July & August, 2011
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In This Issue:
Supplementing Cattle
On Drought-Affected
Pastures
Hardware Disease In
Cattle
Updated Publication
For Calibration Of
Stationary & Traveling
Systems
Right Kind of Licenses
4-H Skill-A-Thon Team
Wins State Contest
NC Goat & Sheep
Producers Roundup IV
Forage Management
Tips
But just in case, I thought some good
information about drought affected
pastures would benefit those of you with
grazing animals. Cattle producers
generally have two main options for
meeting the nutrient requirements of cattle
on drought affected pastures and ranges.
The first is to provide supplemental feed to
ensure the cow herd has adequate energy,
protein, vitamins, and minerals. The
second is to reduce the nutrient
requirements of the cow to a point where
they can be met with available forage.
Drought-affected pastures generally do not
produce adequate forage to maintain
"normal" stocking rates, so producers must
provide supplemental energy to meet the
needs of the cow herd. Pastures that are
dormant due to drought conditions may be
low in vitamin A, phosphorus, and protein.
Meeting the need for these nutrients is
important if cow herd productivity is to be
maintained. Reductions in stocking rate
will benefit plants by reducing stress and
will also provide more forage for the
remaining cattle. When stocking rates are
reduced in accordance with production,
only small effects on weaning weight may
be noted.
Supplementing Cattle on
Drought-affected Pastures
Submitted by Eve H. Honeycutt, Livestock
Agent, Lenoir and Greene Counties
Adapted from an article by Greg Lardy,
Extension Beef Specialist, Department of
Animal and Range Sciences, North Dakota
State University
As I write this, it is too early to tell if the
recent rain will do enough to improve the
effects of the recent dry, hot weather
on our forage crops. With any luck, there
will be more rain in the near future to
increase soil moisture and forage yield.
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grazing cattle. Several options are
available for supplying energy to cattle on
drought-stressed pasture. Hay, grain, and
crop processing byproducts can all be used
to supply energy to grazing cattle.
Providing Supplemental Feeds During a
Drought
Minerals. Provide the same salt and
mineral mixture during drought as you
would during normal conditions.
However, during drought phosphorus
supplementation is critical. A mixture of
50 percent trace mineralized salt and 50
percent dicalcium phosphate supplied free
choice to the cow herd will meet the
phosphorus requirement. The salt mixture
should be placed close to stock watering
locations.
Grain processing coproducts, such as
wheat midds, soyhulls, barley malt
sprouts, beet pulp, and corn gluten feed,
which contain highly digestible fiber
provide energy while alleviating much of
the negative impact that grain
supplementation has on fiber digestibility.
In addition, these byproducts provide
protein which may also be limiting in
drought-stressed forages.
Vitamin A. Lack of vitamin A may be a
problem during fall and winter for cows
that grazed drought-affected pastures
during summer. Vitamin A is lacking in
forages during drought and hay produced
from drought-affected forages. Cows
should receive vitamin A and D booster
shots approximately 30 days prior to
calving and their calves should receive
vitamin A and D at birth.
Drylot Feeding. If pasture conditions are
extremely poor, producers may consider
feeding cows in drylot. This may be more
cost effective than supplementation if
large amounts of supplement must be
transported and fed to cows daily. In
addition, it may allow pastures a much
needed rest period to begin recovering
from the drought.
Protein. Pastures dormant due to drought
conditions may be deficient in protein. If
these conditions occur during the breeding
season, reductions in pregnancy rate can
occur. Provide dry cows with
approximately 0.5 to 0.75 pounds of
supplemental crude protein and lactating
cows with 0.9 to 1.2 pounds of
supplemental crude protein per day. This
can be fed as approximately 1 to 1.5
pounds of soybean meal for dry cows and
2 to 2.5 pounds of soybean meal for
lactating cows. Protein supplementation
may be necessary for optimum breeding
rates during drought conditions. Alfalfa
hay, sunflower meal, safflower meal, as
well as other protein meals may also be
used as protein supplements.
