It’s not too late to fertilize fields
COLUMBUS, Kan. — A cool spring gives farmers more time to apply fertilizer on Bermuda grass.
Fertilizer is needed regardless of cost to get needed summer forage for hay or grazing, said Dennis Elbrader, Kansas State University Extension agriculture agent at Columbus.
Initial fertilizer applications usually need to be made by the middle of April but early May should work fine this year, he said.
With high fertilizer costs, he said some producers may cut back to apply 80 pounds actual nitrogen per acre and apply 60 to 80 pounds after hay cuttings.
Poultry litter can be used for some fertilizer needs, he said.
Details: (620) 429-3849.
Price spread shrinks for beef
MOUNT VERNON, Mo. — The price spread between cattle grading Choice and those falling to Select has shrunk, said Eldon Cole, University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist at Mount Vernon.
Select has at times this spring sold at higher prices than Choice, he said.
Ron Plain, University of Missouri Extension livestock marketing specialist at Columbia, credits that to three issues:
* In a weak economy, people are eating less frequently at top steak restaurants.
* People who eat at home and buy beef from grocery stores tend to buy select grades that have more red meat and less fat.
* Countries such as Japan and South Korea that tend to buy quality beef have cut back on imports.
Advice offered on forage crops
COLUMBUS, Kan. — Dennis Elbrader, Kansas State University Extension agriculture agent at Columbus, recently provided information about two summer annual forage crops.
* Hybrid Pearl Millet: Apply soil test recommendation for phosphorus and potassium fertilizer and apply 30-40 pounds nitrogen fertilizer per acre per ton of expected forage. Plant 12 to 15 pounds of pure live seed no more than a half-inch deep per acre in late May or early June. Start grazing four to six weeks after planting and leave an eighth-inch stubble for plant growth and harvest for hay before seed heads appear.
There are no prussic acid problems with pearl millet, he said.
* Sorghum Sudan: Seed 20 to 30 pounds pure live seed at an inch to one-and-a-half inches deep per acre. Use other management strategies for hybrid pearl millet but do not graze until plants are at least 24 inches tall because of prussic acid poisoning.
Nitrogen poisoning can be an issue with all forage sorghum type plants in dry conditions.
Soybean planting rises; corn down
COLUMBIA, Mo. — As of March 1, Missouri farmers plan to plant 5.2 million acres of soybeans, up 13 percent from a year ago, and 3.1 million acres of corn, down 10 percent, said Gene Danekas, director of Missouri Agricultural Statistics.
At the same time, farmers said they expect to plant 90,000 acres of milo, down 18 percent from 2007. Missouri has 1.2 million acres of wheat, up 14 percent from 2007.
On March 1, Missouri corn prices averaged $4.51 a bushel compared with 3.61 in March 2007. Soybean prices on March 1 averaged $11.90 per bushel, compared with $6.99 on March 1, 2007.
