A weekly report prepared by the staff of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food (OMAF) and the Ministry of Rural Affairs (MRA). For more information, call the Elora Resource Centre at 519-846-0941 between 8:30am and 5pm. For technical information, call the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or visit the OMAF website: www.ontario.ca/omaf and/or the MRA website: www.ontario.ca/mra
IT’S COLT’S-FOOT TIME AGAIN
Now that the snow is gone beware, those bright yellow flowers are appearing now and many times they are confused with dandelions. However, the dandelion has a smooth flower stem and the Colt’s-Foot stem has scales. Very few leaves will be present at flowering time. Make note of the location so it can be destroyed later in the season. Do whatever is necessary to eliminate the flower heads before they seed.
Each flower head contains about 3,500 seeds, similar in structure to a dandelion, which are distributed the wind. If the seed lands on bare soil it will establish itself and smother out competing crops with its dense canopy of leaves. Its underground creeping root system rapidly expands the patch.
Colt’s-Foot leaves can be up to 14” across and appear in late June or early July.
Glyphosate is most effective in controlling the weed when applied in late July and August when it is storing root reserves for next year. Check the patch later since often there will be leaves under the canopy that do not receive the spray. Later, when all plants are destroyed recheck the spot since it is an inviting spot for new seedlings. It will likely take several years to eliminate an established patch.
Colt’s-foot is a noxious weed under the Weed Act and must be destroyed. Be sure to meet the requirements of the Cosmetic Pesticide Act. If you choose to ignore this plant, it will never leave. Any questions, call John Benham at 519-846-3394.
MOB GRAZING, STOCKING RATE AND STOCK DENSITY
When discussing pasture management, reference is often made to stocking rate and stock density, or “mob” grazing. Understanding these terms and how they relate to your grazing operation is important.
Stocking rate is the number of animals or animal units (standardized to 1000 lbs. of animal) per acre for the entire grazing season. If you have 50 animal units on a 75 acre pasture this would be a stocking rate of 50/75 = 0.66 animal units /acre.
Stock density is the number of animal units on an area at a point in time. Using the above example of 50 animal units on a 75 acre pasture, divided into 25 paddocks of three acres each, what is the stock density? On that 3 acre paddock when the animals are grazing it would be 50/3 = 16.66 animal units/acre, or 16,660 lbs of livestock/acre. If these same animal units were on one acre, the density would be 50/1 = 50 animal units, or 50,000 lbs of animal/acre.
Good quality pasture can support a one-day stock density of about one pound of animal per square foot, or 43,560 lbs of animal/acre for one day.
COMING EVENTS:
April 29: The Eramosa 4-H Dairy club will have their first meeting at the farm of Charles and Mary Fraser, 7711 2nd Line, Elora, at 7:30pm. 7711 New and returning members welcome. Contact Jason French 519-831-4359 or Krista Fraser 519-766-8252.
April 30: Ontario Invasive Plants Webinar: Giant Hogweed. Presentation and open discussion 12 to 1pm. To register, please visit https://invadingspecies.webex.com/invadingspecies/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=662796467
May 9: Grower Pesticide Course, OMAF and MRA Boardroom, Elora. To register, please call the Ontario Pesticide Education Program at 1-800-652-8573 or visit the website www.opep.ca.
