Fall Frost Increases Potential for Prussic Acid Toxicity in Livestock

Fall frost is an annual concern for livestock producers because of the potential for prussic acid poisoning, but the potential for toxicity in livestock is of wider concern this year because of drought, an Ohio State University Extension forage specialist says.

The drought of 2012 has been one of the worst on record, leaving many livestock producers short on hay and silage supplies. The lack of substantial rainfall, extreme heat and dryness left many producers looking for any alternative forages they could plant to make up for the shortages, Mark Sulc said.  <Read More> 

Assessing Freeze Damage on Fruit

Commercial and home fruit growers across the state have been assessing potential damage to their crops after last week's overnight freezing temperatures.  While a freeze/frost event this time of year is certainly not unusual, what was unusual is how far ahead of schedule fruit crops are this year compared to normal. 

To help growers better assess damage to common tree and small fruits, Purdue Extension Specialists Bruce Bordelon, Peter Hirst, and Jon Obermeyer have produced a series of videos addressing last week's freeze and the effects on apples, peaches, grapes, strawberries, and blackberries. 

The videos are available on the Purdue Extension Entomology YouTube channel.  Links to each specific video are below:

Assessing Spring Freeze Damage to Apples
Assessing Spring Freeze Damage to Peaches
Assessing Spring Freeze Damage to Grapes
Assessing Spring Freeze Damage to Strawberries
Assessing Spring Freeze Damage to Blackberries