Selection of herd sires for a cow/calf operation is a fundamental management task that should not be taken lightly. Making an informed and sound decision when selecting a herd bull will make significant impacts on the production level of your herd. If you are retaining replacements, the genetic contribution of your bull selection forms your herd for the future.

Set Production Goals

A good first step in the decision-making process is defining and setting production goals. Development of production goals and a management plan are key for the sustainability of your cow-calf operation. When setting goals, consider the type of animal that you want to produce and how you will market that animal. Your production goals will determine selection criteria and traits that are important to your operation in selecting herd sires.

Also, consider the features of your cow herd to select bulls that will complement the production goals. Some of these features include the herd size, the major breed composition of your herd, and the number of bulls you will need. Refer to Systems Approach to Beef Production: Developing a Basic Management Plan and Beef Herd Management Strategies for more information on setting production goals.

Removing weedy grasses from grass crops is likely one of the most difficult tasks for weed scientists and farmers alike. Annual Italian ryegrass (Lolium perenne ssp. multiflorum) may be the biggest weed competitor for crops such as winter wheat and corn because of its germination timing, aggressive growth, and allelopathic potential.

Annual ryegrass is of specific concern for wheat production because it germinates when soil temperatures average 50 to 65 degrees F or when day/night temperatures range from 50/41 degrees F to 77/41 degrees F. These are also the ideal germination temperatures for winter wheat. Controlling annual ryegrass is important because it encourages a quality wheat crop and minimizes risks to future crops from latent seed in soil.

Management Options

When relying on herbicide programs for weed control, it is important to start clean and stay clean. It is recommended to target annual ryegrass before or immediately after germination. Herbicide burndown applications that occur immediately following wheat planting and prior to wheat emergence have been successful at controlling emerged weeds. Grass weeds like annual ryegrass or annual bluegrass (Poa annua) and broadleaf weeds like henbit have been successfully controlled when FirstShot is tankmixed with either Gramoxone or Roundup.

The active ingredient pyroxasulfone has been the focus for grass weed control in multiple research trials and is found to provide activity when applied preemergence to annual ryegrass. Pyroxasulfone is found in wheat-labeled products like Zidua, Anthem Flex, or Fierce EZ.

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Season 2, Episode 13: Mental Health in Agriculture

There is often a stigma surrounding mental health, especially in the agriculture industry. On this episode of the Alabama Crops Report, hosts Adam Rabinowitz and Katelyn Kesheimer talk with Elizabeth Mooneyham about the A Healthy You, A Healthy Farm program through the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries. This program works with people that work in and around the agriculture industry to provide suicide prevention trainings as well as access to existing mental health resources in Alabama.

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As always, the ideal of this event is providing science-based beekeeping information for Alabama beekeepers. This year, the symposium will feature two fabulous keynote speakers: Ernesto Guzman from the University of Guelph, Canada and David Tarpy from the University of North Carolina.

For those new to the world of beekeeping, this year’s symposium has the Beginning Beekeeping track. This day-long workshop is taught by professionals from the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and the Auburn University Pollinator Lab. Attendees of this workshop will receive a certificate of completion.

As usual, the event will feature a full floor of beekeeping supply vendors, from major name brands to local artisans. To make the symposium even more fun, a new Honey Show and pre-symposium Welsh Honey Judging Level 1 workshop has been added. Both of these events will be run by Brutz English.

• The Honey Show is open to any attendee. Find an instruction sheet for submitting your exhibit here. Ribbons will be awarded to the Honey Show winners at the end of the symposium.
• The Welsh Honey Judging Level 1 workshop is Friday, February 3 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cost of this workshop is $45 and is separate from the symposium.

Learn to recognize and then alleviate the effects that cold weather can have on ornamental and fruit trees.

Ornamental and fruit trees in Alabama can take a blow from extreme weather: severe droughts, insufficient chilling periods for fruit trees in winter months, and late-spring freezes that can cause significant cold injury. By recognizing and alleviating the effects of cold injury, you can help your trees and shrubs to thrive once again.

Effects of a Freeze

Low-temperature injury to plants occurs at or near freezing (32 degrees F, 0 degrees C). Ice crystals form within the plant cells, rupturing those cells. Plant parts injured depends on plant species, vigor, age, hydration, and time of year. In many cases, only the most exposed part of the plant canopy is injured. In general, flower buds are more susceptible than vegetative buds to cold temperatures, although the latter may suffer misshapen leaves after expansion.

Unseasonably warm temperatures in late winter and early spring can cause many shrubs and trees to break dormancy prematurely. The sudden drop to below-freezing temperatures in spring can damage buds, flowers, and tender new growth. Trees that were beginning to flower and leaf out may experience a setback. Trees and shrubs fail to bloom, are slow to leaf out, or show damage when exposed to a late-season freeze. Species susceptible to cold injury include, but are not limited to, Bradford pear, other pear species, southern magnolia, oleander, flowering peach, hydrangea, and viburnum.

Why aren’t my pecan trees bearing anymore? This is a common question many people ask during the fall, especially if they have older trees in their yard or landscape. The following information outlines some common factors that can affect a pecan tree’s production.

Bearing in Alternate Years

Pecan trees–like most other nut or fruit producing trees–have a natural tendency to bear in alternate years. In nature this is called masting, which is a way for trees to overwhelm the birds and animals that eat their fruit or nuts. This is needed so that some of the seeds will be left to produce seedlings so the species can survive. Scientists have wrestled with this problem for years, and while some remedies have been developed, it is still a problem for commercial pecan farmers. This is one reason that most orchards contain more than one variety.

Diseases and Insects

Powdery mildew can detract from the beauty of ornamental flowers, woody shrubs, and trees. Learn the symptoms and control methods for this common disease.

Deer hunting is a popular recreational pastime for many Alabamians. In fact, the 2021-2022 hunting season saw more than 228,000 hunters spend a combined 4.9 million days in pursuit of white-tailed deer. Last season was also the safest on record, with minimal recorded incidents. In support of Alabama’s hunting safety education efforts, two Alabama Cooperative Extension System forestry and wildlife experts share a refresher on hunting safety.

A Hunter’s Pledge

According to Alabama Extension Forestry and Wildlife Sciences Professor Mark Smith, no deer in the woods is worth the risk of a hunting injury. This is especially true when hunting with loved ones. Carelessness and complacency are often the cause of injury while spending time in the woods. However, the good news is injury can be prevented. Even the most veteran outdoor enthusiast needs a safety refresher.

“With deer season now in full swing, let’s all do our part and pledge to continue keeping safety as a top priority,” Smith said.

Last year, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) reported 15 hunting-related accidents. Ten of these accidents were caused by firearms and five were related to tree stands.

“Our state witnessed approximately five to six hunting fatalities according to the past 10-year average,” Smith said. “Fortunately, Alabama did not record any fatal hunting incidents last year.”