once the school is announced."

He said participants should arrive before 2 p.m. on June 15, and finish by noon on June 19.

Individual registration is $350 for the week. The fee includes group insurance, meals, lodging, stall rental for one horse and practice calves. All students will be housed in the Tarleton State University dormitories. A $50 deposit will reserve a place.

For more information, contact the AgriLife Extension office in Brown County at 325-646-0386 or e-mail Anderson at sa-anderson@tamu.edu.

Applications are available on the Brown County Web page at http://brown-tx.tamu.edu.

For further information on Extension programs, call us at 903-935-8413, or visit us on the web at http://harrison-co.tamu.edu.

Educational programs conducted by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service serve people of all ages regardless of race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin.

This article appeared in The Marshall News Messenger, www.marshallnewsmessenger.com, on May 11, 2008.