(upbeat music) - Hello everyone and welcome to Sunup.

I'm Linda Stout.

With the recent rains in Oklahoma and fingers crossed that more is on the way, how is soil fertility shaping up for our wheat crop?

Here's Sunup's Kurtis Hair and Dr. Brian Arnall with some answers.

- As we discussed last week that recent rain might have saved the crop.

So Brian, we're talking about wheat, wheat's coming up.

In regards to soil fertility, what has that rain meant for producers across the state?

- So, fertility wise, it's kind of kick starting everything going.

So, we've got the rain, the wheat's in the ground, and honestly I'm telling folks not to worry about the fertility right now other than the in furrow just get the seed in the ground if you have moisture, take advantage of that moisture.

Not too worried about leeching right now, we just have, we're so dry below.

As we get more rain, we will push nitrate down but we're having a wedding front, so it's not like we're leaching out anything in most of our regions.

So, not a lot of concern about nitrogen loss.

We are putting moisture into a very dry soil.

So, while we have enough temperature now to germinate wheat and grow wheat, we will start moving that organic matter system.

So, we're gonna start breaking down the straw and the residue that was not broken down over the summer because the lack of moisture.

So, we're gonna start seeing that tie up a little bit.

But really the important thing is getting your seed in, getting that proper P and K, or that proper phosphorus with it in furrow if needed.

- And we do have some, you know, rain in the forecast and especially in the month of, you know the climate prediction centers predicting a little bit more rain, hopefully.

- Yeah.

- So, what does that mean in regards to trying to get ahead of that rain?

What do producers need to think about when they're you know, applying that P and K into the fields?

- So, my story right now holds to be similar to what it has been in the past, is that we have enough research at Oklahoma State.

We have years of research that says, if we're growing a grain wheat, we do not need to get too hurried up with our nitrogen.

We have a little bit in the system.

Most of our soils actually had abundancy of residual nitrogen because we had so much movement upward of nitrate into the surface with the drought and the evapotranspiration.

Focus on getting the wheat in, getting a good stand, doing that properly.

If you can go in furrow make sure that's done, but we have time.

Get your N- Rich strips out during the months of late November through December and watch, you can even put a phosphorous strip out there just to see if there's value to put that.

But get those out there.

We're not going to grow a lot.

So, we're in Dr.

Carver's wheat field right now.

This was irrigated up.

So, all of our dry land is behind this.

This crop right here hasn't used more than about five or six pounds of nitrogen per acre.

So, if we think about our climate, if we think about our temperature, we're not going to get really big wheat this year which means we're not going to be using just a massive amount of nitrogen early, so we can hold without any worry about losses until the springtime.

- What are some, you know, recommendations you have for producers who are looking out their fields?

Like, "my wheat's still not up"?

- Yeah.

- What are some things that you can, guidance that you can give them?

- Yeah.

What I would say is because our temperatures are cooler, we're into November now so, it's not like a normal planting in early October, September where the wheat germinates and just blows outta the ground cause it's growing so fast.

We're cooler, our mornings are cooler, so the soil temperature cooler, it's going to take longer for that wheat to germinate and get up through the ground.

So, if you're worried, go check.

I mean, the best thing you can do is get dirty.

So, go ahead and go out there and check those fields.

So, make sure that you've got good seed, it's still viable, it's germinated, it's coming up.

Do check crusting, I've noticed on a couple locations that the rains came a little bit heavier so we have some crusting on the soil.

We may have to look at some of that.

There may be a little bit of re-sowing in some of the areas that had heavier rainfall.

- And for those situations, you know, maybe producers had already applied... - Yeah.

- A nitrogen application.

- Yeah.

- So, how do they go about then, you know, if they do have to re-sow, what's the situation there?

- The one caveat I'd say if you, if you're going to have to re-sow, we should be thinking about upping our seeding rate whether you go by pounds or seeds per acre.

As we get closer to the end of the year we're going to rely more upon main tillers for our production and less upon secondary and tertiary or third level tillers.

