Author: Raul Villanueva
Major Program: Forages
In 2019 I identify and unknown species affecting alfalfa fields responding a request from Darrel Simpson a CEA of Muhlenberg. This was the immature form of a crane fly or Tipulidae called leatherjacket. This new pest is voracious, and able to feed on roots, shoots, and axillary and crown buds in early spring. Spring cuts of alfalfa are compromised due to stand decline, yield reduction and negative effects in subsequent cuts of recovered plants. Thanks to collaborative effort with Dr. Julian Dupu
Author: Courtney Jenkins
The District 1 ANR Agents hosted a seven-series virtual Master Haymaker program in winter of 2021. This program came to fruition due to COVID-19 restrictions and the need to continue programming that would enhance the lives of agriculture producers in Eastern Kentucky. The seven sessions covered topics such as: weed control in forages, producing quality hay, warm and cool season forages, soil fertility, marketing hay, machinery options for hay production, and the production of baleag
Author: Joshua Jackson
Achieving the 300 days of grazing desired by the beef industry requires effective fence lines. Biosystem’s and Agricultural Engineering (BAE) worked with Plant and Soil Science to implement the KY Fencing schools. From a practicality standpoint, the cost, benefit, and challenges of the different fencing types were meticulously evaluated so that producers would be able to ascertain what system would work for their operation. Furthermore, new technologies for fence line maintenance, repair,
Author: Morgan Hayes
Temporary and permanent electric fencing is a powerful tool for managing grazing. In 2020, working with Dr. Teutsch from the Department of Plant and Soil Science and Jeremy McGill from Gallagher Fencing, we developed a curriculum entitled “Electric Fencing for Serious Graziers”. This educational program is a combination of classroom and hands on exercises designed to provided participants with the tools needed to assist livestock producers with electric fencing. Aft
Author: Jimmy Henning
Grazing AlfalfaRay Smith, Krista Lea, and Jimmy HenningThe UK Forage Group has recently completed a major update of the national publication Grazing. This effort was in cooperation with the National Alfalfa and Forage Alliance. Grazing Alfalfa provides producers in KY and around the country with a comprehensive guide to utilizing alfalfa in pasture systems. It includes recent history of the crop, growth and management and how to integrate alfalfa into beef, dairy, sheep, goat, and horse operatio
Author: Samuel Smith
A central Kentucky thoroughbred horse farm experienced a high incidence of fescue toxicosis symptoms in pregnant and foaling mares during early 2017. The UK Plant and Soil Science Forage Group was contacted by the farm at the advice of the consulting veterinarian. After a farm visit, the farm agreed to a program of pasture evaluation. Fields were sampled for species composition, endophyte infection level, and ergovaline content. After being presented results showing damaging levels of infected t
The UK Forage Group has recently completed a major update of the national publication Grazing. This effort was in cooperation with the National Alfalfa and Forage Alliance. Grazing Alfalfa provides producers in KY and around the country with a comprehensive guide to utilizing alfalfa in pasture systems. It includes recent history of the crop, growth and management and how to integrate alfalfa into beef, dairy, sheep, goat, and horse operations. We incorporated our 25 years of experience running
Farmers tend to be experiential learners, seeing, touching, and doing enhances their understanding, retention, and adoption of improved grazing management practices. For this reason, we initiated the Western Kentucky Summer Forage Tour series. Since its inception in 2018, we have held tours in Ballard, Ohio, and Calloway counties. These tours have features farms in various stages of their grazing journey. In 2018, we featured a grass finished beef operation in Ballard County t
The University of Kentucky Forage Group is working with the UK Water Resources Research Institute on a watershed planning project in the Glenns Creek Watershed in Woodford County.? Watershed planning is a locally driven project that voluntarily addresses current and potential complex water quality issues within a specific watershed. The goal is to protect this historically significant waterbody which is home to many world-class thoroughbred farms, well-loved distilleries and popular tourist dest
In late summer of 2020, Specialists from the UK Forage Group were approached about improving the horse pastures at the Locust Trace AgriScience Center, a unique high school in Fayette County Kentucky where students learn about the equine industry and related businesses. Students develop knowledge and skills related to the handling, grooming, and barn care of horses. Students then choose one of the following specializations: horsemanship or business in the equine industry. Pastures were in v
In 2017, we established the KYForages YouTube Channel. The impact of this endeavor continues to grow. Our subscribers have doubled in the last two years to more than 2,700. In this reporting period, content from this channel has been viewed more 125,000 times with an average watch time of more than 12 minutes resulting in a total watch time that exceeds 1.5 million minutes. The United States and Canada make up 75% of the total views with the remaining 25% coming from abr
This year’s Forages at the KCA Conference was held VIRTUALLY on January 13, 2021. The focus of the conference was improving hay quality in the Commonwealth. Topics included historical perspective on hay quality in Kentucky, using hay test results to develop supplementation strategies, considerations for making high quality baleage, and approaches to improving hay quality in the Kentucky. These presentations were recorded and posted on the KYForages YouTube Channel and th
In 2021, the 40th annual Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference occurred virtually over three days. This conference was a joint effort of the Kentucky Forage and Grassland Council, University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension, and the UK Master Grazer program. The theme was “Optimizing Forage Quality for the CA$H Hay Market”. Topics included measuring forage quality, using forage quality to market hay, understanding factors that impact drying rate in alfalfa
Author: Christopher Teutsch
Seeing is Believing: Improving Grazing Management with Summer Forage Tours Chris Teutsch, Jimmy Henning, and Ray Smith, University of Kentucky Farmers tend to be experiential learners, seeing, touching, and doing enhances their understanding, retention, and adoption of improved grazing management practices. For this reason, we initiated the Western Kentucky Summer Forage Tour series. Since its inception in 2018, we have held tours in Ballard, Ohio, and Calloway counties. T
Adapting to Change: Designing Resilient Forage-Livestock SystemsChris Teutsch, Jimmy Henning, and Ray Smith, University of Kentucky Cow-calf producers in Kentucky face changing conditions in both the immediate and distant future. Realizing this, the theme of this year’s grazing conference was “designing resilient forage-livestock grazing systems for the transition zone of the United States”. This year’s keynote speaker was Johnny Rogers, a North Carolina
Expanding the Reach of the UK Forages Extension Program Chris Teutsch, Jimmy Henning, and Ray Smith, University of Kentucky In 2017, we established the KYForages YouTube Channel. The impact of this endeavor continues to grow. Our subscribers have doubled in the last two years to more than 2,700. In this reporting period, content from this channel has been viewed more 125,000 times with an average watch time of more than 12 minutes resulting in a total watch time that
Kentucky Fencing SchoolsChris Teutsch, Morgan Hayes, and Joshua Jackson, University of Kentucky Implementing improved grazing management requires high quality fencing. Working with the Kentucky Forage and Grassland Council and private industry representatives, we designed and implemented the Kentucky Fencing School. In 2019 and 2020, four hands on schools with more than 80 total participants were held across Kentucky. These programs focused on the proper installation of mo
Improving Hay Quality in the Kentucky Chris Teutsch, Jimmy Henning, and Ray Smith, University of Kentucky This year’s Forages at the KCA Conference was held VIRTUALLY on January 13, 2021. The focus of the conference was improving hay quality in the Commonwealth. Topics included historical perspective on hay quality in Kentucky, using hay test results to develop supplementation strategies, considerations for making high quality baleage, and approaches to improving ha
