Extension Taylor County University of Wisconsin-Madison

In this episode of Badger Dairy Insight, we hear from Dr. João Dórea, an assistant professor in Precision Agriculture and Data Analytics in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences at UW–Madison.

Dr. Dórea develops research focused on digital technology and predictive analytics to optimize farm management decisions. Dr. Dórea’s research group is interested in large-scale implementation of computer vision systems, wearable sensors, infrared spectroscopy, and other sensors to monitor animals in livestock farms. Examples of application include the use of digital technologies to monitor animal behavior, growth development, social interaction, and early detection of diseases or animal welfare concerns.

▶ Watch: Leveraging digital technologies to improve management decisions in dairy farms In this episode of Badger Dairy Insight, we hear from Dr. João Dórea, an assistant professor in Precision Agriculture and Data Analytics in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences at UW–Madison.

Mark your calendars for a Tabletop Exercise! Learn about how you can increase your preparedness in the event of a FAD.
Register here: www.wppa.org/farmers/tabletop-excercise

All hay prices quoted are dollars per ton FOB point of origin for alfalfa hay unless otherwise noted. The information presented in this report is compiled from public and private quality tested sales and reports in the Midwest.

Hay Market Report All hay prices quoted are dollars per ton FOB point of origin for alfalfa hay unless otherwise noted. The information presented in this report is compiled from public and private quality tested sales and reports in the Midwest. Reports since 2016 are archived for review. Hay auction data is collecte...

Sign up today! Classes start the week of the 9th.

StrongPeople/Strong Bodies An evidence-based Strength Training Program for women and men of all ages, with a special emphasis on those 40 years of age and older. Register by September 6, 2024, for Fall classes that start the week of September 9, 2024.  Class is 1-hour long.  Class runs for 9 weeks and cost $20.  Online cla...

Please register today to attend the Inaugural Fathers In Focus Conference 2024, a pivotal platform for fathers across Wisconsin to converge, connect, and collectively address challenges in their roles. Call for presenter registration closes on September 15th. Let's inspire change and empower all fathers to play a more active role in their families and communities.

Registration Thanks for your interest in the first Fathers in Focus Conference scheduled for Friday, October 11th at Monona Terrace in Madison, Wisconsin.

Proper crowd gate functioning benefits both cows and dairy farm workers. For farm managers, effective staff training, regular crowd gate maintenance, and proper management are essential for ensuring successful crowd gate operation. While crowd gates help keep cows near the parlor entrance, it is crucial to avoid misusing them to promote positive animal welfare.

A crowd gate is a movable barrier that runs from the back of the holding area to the front, gently guiding cows into the milking parlor. When used correctly, a crowd gate reduces empty space in the holding area and improves cow flow, leading to more efficient milking. The gate can usually be raised or lifted overhead to return it to its starting position at the back of the holding area for the next group of cows. The crowd gate can be controlled manually or automatically.

Crowd gates done right: Best practices for cow comfort and welfare Proper crowd gate functioning benefits both cows and dairy farm workers. For farm managers, effective staff training, regular crowd gate maintenance, and proper management are essential for ensuring successful crowd gate operation. While crowd gates help keep cows near the parlor entrance, it is cru...

Risks of inadequate fiber in the diet Fiber in the diet provides an important role in rumen function and digestive health. The varying levels of digestibility of fiber are due, in part, to differences in the amount of lignin, the part of the plant cell wall that provides the plant rigidity.

Are you tempted to take advantage of those end-of-season discounts offered at garden centers and nurseries? Sometimes you find a great deal, but be aware that not all plant species fare well when planted in fall. 🌳🍂

Before you buy—read our latest article about “Tree Species Recommended for Fall Planting” and watch the accompanying mini-webinar about choosing the right trees and shrubs for fall as well as tips to increase success after planting.

👉 hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/tree-species-for-fall-planting/

Extension and the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation will host an online virtual seminar on solar contracts for Wisconsin farmers and landowners, Aug. 26, 2024 at 10 a.m. The seminar will be recorded for later viewing for those who register.

Developers are approaching farmers and rural landowners to secure land leases or options to purchase, yet many landowners are unsure what to ask or expect in the contracting process.

Learn more about the this event and register at go.wisc.edu/63e002. Farm Bureau membership not required to attend.

Invasive Elm Zigzag Sawfly Found in Wisconsin
A new invasive insect was recently detected in central Wisconsin by one of DATCP’s forest entomologists. The elm zigzag sawfly (Aproceros leucopoda) was observed on elm trees in Portage County last month. This unexpected discovery marked the first confirmed case of the elm pest in Wisconsin and a new state record. Official confirmation was made by USDA-APHIS on July 30, 2024.

Native to East Asia, the elm zigzag sawfly (EZS) was first found in North America in Canada in 2020 and has since spread to several eastern and Midwestern states in the U.S. Its capacity to produce multiple generations each season, in combination with hitchhiking on vehicles, plants, and other outdoor items, has allowed EZS to spread rapidly. Since first observed in Portage County, additional EZS finds have been reported in Adams, Brown, Dane, Jackson, Kenosha, La Crosse, Marquette, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Pierce, Portage, Rock, Sauk, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca and Winnebago counties. The rapidly growing list of positive counties suggests it is established and widely distributed in Wisconsin.

Elm zigzag sawfly feeds on the leaves of any elm species, leaving a distinctive zigzag pattern. Severe defoliation may lead to branch dieback, but direct tree mortality is unlikely. While most healthy trees can recover, many elms are already in decline due to Dutch elm disease and other pests and diseases, so the potential impact of this pest on Wisconsin’s forests is unknown.

