Planting date, seeding rate, and fertility are listed among the top management concerns when it comes to producing wheat in the Southwest. “Picks List” helps producers determine the best-adapted variety.
Variety selection, planting date, seeding rate, fertility and early weed and pest management are key factors for Southwest wheat farmers.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Agronomists say the big ones are planting date, seeding rate, and fertility.
Most producers have decided on varieties. For those who have not, he directs them to the annual “Picks List,” an inventory of the best-adapted varieties by region based on numerous Texas AgriLife variety trials.
Variety characteristics such as standability, resistance to disease and Hessian fly, and other important yield and quality traits can also be found at the Texas A&M variety testing website.
He adds that producers growing varieties that aren’t on the latest Picks List but have produced well over several seasons may be reluctant to change.
Texas is a big state, and although we have 24 trials statewide, we still have gaps, so we don’t recommend a grower abandon a variety that has performed well on a particular farm.
They recommend that producers who want to try a new variety start with a small acreage.
Picks history
The listed varieties are not automatically the top grain yields per acre. The Picks List, he says “provides a lot of data that would be hard for a farmer to sort through.”
The advantages of the Picks list for the Texas High Plains:
The list is updated by August 1 every year.
Picks don’t change much from one year to the next.
4-6 sites per year for both irrigated & dryland sites.
Minimum three years’ data.
“Given the data, these are the varieties I would include on my farm…”
Consider getting six bags to drill and see what you think versus the varieties you are growing.
Early management
Removing “green bridges” such as weeds or volunteer wheat is an important early management task that can help prevent infestations of wheat curl mites and aphids, which can vector diseases such as Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus and Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus.
Make sure to destroy any potential green bridges two weeks before planting to make sure everything is dead and not transferring diseases, insects, and weeds into the wheat.
While seed treatments and delayed planting dates can be helpful, planting resistant varieties is the most effective control method.
Planting date
The planting date is a crucial factor but varies across the state. “While some farmers may already be planting in the High Plains and completed by early November, farmers in the southern part of the state will just be getting started at that time. “Planting too early into hot soils can lead to decreased germination, while planting late reduces tiller formation and yield potential.”
Concerns with Hessian fly, a potentially devastating pest, pushes back the optimal planting date for the Rolling Plains and Blacklands regions. “Unlike many of the states to the north, Texas does not have a Hessian fly free date; however, our studies have shown that delayed planting can substantially reduce Hessian fly infestations,” Gerrish says. “Planting date studies around Waco and Hillsboro show significantly more flies per tiller when planted in the first week of October versus the first week of November.”
Seeding rate
Seeding rate recommendations have changed as researchers look at planting by seed count instead of pounds per acre. Farmers may face challenges with determining how many seed to count and weigh to get an accurate estimate.
Current seeding recommendations vary across the state. The High Plains recommendation is 600,000 seed per acre in dryland production and 1.1 million under irrigation. The Rolling Plains rate is 650,000, and the Blacklands recommendation is 750,000 seed per acre.
The recommended seeding rate for dual-purpose or late-planted wheat should be at least 25% higher. “If they plan to graze it and then cut it for grain, they want to increase the seeding rate because they will be counting on main stem growth for forage and not relying on tillers.”
Fertility
A pre-plant soil test can answer most questions regarding early fertility. “Wheat growers probably want to have their base fertility — phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, and other nutrients out at planting,” Gerrish says.
“Nitrogen depends on soil tests. If tests show little to no nitrogen, they should add one-third up to one-half recommended nitrogen up front. If the test shows excess nitrogen, waiting might be better.”
A delay offers a farmer the option of watching the crop for several months before adding more production costs. “If the crop shows promise, adding more nitrogen will be advantageous. If it’s drought-stressed and failing, they can save the extra cost.”
Weed issues
Resistant ryegrass is an ongoing problem in many wheat fields. Prevention is key. Early weed control, especially for grassy weeds, is critical. Once ryegrass gets established, control is difficult. Hitting it early is crucial.
Relying solely on metribuzin is likely too late for complete control and may come with some risk, he says. “Though our screenings have thus far shown no phytotoxicity, there are concerns about wheat susceptibility to metribuzin. If a high rate is applied, will it ding your wheat?” Gerrish lists Zidua and Anthem Flex as other good early control options.
Timing, specialists say, with planting, fertility, and pest management are essential factors in early wheat management.
BODY CONDITION SCORE YOUR COWS
When condition scoring cows, producers should look beyond age, frame size, depth, length pregnancy status and hair coat.
The body condition of a cow should be between 5 and 6.
The body condition scoring system (BCS) is used to assess body energy reserves in beef cows. The BCS system used for beef cattle ranges from 1 to 9. A score of 1 indicates cows that are thin and emaciated, cows of BCS 9 are fat and obese.
When condition scoring cows, producers should look beyond age, frame size, depth, length pregnancy status and hair coat. The condition scoring system is intended to provide a consistent system to quantify relative fatness regardless of these other factors that create difference in cows ‘appearance. There is a strong relationship between weight and BCS. For each unit change in BCS, cows should gain or lose approximately 7% of their BCS 5 weight. For example, a cow that weighs 1,200 lbs. at a BCS 5 should reach a BCS of 6 at 1,284 lbs. or drop to a BCS 4 at 1,116 lbs.
Best time to Evaluate BCS?
Typically, late summer/early fall when cows are slicked off and in 2nd trimester of pregnancy is the most accurate and easiest time of the management cycle to evaluate BCS on cows. Weaning time or at time of fall pregnancy checks is realistically the most convenient time of the annual management cycle to capture a weight on cows. If cows need to be fed and managed to have adequate BCS by the start of calving season, managing for a target weight gain can be effective.
Why is BCS Important?
One of the major constraints in the improvement of reproductive efficiency in cows is the length of post-partum anestrous. If cows are to maintain a calving interval of one year, they must breed back within 80 – 85 days after calving. In both old and young cows, it is well established that BCS at calving time determines the rebreeding performance of beef cows in the subsequent breeding season. Cows maintaining body weight, therefore having ample energy reserves before parturition, exhibit estrus sooner than cows losing weight. Body weight changes during pregnancy is confounded with fetus and placenta growth.
Therefore, the estimation of body fat by use of BCS is more useful in quantifying the energy reserves of beef cows. The process of fetal development, delivering a calf, milk production and repair of the reproductive tract are all physiological stresses. These stresses require the availability and utilization of large quantities of energy to enable cows to rebreed in the required 85 days. Cold and/or wet weather often faced by spring calving cows adds additional environmental stress resulting in energy intake that is below body maintenance needs. The cow compensates by mobilizing stored energy or adipose tissue which is why adequate BCS at calving is so critical to reproductive performance.
The Goal
Producers should manage their calving season, genetics, grazing system, supplementation program and herd health to achieve an average BCS of 5 to 6 (target 5.5) in the mature cow herd at calving time. The goal for first calf heifers is a BCS of 6. Typically, the greatest reproductive challenge in beef cattle is the breed back of two-year old females raising their first calf, lactating for the first time and still growing themselves, accordingly the higher BCS of 6 is recommended.