So, I'm already moving my seeding rate up.

Typically, I'm sowing, when I'm sowing in 1st of October, I'm at a 60 to 70 pounds of seed per acre sowing rate.

I'm now moved into 80 and by the end of this week anything left over into next week, I'll probably be pushing into 90 to 96 pounds of seed per acre.

So, I can compensate for my lack of tillering with more main tillers so I can keep my yield up.

- So in regards to, you mentioned that the plants likely to be smaller than in years past.

When we get to that point in the spring when they can start applying that nitrates and holding off.

- Is there gonna be a difference in the amount of application than in years past?

- No.

- Or just the same?

- So it's really the same.

So that's a two part deal, what you just said there.

I hate the same amount every single year because the crop doesn't need the same amount.

It's different, the environment's different.

So that's why we really say think about the end rate strip and the GreenSeeker sensor 'cause they'll tell you the exact amount you need, talk to your county educator, come see me and we can talk about it.

There's consultants that utilize that resource also.

If we come in in February and we don't have subsoil moisture, I'm probably holding back the rains until I know I've got something to live off of.

But if we can get a profile filling winter rainfall events, then I'm going all in and I'm gonna say we can get our yields.

- [Striped Top] So it just sounds like we just need more rain.

- We need more rain.

- Alrighty, Thanks Brian.

Dr. Brian Arnall, Precision Nutrient Management Specialist here at Oklahoma State University.

(upbeat music) And if you'd like a link to for more information of what Brian talked about, go to our website, sunup.okstate.edu.

(upbeat music continues) - Welcome to the Mesonet weather report.

I'm Wes Lee.

As the drought continues in Oklahoma, one thing that has become an issue for many livestock producers is having adequate drinking water in pastures.

In some locations, federal and state assistance is available to help pump water from a well or from one location to another.

Mesonet has a sensor called a pyranometer at each tower that can help producers determine if solar panels might be a feasible option for water pumping energy needs.

Here is a daily map showing the total radiation in megajoules per square meter on Tuesday.

It can be converted to a more usable unit of measure, kilowatt hour, by multiplying it by a factor of 0.277.

Looking at long term data will be more useful such as this map of average daily total solar radiation for last year.

Peak solar radiation occurs in the summer months is shown here for the summer of 2021.

However, for use in a year-round pasture situation, we would need to size a system based on the lowest solar radiation months, which are in the winter.

In the winter you can see that solar energy levels are less than half the summer values.

Visit our website at mesonet.org for more information on how to use our solar radiation values.

Now here's Gary with a summary of the October weather conditions.

- Thanks Wes, and good morning everyone.

Well, these rainfall events are certainly wonderful for where they hit in the state, but some parts of Oklahoma continue to miss out.

Let's get straight to that new drought monitor map and see where we're at.

Well, we have more improvements.

Most of these came in Southeast Oklahoma and over in East Central Oklahoma where some of those heavier rains fell last week.

But unfortunately not enough rain over other parts of the state to show any improvements.

Each rainfall event leads us to the possibility of more improvements, but it's definitely location, location, location.

Let's take a look at some of the October events that helped that drought be relieved over in that part of the state.

And we can see from the October rainfall map, we have some pretty good rainfall amounts across Southwestern, down into South Central, and up into Southeastern and East Central Oklahoma.

So sort of a U shape there.

Other places outside of those areas, simply not enough rainfall to alleviate the worst of the drought conditions from one to two inches.

And of course, you can see up in far Northwest Oklahoma, generally less than a quarter inch for most places.

So not enough rainfall to help most of the state with the drought.

Those problem areas show up even better on the October percent of normal rainfall map.

We do see those areas down in Southwestern into South Central, over in East Central Oklahoma, those areas of surplus.

But too much deficit area up in the North Central and Northwestern parts of the state, traveling down into the central parts of Oklahoma.

Now October temperatures, it depends on when you got up.