Energy. Since forage production is
generally limited during a drought, energy
may be the most limiting nutrient for
Hardware Disease In Cattle
By: Margaret A. Bell, Livestock Agent –
Craven & Jones Counties
Adapted from: ‘Hardware Disease in Cattle’ from
Michigan Extension
Have you ever heard of
Hardware Disease? Did you know that it
could cause serious problems with your
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cattle’s health? Hardware Disease is
when some type of sharp objet pierces
the wall of the stomach and then has
access to the heart. Then the object may
pierce the heart sac causing even more
problems.
So, what symptoms will your
cows have if they have Hardware
Disease? They will be depressed, have a
poor appetite and will most likely be
reluctant to move. Cattle may also have
indigestion, or show signs of bloat.
These symptoms may disappear but will
most likely show back up within the
next seven days. If you suspect
Hardware Disease in your cow and the
animal is slaughtered, it is possible to
find a wire of nail that is poking through
the reticulum wall. A cow has four
compartments to its stomach and the
reticulum is one of those four
compartments.
What type of treatment is there
for Hardware Disease? Treatment for
this disease varies from animal to
animal. If the animal is extremely
valuable, you may consult with your
veterinarian to see if a rumenotomy is
recommended. This is when your
veterinarian approaches the problem
surgically to the reticulum. Also, they
may palpate the area to verify a foreign
object or some type of adhesions. If any
object is found, it is possible for your
veterinarian to make an incision into
the wall of the animal’s ruminal wall
and manually remove the object. Much
care are needed with all of the above
options, so please consult with your
veterinarian and make sure you have a
good patient – client – veterinarian
relationship. Another option in a case
where the animal is not exceptionally
valuable would be to slaughter the
animal and try to diagnose the problem
that way and use it as an example for
future possible cases of Hardware
Disease in your herd.
As for
prevention, a
popular way
routine is to
use magnets
in the
reticulum. As
with other
procedures, it is recommended you ask
your veterinarian to perform this
procedure. The goal of the magnet is
that it simply keeps foreign objects that
are metallic and they will adhere
together in a ball. This will reduce the
chances that this object will penetrate
the reticulum wall causing major
medical problems.
The prognosis of Hardware
Disease varies due to several factors.
The main factor is how much infection
is present and how long the animal has
had the foreign object. However, if this
is caught early enough, sometimes it can
be fixed and the animal will live a
normal life after. For more information
about Hardware Disease and other
cattle-related diseases, feel fee to
contact Jones County Cooperative
Extension at (252) 448.9621 and speak
with livestock agent Margaret A. Bell.
She will be happy to talk with you more
in depth about this and other livestock
diseases.
Updated Publication for
Calibration of Stationary and
Traveling Systems
By: Emily Herring- Livestock Agent –Pender
County, Publication courtesy of NCSU, AG-553-09
and Thanks to Amanda Hatcher, Duplin County
Livestock Agent
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North Carolina State University has
released an updated version of
“Calibration and Uniformity Assessment
for Animal Wastewater Application
Equipment” to give updated
information on hard hose travelers and
solid set systems. Irrigation systems
wear and develop buildup, therefore
affects their performance, both from an
irrigation standpoint and from an
economic standpoint. Calibrations are
required once every two years for swine
facilities in North Carolina with a state
general permit and required once a year
for swine facilities with an NPDES
permit.
Here’s a summary of things to keep in
mind before starting a calibration:
 A manufacturer’s chart for your
system’s sprinkler and nozzle
combination is needed for your
irrigation design or wetted
acreage determination.
 Perform calibrations during
periods of no to very light wind
(less than 5 mph).
 Check wetted diameter and flow
pressure under periods of
normal pressure.
4. Flags for checking wetted
diameter. (Roughly $5 for a set of
flags.)
5. Caliper for measuring nozzle
size. (Roughly costs $10.)
6. Calibration forms for recording
measurements. These can be
found at your local Extension
Office.
For hard-hose travelers and stationary
systems (solid sets), the following steps
are needed:
1. Measure the nozzle size of
traveler guns.
2. Measure pressure at the nozzle
or sprinkler.
3. Measure the wetted diameter of
the nozzle or sprinkler.
4. Measure the flow rate.
5. Compare the measured pressure,
wetted diameter, and flow rate
against the manufacturer’s chart,
irrigation design documents,
and/or the wetted acreage
determination.
