Lenoir County Center
North Carolina Cooperative Extension
1791 Hwy 11/55
Kinston, NC 28504
Phone: 252. 527.2191 Fax: 252.527.1290
May/June, 2007
In This Issue:
. Avoiding Flooding & Lagoon Disasters
. Planning Ahead for Weed Control
. Spring Goat Herd Management
. Forage Management Tips
. What are EPD’s?
Flooding and Lagoons
What can you do to avoid a disaster?
Submitted by Eve H. Honeycutt,
Livestock Agent, Lenoir and Greene
Counties
surge level of the lagoon. Even though heavy
rainfalls don’t always lead to discharge or
spills it does not make it OK to ignore the
situation. In this case, it is important to
maintain a proactive response instead of a
reactive response. Ignoring a heavy
levels above the maximum liquid level can
prove to be costly or result in a spill or leak in
a short time.
What do you do if your lagoon level is above
the level required to maintain structural
stability?
With hurricane season approaching it is very
important to plan and be prepared for heavy
rains and hurricanes that can affect the
management of your hog waste lagoons.
With the extra rainfall, flooding can occur
which can cause lagoon levels to be higher
than that required for structural stability. This
structural stability is lost when the lagoon
levels rise above the 25 year, 24-hour storm
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-Submit a plan of action within 24 hours to
lower and maintain lagoon level at a point
below that needed for both structural stability
and the 25 year, 24-hour rainfall event.
-Consider pump and haul to another facility
that can accommodate the waste in accordance
to their CAWMP.
-If pump and haul is not an option then
immediate removal of animals must be apart
of the plan of action. The number of animals
needed for removal needs to be the amount
needed to get lagoon levels to proper levels.
If you need help filling out a plan of action for
high freeboard, contact a certified technical
specialist for assistance in filling out your
form.
limitations. With the proper preparation, you
can avoid the wait and see approach and
greatly decrease your chances of having to put
yourself in an emergency crisis type situation.
Qui ckTime™ and a
TIFF (U ncompr essed) decompressor
are needed t o see thi s pi cture.
Plan Ahead For Summer Weed
Control!
Emily M. Adams, Livestock Agent –
Onslow County
It is not always possible to prevent spills and
discharges when it comes to dealing with
hurricanes and heavy rainfall. Even with the
best management, flooding is sometimes
inevitable. If you notice any waste leaking,
overflowing, or running off site, take action as
soon as possible. Don’t assume that if it is not
running into public areas that it is not a
problem.
Have an emergency action plan that is up-todate (this is one of the required documents you
have in your CAWMP).
Some of the basic steps covered in an
Emergency Action Plan are:
-Stop the release of wastes
- Assess the extent of the spill and note any
obvious damages
- Contact the appropriate agencies
- Implement procedures to rectify the damage
and repair the waste management system.
Don’t forget to include plans for emergency
spreading or transfer of waste from all
structures in the system.
Every summer around June and July, summer
weeds begin to rear their ugly heads in
pastures and fields all across the state. The
phones at county Cooperative Extension
offices around the state start ringing off the
hook with people wanting to know how to
control the weeds in their pastures. Will you
be one of those people this year? If you plan
ahead, you might be weed-free this summer.
Many of the weeds we see during the summer
are annuals, meaning their growing season
only lasts through a certain season and then the
plants die. Summer annuals can grow from
late spring up until early fall. The tricky part
with annual weeds is that even though the
plants die at the end of their season, they put
down seeds first so that they can come back
next year. The best way to control these
weeds is to kill them while they are young and
before they get a chance to put out seed. What
you might not realize is that these weeds are
beginning to grow in your pasture at this very
minute but because they are still very small,
you might not have noticed them yet (or they
could be hidden by all your leftover WINTER
weeds!).
Make sure all of your employees understand
the Emergency Action Plan and know when to
implement it. The best way to handle flooding
and lagoons is to be prepared and make sure
your liquid levels are within the proper
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Information Used From “Using EPDs”
by Darrh Bullock, Extension Beef
Specialist University of KY
If you had a problem with weeds last summer,
a good way to get a handle on them this year is
to plan to spray your pastures or hayfields with
a herbicide as soon as possible. The
recommended time to spray for summer
annuals is between April and mid-July, but the
don’t wait until the weeds are mature. It is
still possible to control the weeds if you spray
in late July and August when the weeds are
bigger, but the problem is that you may only
kill off the plant and not stop the weed cycle.