If you got up early in the morning, well you noticed that it seemed pretty cool during October and most of the area was below normal for October with those minimum temperatures.

Then you look at the high temperatures, and you see those are two, three to even four degrees above normal.

So we had a lot of hot days, a lot of cool mornings in October.

Okay.

The key to alleviating this drought is more rainfall events, but also remember, location, location, location.

That's it for this time.

We'll see you next time on the Mesonet weather report.

(upbeat music) - Good morning Oklahoma, and welcome to Cow-Calf Corner.

We've had a welcome change in the summer heat.

It's finally relented for us, having some pleasant overnight temperatures.

It's led Dr. Parker Henley and I into the discussion as we deal with some of these cold nights and hot days, the repercussions it has, particularly on the health of baby calves or fall born calves.

So our topic this week is to think about fall vaccinations at fall branding time, and I appreciate Dr. Henley taking time away from his preparation with the livestock judging team and getting ready for Louisville.

- Parker, what should we be looking at this time of year relative to those calves that are two, three months old?

- Yeah, absolutely.

Well, you're right in the fact that, you know, these temperature changes are only gonna get worse as we go throughout the fall here.

And it's a perfect time, we're 30 days out from the start of the breeding season if you're a September calving fall cow, calving herd.

And so it's perfect time for branding time of our calves, which is a term that was historically utilized by ranchers when they would actually put a hot iron brand on their calves.

Now, that's typically not used as much anymore.

And identification such as an ear tag is become more common, and so that name though has stuck with this working period of our calves.

And so vaccinations are incredibly important at decreasing the chance of disease for your fall born calves.

And if we can work those calves and then turn 'em back out with their mothers and get 'em in a familiar environment they tend to have less stress, the vaccinations tend to work better and there's just a whole lot better outcome and production parameters are increased of those calves.

- Parker, I know we talk about establishing that vet client relationship and talking with a vet specific to your region, your operation about what vaccines ought to be used but some big bullet points, what kind of vaccines are we looking at getting that first round of into calves right now?

- Sure, sure.

And so, as you mentioned that vet client relationship is extremely important because you know, your local veterinarian or health experts, only the, only person that's gonna know of the issues that are strong or happening in your region.

And so the big things that we recommend you do at this branding time would be identi, or individually identify your calves, number one, castrate them, potentially if you have horned calves, go ahead and dehorn those calves.

Additionally, growth implants may be an option.

And then the big things would be vaccinating for BRD or bovine respiratory disease in some form.

Also providing a black leg or a seven to eight way vaccination for those type of things.

And then we also recommend a parasite control as well.

So, in terms of brands and types, those are the things that become very hard.

Only you and your vet and current prices and what's available to you in today's world with the supply chain shortages, maybe only one type available as well as the price also.

So to have that discussion with your vet in that relationship and I think you'll, you'll come out on top.

- Parker, I appreciate your time and probably final point on this, depending on when we calved in the fall, getting those boosters into the cow herd and thinking about boostering them, getting prepped and primed for breeding season just being a few weeks away, all at the same time we worked those calves would be important.

Thank you all for joining us on Cow Calf Corner this week.

(farm music) - This week we got Tailgate Talk on Market Monitor.

Wheat prices had a rally and a crash.

On the war in Ukraine president Putin announced that he was not going to support Ukraine exporting wheat and wheat prices went up 55 cents per bushel.

Then he announced that he would support that export of wheat and prices fell 48 cents a bushel.

So we have prices right now somewhere around the $9 level.

The basis is 46 cents.

If you're looking at forward contracting wheat for the 2023 crop, that's $8 and 75 cents with a minus 55 cent basis off of that Kansas City July contract for '23.

You're looking at corn, corn just continues to move in an 18 cent range sideways.

The basis is a positive 7 cents in concrete.

Price is around $6 for forward contracting for 2023, and the basis is 25 cents under that '23 December corn contract.

Soybeans, we had a rally in beans.

Now that rally in beans was not because of the war, it was because of weather in South America.

