Newsletter April 2007.Indd
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April, 2007 Producers participate in Vol. 10, No. 1 Solar Pump Installation Field Day Upcoming Events Wildflower/Nature Tours & Walks May 12, 2007 Barber County 620.886.3721, ext. 3 Neosho County 620.449.2028 May 19, 2007 Commanche County June Kliesen 620.738.4340 [email protected] June 2, 2007 Wilson County Gina Thompson 620.378.2866 June 7, 2007 Butler/Chase Counties Affixing the solar panels to the support frame was one of the final tasks in completing the pump 620.273.6491 and solar panel installation. Photos courtesy of Carol Blocksome. June 9, 2007 A picture may be worth 1000 words, but there’s just no substitute for doing it yourself. Pro- Cowley County ducers who prefer the hands-on method showed up Wednesday morning, April 4, 2007 at the 620.221.1850, ext. 3 Ellsworth Demonstration Site for a chance to learn from experience at the Solar Pump Installa- Neosho County tion Field Day. Brandy Nelson, Panhandle Sales and Service, instructed producers in install- 620.449.2028 ing a submersible pump powered by solar panels. Starting with a 135 foot cased well, during June 10, 2007 the morning the pump, plumbing, and panels were set in place. Producers could assist or ask Konza Prairie/Manhattan questions as the work proceeded. The majority of the time was spent installing the pump and 785.587.0441 plumbing. The solar panels and associated wiring went up quickly, in less than an hour. By http://www.ksu.edu/konza/keep shortly after noon, a functioning, pressurized watering system was completed. A cement live- Grant-Bradbury Prairie Jaunt Topeka, KS stock water tank surrounded by a geotextile and gravel base will be installed later this spring. 785.864.3453 [email protected] Herschel George, watershed specialist, provided a hands-on demonstration of simple solar pumping systems for ponds and other surface water. He demonstrated the ease of placing and June 13, 2007 moving this type of solar system, which is ideal for those who will move cattle during the Calhoun Bluff/Topeka 785.478.1993 summer and don’t want to purchase a separate solar system for each pasture. Herschel also [email protected] provided a handout listing solar panel system components and dealers in Kansas. Other presenters at the field day were Pamela Hays and Brad Kratzer of the Ellsworth County Soil Conservation District, who spoke on potential funding sources for livestock waterers. They emphasized that funds for livestock waterers were part of a broader plan for improv- ing water quality and wildlife habitat. The field day was followed by a meal at the Ellsworth County NRCS/ Conservation District office sponsored by the Smoky Hill Watershed Restora- tion and Protection Strategy (WRAPS). Producers filling out a survey commented that they now felt competent to choose and/or install a solar pumping system and to select an alternative watering site for their livestock. cont. on page 8 Current Rangeland Issues Walt Fick Calendar Events, cont. June 16, 2007 Konza Prairie/Manhattan Paul Willis 785.478.4383 wldfl[email protected] Other Events Sericea lespedeza can become a serious rangeland weed when it replaces native vegetation in Kansas Wildflower Seminar rangelands. Photo courtesy of Walt Fick. Craig Freeman, speaker Apr. 18, 2007 Lawrence, KS Sericea lespedeza, sometimes called Chinese Prescribed burning in the spring once sericea Jill Kleinberg bush clover, is an invasive perennial legume has started growth will slow down growth, but 785.842.2903 found on rangeland, tame pastures, and CRP in probably increases seed germination resulting [email protected] Kansas. Currently, sericea lespedeza has been in more plants per unit area. Concentration Missouri Prairie Foundation found in about 70 counties in the state infesting of livestock at high stock densities following Spring Plant Sale over 650,000 acres. Sericea lespedeza became burning can result in increased use of sericea. Apr. 21 & 28, 2007 a statewide noxious weed in Kansas on July 1, As stated earlier, goats graze sericea better Kansas City, MO 2000. Despite the noxious designation in Kan- than cattle do, but it takes 4 to 5 goats per acre 888.843.6739 http://www.moprairie.org sas sericea lespedeza is still planted as a forage to achieve a utilization rate high enough to crop in the southeastern U.S. eliminate seed production. Annual mowing of Papermaking with Kansas sericea in late July will start to reduce stands Native Plants Workshop Sericea lespedeza was probably first introduced and prevents seed production most years. Apr. 22, 2007 into Kansas during the 1930s for strip-mined Herbicides containing metsulfuron (Escort XP, Topeka, KS Jeff Hansen land reclamation in the southeastern part of the Ally, Cimarron, etc.) or triclopyr (Remedy, Pas- 785.478.1993 state. How the species spreads is not clearly tureGard, etc.) have proven the most effective [email protected] understood, but movement by animals, wa- at controlling sericea lespedeza. Metsulfuron