In addition, the bigger weeds will be tougher
to control. Those mature weeds have probably
already put down seeds, which can hang
around all winter and then germinate next
spring. So you might be able to kill the mature
weeds but you will probably be right back
where you started from next year when the
seeds germinate. Herbicides have no effect on
seed. They only work on actively growing
weeds
Selecting breeding animals for the cattle herd
is one of the most important decisions a cattle
operator can make. Making decisions based on
the genetic merit of the animal and not just on
the outward appearance is critical to the longterm performance of the herd.
What are EPDs?
EPDs are indicators of the genetic worth of
an individual animal as a parent when
compared to another individual of the same
breed. EPDs are always reported in
the unit of measurement for that trait (for
example: weaning weight—pounds; scrotal
circumference—centimeters; marbling—
degrees).
What EPDs Can Do For You
EPDs can compare two animals of the same
breed in terms of their genetic merit for that
trait, can be used as a tool to increase,
decrease, or maintain any trait for which
they are calculated and are used as one of
several selection criteria. The first decision
should be to decide which breed will benefit
your operation the most. Then choose animals
within that breed that are physically and
reproductively sound.
A safe and fairly inexpensive herbicide that
you could consider using is 2,4-D, which will
control a number of broadleaf weeds. You
will need to read the label first to find out how
much you should use to control the types of
weeds you have. If you are unsure of what
type of weeds you have or whether 2,4-D will
even control them, it’s best to take a sample of
the weeds to your local Extension office as
soon as you start to see them and let us help
you identify them. This can give us a better
idea of which herbicide we can recommend to
you that will give you the best level of control.
Why waste your money spraying a herbicide
that won’t even control the weeds that you
have? The sooner we can help you identify
them, the more likely it is that we can help you
control them.
What EPDs
Can’t Do For
QuickTime™ and a
You!
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
EPDs cannot
compare
animals of
different
breeds at the present time and cannot predict
outcome. A 40 lb weaning weight EPD does
not mean that an additional 40 lb will be added
to the weaning weight of your calves. A zero
EPD does not mean the animal is average
for the breed. EPDs are not constant. As
How Can EPD’s Help Me?
By Amy Andrews, Livestock Agent for
Craven & Jones Counties
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more information is obtained on an animal, the
EPDs may change, particularly as progeny
information is recorded. EPDs do not make
up for poor management. Calves sired by a
bull with a lower weaning weight EPD can
weigh heavier at weaning than calves sired by
a bull with a higher weaning weight EPD if
they are exposed to a more favorable
environment (better nutrition program, bred to
heavier milking cows, etc.). Just because your
bull has higher EPDs but your neighbors
calves are heavier does not mean the EPDs are
wrong.
may change with new information, and they
also indicate how much confidence can be
placed on whether the EPD is the true genetic
value for that trait.
Unless using artificial insemination as an
alternative, accuracy values are usually of little
concern to commercial producers. Young bulls
(which always have low accuracy) are usually
purchased, and any offspring produced are
crossbred or non-registerable calves.
Therefore, the bull’s accuracy will likely
always remain low. Certain management
practices will help to eliminate problems
associated with low accuracy bulls
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Traits for
Calculated
Each breed has a set of traits for which EPDs
are calculated. Most breeds calculate EPDs for
birth weight, weaning weight direct, weaning
weight milk or maternal milk, and
yearling weight (these are explained below).
Some breeds calculate EPDs for other traits
including mature weight, scrotal
circumference, carcass traits, and calving ease.
Development of EPDs for additional traits is
continuing.
Implications of Selection Based on EPDs
Often, too much effort is spent trying to find
the complete beef animal—one that combines
growth, maternal ability, easy calving,
reproductive efficiency, and high carcass
quality and yield. Since it is virtually
impossible to find this package, it may be
more advantageous to focus on making
improvements in a key area. Purebred
producers whose primary objective is to
provide seed stock for commercial producers
have several options available depending on
their consumers’ demands. They can provide
bulls that are reasonably balanced for several
traits (typically not excelling in any trait), or
they can provide bulls that fit specific
purposes (low birth weight, high growth, etc.).
Regardless of the approach, EPDs can be used
to help achieve these objectives.