We had a 36 cent price increase, got prices up around $14 and 19 cents.

But soybean prices are moving from, oh around 13.30 to 14.20, somewhere in that range.

It's not a big range for soybeans.

Forward contract for beans is around $13 and 10 cents for the '23 crop with a minus 85 cent basis.

If you're looking at cotton, cotton has fallen from a dollar and 20 cents about a month ago down to 72 cents early this week and back up to 79 cents.

So it looks like cotton has probably bottomed out.

The USDA released the crops condition report for wheat.

84% of Oklahoma's wheat is planted, the average is 85.

62% of that wheat is emerged, average is 66 cent, 66%.

- You look at the condition of that though, 36% of that planted wheat is in poor to very poor category and only 11% at good to excellent.

Corn, 92% of Oklahoma's crop is harvested versus 87% normally.

That's about close to the national average.

Soybeans at 50% harvested, 42% average, so we're above average there.

Cotton is 29% harvested.

That is right at the average.

And Canola is 75% planted and normally 73% of the canola has been planted at this time.

Big factor for wheat is the war between Russia and Ukraine and it looks like that war's gonna be dragged out over years.

We saw, it appears that when something happens to disrupt the flow of product out of Ukraine, we get about a 50 to 60 cent price move.

We saw that this last week, a 55 cent rally, up to 58 cents and then back down to its normal when things leveled out.

So, it looks like right now that Ukraine wheat's worth about 60 cents a bushel.

If you look at the price impact there the impact of prices for wheat is gonna remain relatively strong.

It also has the potential to impact corn prices, but not near as much for wheat, no impact on cotton or soybeans from the war.

Other factors you'll wanna watch in the market is the weather in South America that's impacting our wheat prices.

Argentina's crop, wheat crop's comin' in a little less than expected, and it's havin' an impact on soybean production and soybean harvest, slight reductions there and that's impacting our prices.

I'll see you next week on Market Monitor.

(upbeat music) - Good morning, just like to give a brief update about rabies in the state of Oklahoma.

Recently Dr. Rod Hall sent a message out to all the veterinarians.

We have seen four cases of rabies in livestock animals in the month of September.

Two of those cases were in horses and two of those cases were in cattle.

Also, according to Dr. LeMac Morris, who is our State Veterinarian with the Oklahoma State Department of Health.

We have seen cases of rabies in dogs, cats, skunks, bats, and even one case in fawns in 2022 in Oklahoma.

So this would be important that livestock producers that have any animals that display any unusual signs or neurological signs should get in contact with their veterinarian.

2021 was a bad year for rabies in people in the United States.

We had five deaths associated with rabies in the country.

Most of the time those people don't even most of the time when we see cases like that, the people don't even realize they've been exposed.

Worldwide, we see about 50,000 to 60,000 people die every year from rabies.

It's important that producers understand there's two different forms of this disease.

One of 'em would be what we call the furious form.

This is the one that everybody knows about.

It's that form of the aggressive animal that will attack people or objects.

But then, there's that dumb form we call, or paralytic form.

It's progressive paralysis.

In that form these can be mistaken for things like digestive disorders or constipation and a lot of people get exposed unknowingly in these situations.

Remember, rabies virus is passed in the saliva in infected animals.

If you ever have any questions about being exposed to rabies, Dr. LeMac Morris recommends calling the Epidemiologist on call at 405-426-8710.

(upbeat music) - Finally today, getting the most out of your cattle feed is always important, but it is mission critical during drought years.

Today Sunup heads to Noble County for a hands-on workshop.

- So, today we have one of our first feeder calibration clinics that is supposed to be across, really across the state.

We are collecting some data on how producers feed their cattle, what amount they feed and how accurate they are.

- Some people think they're feedin' three pounds.

Some people think they're feedin' five pounds, and in all reality they're feedin' eight and 10 pounds.

So, they're off.

So, once their feeding is off, the amount of nutrition is off, the amount of their cost is off.