ter, in contaminated hay or native grass seed is generally more effective applied in the late National Conference on harvests seems plausible. A high tannin content summer when sericea is actively flowering. Ecosystem Restoration Apr. 23-27, 2007 in sericea limits grazing by cattle on infested Triclopyr works well during the early summer Kansas City, MO grazing lands. The tannins tie up protein mak- when sericea is in a vegetative stage. Unfor- www.conference.ifas.ufl. ing the plants indigestible to cattle. Sheep and tunately, retreatment with herbicide is required edu/NCER2007 goats are better able to utilize sericea. every 2-4 years. Wings and Wetlands Weekend Without grazing pressure or treatment, sericea Early detection and treatment is extremely Apr. 27-29, 2007 lespedeza populations expand and will decrease important in trying to control sericea lespedeza. Great Bend, KS associated forage production and eventually Individual plants and isolated patches require Great Bend Convention & reduce species richness. Loss of more palatable immediate attention. Left untreated, a few scat- Visitors Bureau forage may result in overgrazing of some areas, tered plants can form a solid stand with time. 620.792.2750 information@visitgreatben which could increase the potential for erosion. An integrated approach using prescribed burn- d.com ing, mowing or grazing, and chemical control Control of sericea lespedeza is difficult. A will help keep this unwanted invasive species long-term management strategy is necessary to from taking over our grasslands. maintain the growth of more desirable vegeta- tion. Prescribed burning, grazing, mechani- Walt Fick cal control, and herbicides can all be used in managing sericea lespedeza stands. Beneficial management of winter feeding sites pro- motes healthy animals, efficient feeding, less pollution Calendar Events, cont. Grazing Forage Management Information Teleconference Call Gary Kilgore May 1, 2007 Jerry Jost 785.766.0428 [email protected] http://www.kansassustain- ableag.org/Documents/Graz- ingConfCalls.pdf To connect: 1.888.387.8686 4699043# TLA Meeting May 2, 2007 Bill Sproul Ranch Allowing livestock unrestricted access to bales results in large quantities of wasted feed and ideal Sedan, KS breeding conditions for stable flies. Photo courtesy of Carol Blocksome. Tim Christian [email protected] The use of temporary feeding sites during wastage in excess of 25%. The quality of the 620.241.3636 winter and early spring months to supply feed forage also plays a major factor in the amount WRAPS Capacity Building and/or water to livestock is a common manage- of wastage. Forum ment practice with livestock producers. The May 3, 2007 Rolling hay out is commonly practiced and prolonged winter weather conditions through- McPherson, KS can be a very effective means to feed forage if out much of Kansas this year have increased Melissa Arthur the amount provided matches the intake needs 785.597.5452 the frequency of supplemental feeding at these of that group of cattle. If excess is provided, [email protected] sites due to the inability of cattle to fully utilize the amount of wastage increases as well as the http://kcw.kdhe.state.ks.us/ available forage or crop residues. When select- kcw/calendar.nsf/webevents/ amount of manure and mud accumulation in ing a temporary feeding site, producers need to 976C22E151F18646862572 the surrounding area. One of the most popular determine the most ideal location that balances AD004A825D means of providing ease of use by the harvested forages KAWS Spring Meeting producer, ani- • Bale feeding sites may affect water quality when by producers is May 15-16, 2007 mal performance Topeka, KS runoff or leachate from the site enters bodies of water using hay ring feed- and health, and Tim Christian such as creeks or water supplies such as wells ers. While these are potential impacts 620.241.3636 typically the most [email protected] of the environment. • Soil phosphorous increased in the area surrounding convenient meth- http://www.kaws.org/Calen- While these sites the bale feeding site (10 ft) ods for producers, dar.htm serve important they are also the roles in care and Tree Shear Demonstration • Increases in soil fecal E coli concentrations were method that most management of a May 16, 2007 observed up to 100 feet away from the feeding site often generates the Cedar, KS herd, awareness of during the feeding period. E. coli concentrations greatest amount of Solomon Valley RC&D mismanagement decreased after cattle removal wastage, manure, 785.425.6647 and lack of sanita- and mud accumula- tion that result in Homesteading Reconsidered • Fecal E Coli was still detected 10 ft away from bale tion. These sites lost profitability Interdisciplinary feeders three months after feeding ceased. also can pose the Symposium must be under- H Info greatest bacteria May 17-19, 2007 stood. 2 and nutrient envi- Lincoln, NE 402.472.3082 Providing supplemental feed to cattle at feed- ronmental challenges.