How to Use EPDs—An Example
Assume Bull A has a birth weight EPD of +5
lb and Bull B has a birth weight EPD of -1.5
lb. If these bulls were bred to an identical set
of cows (in terms of genetics and
environment), you would expect a difference
of 6.5 lb in the average birth weight of their
progeny. Therefore, from a practical
standpoint, if selecting one of these bulls to
breed to a set of heifers (with birth weight
being the major concern), Bull B would be the
sire of choice.
Commercial producers should decide which
breed of bull is going to best suit their
production goals and then use EPDs within
that breed to compare bulls for the traits of
concern. Use the breed of bull that fits your
long-term needs. For example, if replacement
heifers are a major emphasis, use a maternal
type breed; if weaned pounds are of primary
concern, use a high growth breed. Once these
decisions are made, then fine-tune the
Accuracy Values for EPDs
EPDs are never perfect, and as more
information is obtained on an animal, the EPD
value may change, either up or down.
Accuracy values indicate how much the EPD
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selection using EPDs. For example, if breeding
heifers to calve as 2 year olds, low birth
weight EPD bulls may be desired; if keeping
or selling replacement heifers, maternal
weaning weight EPDs may be of importance.
Genetic changes come slowly; this means that
if the wrong changes are made, it will take a
long time to correct them. When you are
considering a breeding plan within your herd,
it is important to have your long-term goals in
mind and make selections toward those goals.
Understanding and using EPDs can be an
extremely valuable tool in this process
- check the color of the mucous
membrane around the eye to determine if
treatment is needed for internal
parasites
- after treating for parasites, move the
herd to a fresh pasture that has not had
goats for at least four weeks
- check hooves monthly and trim as
needed, check for hoof rot
- Record all goats that continually need
treating for parasites and hoof
problems and cull those with chronic
problems.
- Use one parasite
- chemical/product until it no longer
works, then move to another class of
chemicals
- Rotationally graze to reduce parasite
exposure and improve forage
utilization
- Allow animals with the highest nutrient
demands to graze pastures first, such as
nursing does
Spring Goat Herd Management
Eileen A. Coite, Livestock Agent
for Wayne County
With springtime here there are several
management practices to keep in mind with a
spring kidding goat herd. The following is just
a short list, broken down by month to consider
as you head into spring, focusing on breeding,
feeding, health, and marketing management of
your herd.
Information for this article was taken from the
Meat Goat Herd Management Calendar for NC
Producers, AG-655-2. For your own complete
copy of this publication, contact your county
Extension Office.
May-July:
Forage Management Tips for May
Breeding
Management
Feeding
Management
Health
Manage
ment
Marketi
ng
Treat for coccidia four
weeks before weaning
Begin grazing
warm season
forages
Sell cull
does
Plant warm-season perennial grasses such as
common or “ Cheyenne” bermudagrass.
Wean kids
Continue
grazing cool
season
forages (May)
Allow
weaned kids
first access to
pasture
Purchase
replacem
ent
bucks
(June)
Vaccinat
e bucks
(July)
Plant summer annuals such as pearl millet by
May 15th.
Cull low producing does,
Id and separate
replacement does
Vaccinate
kids 10-12
weeks of
age
Give kids a
booster at
16-18
weeks of
age
Check for
parasite
load
Fertilize warm-season grasses with nitrogen
after each cutting or every four to six weeks
on pastures.
If irrigation is available, hybrid
bermudagrass sprigs may be planted, but
weed control will be essential.
Other tasks to incorporate into your
management schedule should include the
following:
5
Spray pasture weeds while they are small (3
inches or smaller) for most effective control.
Forage Management Tips for June
Take soil samples from fields which will be
overseeded or planted during the fall.
Apply lime as far in advance of planting as
possible.
A late planting of summer annuals may be
made to extend forage supply.
To stimulate yield of warm-season grass such
as Bermuda, apply nitrogen after each
cutting or every four to six weeks.
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Control summer pasture weeds before they
get too tall and mature.
Important Reminder:
Lenoir County Farm Safety Day will be
June 13, 2007 at the Lenoir County Livestock
Arena. If you are interested in having your
child attend, please call (252) 527-2191 and
ask for an application.
Sincerely,
Eve Honeycutt
Extension Agent
Agriculture-Livestock
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