- So, what we're looking at is the producer, we wanna know what type of feeder they're using.

We wanna know what type of feed they're feeding, so whether it's a 20% cube or a 38.

The size of the cube will make a big difference on how much comes out as well as a different type of feeder.

And so, every producer that's feeding a 20% cube isn't gonna feed at the same rate, okay, 'cause they have, everybody has a different feeder.

And so, we are helping them to kinda test that out.

So what we do is we have them release some feed.

- Three or four times, it depends on how many, how accurate I am at catching the feed in the bucket.

And then, we're measuring it.

- The cost of feed is very expensive and if you're thinking you're feedin' three pounds a day and you're feedin' 10 pounds a day, that multiplies very quickly, especially with the more head that you have.

- So typically, this is the best time of year to look at supplementation, but this year's anything but normal.

So, with high feed costs and reduced forage supply, it's even, more producers are feeding more feed types.

And so, it's even more important for them to really accurately hone down on what they're feeding.

You know, and it may not, the number may not show up very quickly to them.

But over time, over 60, 90, 120 days of feeding that cost really adds up, and especially if you're off just a tiny little bit, you could feed an extra ton of feed in a season and if you're feeding high protein supplement, that could be an extra $500.

And so, that makes a huge difference.

- I found out that I wasn't puttin' on enough.

So, I'm gonna have to take and adjust my count as far as how much as I take and put out for the cows.

It's just as bad if you put out, don't put out enough as you put out too much.

It's been real dry at my place.

We haven't had any until the last week or so, we haven't had any measurable rain since about the end of May.

We get a tenth of rain or so, so the grass and stuff and the hay situation, it was, it's really need to know what you're doin' to take and be able to keep your cattle goin' like they're supposed to.

- Calibration Clinics are offered throughout the state.

We have quite a few on the western part of the state coming up in November, both the northwest and the southwest, a couple on the eastern part of the side so, side of the state.

So, talk to your County Extension educator if you would like to have one.

Or give 'em a call and a lot of people, I mean, I would be happy to come out and talk about your feeder if we wanna test it or readjust it or what we can do to help people.

- This is a free opportunity to come in and just get an idea what they're doing.

We at the extension are providing information to them to help them know what they should be feeding, they need to be feeding.

- I'm glad that we take and have this 'cause it's gonna take and really make a difference in the performance of the cattle and makin' a good deal for the farmers and ranchers around the country.

- [Announcer] Alumnus Magallian.

(crowd clapping) - [Lyndall] Before we go we wanna mention this year's recipients of OSU agriculture honors.

Last week I had the pleasure of hosting the ceremony honoring the 2022 distinguished alumni from the Ferguson College of Agriculture as well as our OSU Agriculture Champions.

Champions are those who have made significant contributions to the agricultural industry as well as OSU agriculture.

This year's distinguished alumni are John Fenderson, who received his Bachelors in Agronomy in 1979, and a Masters in Wheat Science in 1982.

Jeff Hilst is a 1984 Agriculture Economics graduate.

Lenny Hughes, who received a Bachelor in Landscape Architecture in 1994.

Karen Eifert Jones, the 1985 Ag Economics graduate.

Tammy Lee, a 1995 graduate from Animal Science.

And Patsiann Nix-Smith who received a Bachelors degree in General Agriculture in 1965.

The champions this year are Carl Whitcomb, a former university professor and world renowned plant breeder.

Joe Williams, former Agricultural Economics Professor and Director of the Oklahoma Ag Leadership Program.

And Elizabeth Logan, a horse owner and racing enthusiast who recently donated her ranch for the newest OSU Ag Research Station.

Congratulations again to this year's honorees.

And to learn more about all of these accomplished alumni and champions, please visit the Sunup website.

That'll do it for us this week.

A reminder, you can see us any time at sunup.okstate.edu and also follow us on YouTube and social media.

I'm Lyndall Stout, have a great week everyone and remember Oklahoma agriculture starts at sunup.

(upbeat music)