Although the rain gauge method that
was once needed every three years is
not required now to determine
uniformity, sprinkler spacing (or lane
spacing for travelers) must be within
design specifications and pressure must
be within the ranges provided by
manufacturer (Liu, 2009; 9th SB 1217
Guidance Document, North Carolina
1217 Interagency Group, 2009). To
check for uniformity:
Equipment needed to complete a
calibration:
1. Pressure gauge, either a
mounted gauge or a handheld
with pitot tube. (Which will cost
roughly $38.00 offline.)
2. Flow meter with in-line adapters
IF field-measured nozzle
pressure and manufacture’s
charts will not be used to obtain
flow rate.
3. Measuring tape, 200-300 feet or
wheel. (A measuring tape will
cost roughly $25 offline.)
1. Compare field-measured wetted
diameter and pressure to
manufacturer’s charts.
2. Calculate the sprinkle or lane
spacing as a percentage of fieldmeasured wetted diameter to
determine if spacing falls in the
recommended range.
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gross vehicle weight rating (GVRW)
listed on the body of the vehicle. Look
for a small metal plate on the front end
or side of your trailer which lists all
specifications, including the GVRW. For
regular passenger vehicles, a class C
regular license will suffice. According to
the DMV, a class C license allows you to
“operate any combination of
noncommercial motor vehicles that
have a GVRW of more than 10,000
pounds and less than 26,001 pounds, as
long as the driver is 18 years of age or
older”. Furthermore, according to the
DMV “most drivers need only a Regular
C license to operate personal
automobiles and small trucks.” So, if
your horse or livestock trailer is rated
with a GVRW which is less than 10,000
pounds, you are fine with a class C
license. Most small livestock and horse
trailers fall into this category, such as a
two horse tag-a-long or even some
aluminum goosenecks. If it’s over this
weight, read on.
Field data sheets at the end of the
publication help calibrations to go more
smoothly. If you would like to receive a
copy of this publication contact or if you
have any questions about calibrations,
contact your County Extension Agent.
For a total estimated onetime cost of the
equipment needed to do a calibration at
the most roughly being $78 it would be
a good way to save money on the farm
versus paying a company to do it.
Do you have the right
driver’s license?
Eileen Coite, Livestock Agent, Wayne
County
There are two other classes of “regular”
licenses. These are a Class A and Class
B. The only real difference between the
two of these is that the Class A is for any
vehicle towing a vehicle of 10,000
pounds or more and the Class B is for a
vehicle that weighs 26,001 pounds or
more. Most truck/trailer combinations
with a trailer over 10,000 pounds would
require a Class A license, since small or
passenger trucks weigh less than
26,001 pounds. If you have a large or
long bodied horse or livestock trailer,
you most likely will need a Class A
license to haul. Occasionally, horse or
livestock owners have been stopped
and asked to see their license, and some
have had to find drivers to get their rig
back home! Don’t let this happen to
Having the right type of driver’s license
and tags on your vehicles sounds simple
enough, but is it? I often find that things
are not always as easy as it would seem,
and sometimes just as we think we
know the laws, there is a change. I
originally wrote this article a couple of
years ago, but a few things have
changed and I have heard that the state
highway patrol have been more
frequently stopping drivers hauling
livestock and other agricultural
commodities, so it might be a good time
to review our driving rules for pulling
livestock and horse trailers.
The bottom line on licenses to pull
trailers is to know the weight of your
trailer. Every trailer (and vehicle) has a
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you. Check your trailer now and make
sure you are in compliance.
June 4, 2011. The contest was held at
the NC State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. The
participants must take a written test;
identify retail cuts of meat, feeds, hay,
breeds of livestock, and equipment.
Team A won first place out of five teams
who participated. Team A members
were Kaelyn Mohrfeld of Pink Hill,
Gavin Tyndall, Mary Beth Tyndall, and
Another thing to consider is vehicle
tags. In addition to having the correct
license, most vehicles must have a
weighted tag if hauling a trailer or
carrying weight that goes over 7000
pounds. So, if you are hauling a
livestock or horse trailer, you will need
weighted tags, or possibly farm tags,
and should weigh your loaded trailer to
know how much weight you are pulling
and how much to have registered for
your tags. Farm tags are only offered if
you can document that your vehicle is
used for farming as your source of
income. There is an official form with
questions that must be submitted to
qualify for farm tags. Finally, make sure
to give your trailer a good overall
inspection. Checking the brakes, the
floor, and lights is critical. Especially if
you are ever hauling after dark, all lights
should be operational and I’ve been told
that just one non-functional light could
cause problems if you are stopped. In
fact, if your trailer has a gross weight of
over 4000 pounds it also needs a yearly
state inspection, so that might be
something else to check into.
