A weekly report prepared by the staff of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). If you require further information, regarding this report, call the Elora Resource Centre at 519-846-0941. Office hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
For technical information, call the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or visit the OMAFRA Website: www.omafra.gov.on.ca
CROP PLANNING FOR ORGANIC VEGETABLE GROWERS
by Canadian Organic Growers
April 10th & 12th 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. – Webinar
Part 1 – Setting your crop planning objectives – This session creates the foundation for your crop plan. It begins with setting financial goals for your farm business that are then developed into a marketing plan. We will also explore how to analyze the profitability of the crops you choose to grow.
Part 2 – Developing and implementing your crop plan – This session covers how to develop and implement a successful crop plan. You’ll transform your marketing plan from Part 1 into a complete crop plan that includes field planting schedules, greenhouse schedules and a seed order. You will also learn how to monitor and carry out your plan through the unpredictability of the growing season.
Facilitation by: Daniel Brisebois, Ferme Coopérative Tourne-Sol and co-author, Crop Planning for Organic Vegetable Growers. Cost: $40 ($30 COG members) for both sessions. See full workshop details and register at Canadian Organic Growers’ Online Store at: www.cog.ca/ or call: 1-888-375-7383.
MITIGATE HIGH FEED COSTS WITH FEEDLOT SCANNING AND CARCASS PREDICTION
Used commonly in western Canada and the US for increasing feedlot feeding efficiency and grade quality, Beef Improvement Ontario’s (BIO) ultrasound technology is being recommended for Ontario Feedlot Operations in order mitigate high feed costs. The ultrasound technology measures back fat, marbling and muscle depth, and makes use of live weight and feedlot performance, to predict optimal shipping dates. The cost of a visit to your farm is usually $150 plus $9 per head, however, until September 2012, the per head fee is being absorbed by the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association. Contact Jason Koudys of BIO or visit the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association website at: http://www.cattle.guelph.on.ca for more details.
STARTING THE GRAZING SEASON
by Jack Kyle, OMAFRA Grazier Specialist
“When can I start my cattle on pasture?” This question runs through everyone’s mind as spring approaches. If you turn cattle out too soon, the grass will not support the livestock. Once the grass is set back at the beginning of the season, it will be less productive throughout the entire grazing season. If you leave it too late to let the animals out to grass, you use more stored feed. Hay is about twice the cost of pasture, so this has a significant impact on the pocket book.
Grass Condition At Turn Out Is Important – Initial grass growth is very slow. The new small leaves can produce only small amounts of energy from photosynthesis. Plant energy comes mainly from root reserves. Cool temperatures are also limiting growth. A rule of thumb often suggested is to wait until the grass plant has three leaves before starting to graze. When the plant has reached the 3-leaf stage, the photosynthesis in the leaves is providing sufficient energy to support the plant. The plant will then be able to recover from the grazing and rapidly grow new leaves.
Increase Dry Matter Intake – To achieve optimum performance on pasture, the grazing animal must be able to get a mouth full of palatable, nutrient rich food with each bite. If the bite is small, it will take more bites to get the required nutrition. This is likely to result in less than optimum performance. Cattle spend about one-third of their day eating, one-third ruminating and digesting the feed, and then rest the remaining one-third. For cattle, these three time periods each total about 8 hours. Sheep will spend about 12 hours eating. It takes longer to digest low quality forage than high quality forage. The lower the quality of the forage they are consuming, the more time they need to spend ruminating. This increased ruminating time is at the expense of the eating and resting time.
If we have a grazing season with abundant to excessive moisture, the grass will be lush but full of moisture. The animal will then need to consume more pounds of pasture to get the same amount of dry matter intake as they would with normal grass moisture levels. Therefore, in a year of abundant growth it is very important to do every thing you can to encourage intake. Ideally we want to get animal dry matter intakes of about 2.5% of body weight. It takes about 1.75% of body weight dry matter intake to keep the animal alive. The extra intake over and above this provides the growth and weight gain. If you think about your own eating habits, we want the animal to have “second helpings” at every meal. When do we have second helpings, either we are really hungry or the food tastes really good! Having quality forage that tastes great is the easiest way to increase intake and maximize performance on pasture.
Managing the available forage throughout the grazing season to provide for big bites of high quality nutritious forage will optimize livestock performance. Start the grazing season on the right foot with grass that is growing well and yet be able to get to all your pastures before they start to mature and the forage quality diminishes. Refer to “Frost Seeding – A Cheaper Alternative” www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/98-071.htm.
COMING EVENTS:
Apr. 5 – Waterloo Federation of Agriculture, monthly Board meeting will be held at the Wilmot Recreation Complex. For information, contact Richard Cressman at: 519-662-2790 or email: rcresman@sentex.net.
Apr. 10 – Grower Pesticide Safety Course at 8:45 a.m. and Separate Exam at 3:00 p.m. at OMAFRA Elora. To register, phone Ontario Pesticide Education Program at: 1-800-652-8573.
Apr. 11&12 – Poultry Industry Show – Western Fair Entertainment Centre, London. For more details visit: http://www.westernfair.com/shows/poultry.html.
Apr. 16- A Taste of Woolwich at Breslau Mennonite Church, 5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Come see (and taste for free) the best of the Township. Contact: Carol 519-883-2004 ext. 5336 or Barb 519-669-3961.