There are no planned federal or state quarantines for EZS. The UW-Madison Extension Elm Zigzag Sawfly website offers more information about this new pest and its management. Additional questions or observations on EZS can be sent to [email protected].

https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/elm-zigzag-sawfly/

Annual Western Bean Cutworm Moth Flight Ending Soon

The western bean cutworm flight is subsiding at northern pheromone trap monitoring locations. As of August 15, the state total count is 15,612 moths in 69 traps (226 per trap average), which surpasses the 9,351 moths in 42 traps (223 per trap average) collected last year and is the highest state average count since Wisconsin western bean cutworm trapping surveys began in 2005.

The highest individual count for the season was 1,095 moths in a Marinette County trap, while nearly one-third of the sites recorded cumulative counts above 250 moths per trap for the season. With 69 trap locations throughout 30 counties, this year’s impressive survey effort has helped identify high moth count areas in the northwestern and northeastern regions of the state (see DATCP survey maps), beyond the traditional high-pressure zone in central Wisconsin. Localized heavy larval populations are anticipated for susceptible corn fields in these areas based on the very high moth counts recorded in late July and August.

All western bean cutworm traps may be removed at this time. The DATCP Pest Survey Program wishes to extend its appreciation to all the volunteers who monitored traps again in 2024. THANK YOU to our cooperators for making this survey possible.

We are excited to announce our 2024 National Farm Safety and Health Week (NFSHW) webinar line-up! AgriSafe is hosting webinars each weekday of NFSHW24. You're invited to join in for all of them or just pick the ones that interest you most. Thanks to our generous sponsors, these webinars are FREE and open to the public. More information is available here: https://www.agrisafe.org/nfshw/

Corn Rootworm Beetle Survey Reaches Halfway Point

DATCP’s annual corn rootworm beetle survey began August 1 and has reached the halfway point. Counts in the 114 grain corn fields sampled so far have been mostly low, with 88 fields averaging low counts of 0.0-0.4 beetles per plant and six sites having moderate beetle counts in the range of 0.5-0.7 per plant. Above-threshold averages of 0.75 or more beetles per plant have been observed at 20 of the sites as of August 15, primarily in the southwest and south-central counties. The 2024 running average of 0.6 beetle per plant compares to 0.5 beetle per plant at this time last season.

Although early indications suggest that rootworm pressure may be similar to 2023 levels, the survey is only partially complete and beetle emergence has not yet peaked in all areas of the state. Corn producers should be aware of the potential for corn rootworm adults to redistribute from earlier silking fields to later-planted fields as beetle emergence continues. Now is the time to scout to determine this season’s beetle pressure and forecast the risk of larval root injury to continuous corn in 2025. DATCP’s survey includes 230 cornfields and is scheduled to be finished by the end of the month.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYQCJmKNFMo&t=8s

Check the Wisconsin Runoff Risk Advisory Forecast....if it's red, don't spread!

Runoff Risk Advisory Forecast 590 nutrient application restriction maps download page

New Fall Armyworm NetworkTracks Late-Season Migration

Wisconsin’s first fall armyworm trapping network is up and running thanks to the collaborative work of DATCP’s Tracy Schilder, UW-Extension Crops and Soils Outreach Specialist Josh Kamps, and 14 volunteer cooperators. This new network is monitoring fall armyworm (FAW) moth flights to provide advanced warning of potential late-season infestations in alfalfa, field corn, sweet corn, and pasture grasses. Although FAW generally arrives too late in fall to cause much damage and historically has not been a major pest in Wisconsin and the upper Midwest, the changing climate and a recent outbreak across the eastern and southern U.S. in 2021 have brought new interest in tracking flights of this migratory insect.

In addition to the moth traps, DATCP’s crop scouts are also looking for FAW and other corn ear-feeding larvae during this month’s corn rootworm beetle survey. Fall armyworm caterpillars have been observed in a few fields in Columbia, Dane, and Green counties, emphasizing the importance of scouting and accurate identification. The striped larvae grow to 1.5 inches long and can be differentiated from other caterpillars found in corn ears at this time of year (i.e., corn earworm, European corn borer, and western bean cutworm) by a conspicuous white, inverted Y-shaped suture on the front of the head capsule and by a set of four black dots arranged in a square on the second to last abdominal segment.

As of August 15, the 37 pheromone traps in 18 counties have captured 1,302 fall armyworm moths, or an average of 35 moths per trap. A total of 649 moths were collected this week (August 9-15). The highest individual weekly count is 144 moths in the trap near Arlington in Columbia County. The increase in moth activity this month suggests egg laying is underway in later-planted corn fields.

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: August Ask the Experts: A Monthly Garden and Landscape Q&A Series Sponsored by the UW-Madison Division of Extension Horticulture Program. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about... Join our monthly online programs in 2024 for an opportunity to connect with plant health experts from the UW-Madison Division of Extension. Each session, held on Monday afternoons from 1:00-2:00 pm, is your chance to ask questions about your trees and shrubs, garden vegetables and ornamentals, and l...

Seasonable weather accompanied by rain showers late in the week improved yield prospects for summer crops in Wisconsin. Temperatures were near normal, with highs in the 70s to mid-80s, and most areas of the state received beneficial rain on August 15. Condition ratings for corn and soybeans have shown incremental improvement, by two percentage points each, and 63% of the corn crop and 62% of the state’s soybeans are currently rated as good to excellent. These ratings compare to 55% for corn and 52% for soybeans at the same time last year when much of the state was experiencing moderate to exceptional drought. This month’s timely moisture and lack of extreme heat have supported crop development and harvesting of alfalfa, potatoes, small grains, and sweet corn.

To register, call 715-748-3327 extension 3 or sign up online at: https://tinyurl.com/SocialJoinery