STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSES MOUTH

Duane A. Lienemann,

UNL Extension Educator, Webster County November 12, 2010 Edition Last week I commented on how lack of late summer and fall moisture not only reflects itself in the condition and quality of our stored beans and corn, it reflects on our hard red winter wheat, fall forages and pastures. Let’s take a look at those this week as well as some other factors we need to discuss. As I write this we are getting some moisture. I know a lot of us were hoping for a 2-4” two week rain, knowing full well that it was a long shot at best. But hey, we will take this little shot of moisture. It at least helps settle the dust, of which we have seen plenty of this Fall. Winter Wheat Condition: We in South Central Nebraska are not much different that a large portion of the primary Hard Red Wheat Belt. If you go walk through the wheat fields you will notice that these fields show varied degrees of decreased greenness, growth and even emergence. We had great wheat planting weather and even had corn, soybean and milo harvest out of the way early allowing for timely planting. So why do we have problems showing up in the wheat? First of all I think we can blame the scorching hot summer temperatures followed by Mother Nature turning down the spigot in the month and a half to two months leading up to planting of the 2011 winter wheat crop. Combining with the lower than normal emergence percentages, the wheat health/quality and seedling emergence is significantly degraded over the average vegetation conditions. What it comes down to is that we needed rain, and unfortunately we needed it a lot earlier that right now. Don’t get me wrong, this is a nice reprieve, but we will have to see if it is timely enough and gives us enough quantity to save or at least give this year’s wheat crop a chance to get started. I am always reminded of my grandfather’s sage wisdom on wheat. He always maintained that “Wheat has 9 lives – like a cat”. More times than not, he has been proven right, but that really doesn’t make me worry any less about the potential for severe damage out in the fields. I guess we will see what the weather does and what this all looks like early next spring. I think you may want to write on you calendar to go look at it though. There may be some decisions to be made next spring! Range, Pasture & Hay Land Condition: I also urge you to remember that wheat is not the lone vegetation: Range and pastureland for winter forage is of poorer than normal conditions right now. I am certain all of you noticed the quick decline in the pasture and hay ground conditions and even the cracks that were showing up in these pastures and hay fields. That is never good, unless you use the adage that “cracks allow moisture to enter the ground”. I for one would rather not see those cracks or diminished quality of grass as it enters the dormant stage. The last month is critical time for grass, forbs and legumes to store up nutrients for next years growth and help. I just wonder if we got there. I understand also that the soils in the fields are really hard this year and that even putting in the anhydrous knives for fall fertilizing is a bit of a challenge. I think that probably tells us a lot. You may want to remember these conditions as we go into next Spring. Weather Considerations: On another anomaly that probably is affecting our weather that we might want to keep track of, is the status of the current La Niña event in the equatorial Pacific, and perhaps consider its potential ramifications on the 2011 cropping/grazing year-- especially as producers make their management strategies for next year. Word has it that this will be a warmer and dryer winter than normal which may be also that we will be coming into next spring on the short end of moisture. We are rapidly approaching the time frame where the moisture is white colored. I would rather have that slow 3” rain, but if Mother Nature follows it’s Nebraska demeanor it would not surprise me to see it come in that fluffy form, which leads me to another thought. How does all of this weather affect the health of our livestock? Dust and Livestock: I would imagine that anyone who has dry-lotted weaning calves or cull cows, or for that matter other livestock, that you have noticed the haze around them. If you haven’t noticed the dust, it is likely you have noticed the coughing or hacking, the mattered or weeping eyes, and snotty noses of these cattle. It would not surprise me if we have a little dust pneumonia going on. Now that can be normal under normal conditions, but these are not normal conditions and this really needs to be watched. With this going on already and the body under stress, I think it could be an accident waiting products. The publication is available @ www.nebraskacorn.org/ Just click on “Publications”, or you can request a printed copy from the Nebraska Corn Board. You might also contact your local UNL Extension office. Now - let it rain!!.......

The preceding information comes from the research and personal observations of the writer which may or may not reflect the views of UNL or UNL Extension. For more further information on these or other topics contact D. A. Lienemann, UNL Extension Educator for Webster County in Red Cloud, (402) 746-3417 or email to: dlienemann2@unl.edu or go to the website at: http://www.webster.unl.edu/home