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> 

Plant Pathologist: Wheat Planted in Corn Stubble at Risk for Head Scab

More corn acres brought on by high corn prices in recent years could tempt winter wheat growers to plant the crop into corn stubble, but a Purdue Extension pathologist says the practice puts wheat at risk for head scab development.

Head scab, or Fusariam head blight, is caused by the fungus Gibberella zeae, also known as Fusarium graminearum, which is harbored in corn residue. In corn, the fungus causes ear and stalk rots, and in wheat can lead to yield loss and reduced grain quality. The disease also produces a mycotoxin called deoxynivalenol, also called DON or vomitoxin, which is toxic to humans and livestock.  <Read More>

Weekly Outlook - Large Losses Still Loom for Pork Industry

Pork producers are expected to continue to suffer very large losses in the next six months after already operating in the red for the last six months. These large losses have been brought on by the extreme feed prices due to the drought. There is little producers can do to change the overall situation for the industry since the pigs that will represent these large losses are already on-feed. The pigs that are here today represent producers’ plans earlier this year when they were hopeful for $5 corn prices.  <Read More>

Premature Corn Kernel Sprouting (aka. Vivipary)

Vivipary, the premature germination or sprouting of corn kernels on the cob prior to harvest, is not a common problem in Indiana but sometimes can be serious enough to warrant attention from growers. Technically, the fact that corn kernels have the ability to germinate and develop into seedlings is not odd. Yet, when such sprouting occurs while immature or mature kernels are still attached to the cob, we consider it odd and assign a fancy name to it to reinforce the fact that we consider it odd. On the rare occasion when viviparous germination occurs throughout a field to a large enough degree, overall grain quality can deteriorate enough to cause problems with drying and storage of grain. Another consequence is the potential increase in the percentage of "broken corn and foreign material" in affected grain delivered to the elevator that may result in significant grain price discounts to the grower.  <Read More>