Jordan Kennedy all of Deep Run.
Team B won 4th place out of 5
participating teams and included
Makensie Mohrfeld of Pink Hill,
Breanna Tyndall, Hailey Elmore, and
Michaela Elmore all of Deep Run.
Clayton Tyndall also participated as
senior individual. These youth will
continue to practice weekly and study
for the State 4-H Skill-a-Thon contest on
June 29 in Raleigh.
For more information about 4-H youth
livestock programs, contact Eve
Honeycutt, Extension Livestock Agent
for Lenoir and Greene Counties at
eve_honeycutt@ncsu.edu
or 252-527-2191 or 252-747-5831.
NC Goat & Sheep
Producers Roundup IV
July 21st – July 22nd, 2011
The NC Cooperative Extension and
several goat and sheep producer
associations in North Carolina are
partnering to hold the “NC Goat &
Sheep Producers Roundup IV” on
Thursday and Friday, July 21 & 22,
2011 at the Lenoir County
Cooperative Extension Center
located at 1791 Hwy. 11/55 in
Kinston, NC. Goat and sheep
producers along with youth in the
southeast don’t want to miss this
opportunity to have an educational
gathering of producers to share and
Much of the information I have provided
here can be viewed at the NC Division of
Motor Vehicles website, at
www.ncdot.org. Otherwise, contact the
closest DMV office for questions you
may have.
4-H Skill-A-Thon Teams Win
At State Contest
Two teams of 4-Her's from Lenoir
County participated in the NC Junior
Beef Round-Up Skill-a-Thon contest on
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learn more about the latest issues
related to the dairy and meat goat
and sheep industry. Well-known
experts around North Carolina,
Maryland and Virginia will be
present to address many topics of
interest to the sheep and goat
producer.
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Special features of the conference
will be a “NC Chefs Cook-Off” of both
chevon and lamb on Thursday for
lunch. On Friday, a youth
component has been added
targeting youth interested in fitting
and showing goats and sheep for
competitions.
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Monday, July 11th is the preregistration deadline for this event.
The pre-registration cost is $40 per
day for adults and $10 per day for
youth (18 years and younger). The
FAMACHA certification price is $12
extra. A $10 late fee will be charged
after the July 11th deadline. This fee
includes a lunch along with the
printed proceedings.
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For event information and
registration information, go to:
http://franklin.ces.ncsu.edu:
Download a registration form,
complete and send with a check
payable to: “County of Wayne”, Attn:
Goat & Sheep Producers Roundup
IV, 103 S. Bickett Blvd., Louisburg,
NC 27549. For more information,
contact Martha Mobley, Agriculture
Agent, Franklin County, at (919)
496-3344.
Stick to a four to six week
schedule of nitrogen applications
on summer grasses. Do not
delay application because of dry
weather unless it has not rained
at all since the previous
application.
Maintain harvesting frequency
for quality hay.
Hot, dry weather can result in
nitrate poisoning of animals
grazing stunted, highly fertilized
summer annuals.
Sample soils and apply lime on
fields to be planted in the fall, if
not already done.
Decide which fescue pastures
will be stock-piled for winter
grazing.
Fertilize fescue and keep cattle
off of the pastures to be
stockpiled for winter grazing.
August
Sample soils and apply lime to
pastures with pH below 5.8 to be
overseeded next spring.
 Fertilize warm-season grasses.
If you have any questions, please feel
free to call our office at 252-5272191, or visit the Lenoir/Greene
Livestock Program website at:
http://www.ces.ncsu/Lenoir/
livestock
Thanks,
Eve H. Honeycutt
Eve H. Honeycutt
Extension Agent
Agriculture-Livestock
Forage Management Tips
July
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