Dad's Day & Memories Made

Hey guys! I just thought I would share more info about my research project. So here you go!

Dixon Springs Fescue Grazing Study

Graduate Student: Bain Wilson

Advisor: Frank Ireland

Mentor: Dr. Daniel Shike

Project Overview

Tall fescue is a very hardy forage found across the United States. Fescue’s drought and pest-resistance  result from its endophytic fungus, Acremonium coenophialium. However, this ergot alkaloid producing endophyte also causes negative effects on animals, known as fescue toxicosis. The main ergopeptide found in tall fescue is ergovaline. Fescue toxicosis inhibits the animal’s thermoregulation and decreases growth.

During the grazing trial, there will be three testing groups of cattle receiving two different treatments of forages & two control groups receiving only endophyte-infected fescue or novel endophyte-infected fescue.

Other forages to be used include a sudangrass with the brown mid rib gene and crabgrass mix.

To evaluate the different grazing systems, differences will be measured in forage availability, forage nutrient content, calf ADG, symptoms of thermal stress, and calf activity level.

My Hypothesis

I hypothesize the cattle grazing on endophyte-infected fescue will display more symptoms of thermal stress and poorer overall performance during Period 2 than those grazing on the other forages.

Objectives

Determine which forage type yields the cattle with best performance, specifically, by measuring differences in:

• Forage Availability
• Forage Nutrient Content
• Calf Average Daily Gain (ADG)
• Symptoms of Thermal Stress
• Calf Activity Level

Determine if novel endophyte-infected fescue or warm season annuals are suitable alternative to endophyte-infected fescue in a rotational grazing system.

4 grazing treatments with two replicates of each treatment per year will be utilized:

    Period 1 = May 1 – July 15

    Period 2 = July 15 – October 2

Four different forages will be used, including the negative control of endophyte infected fescue (KY-31) (E+), the positive control of novel endophyte infected fescue (Max Q Jesup) (NE), and a sudangrass with the brown mid rib gene and crabgrass  mix (Red River and Quick N Big) (SC).

Six steer calves will be used as tester animals for each treatment. Six calves will be added to each treatment group to be used as “put and take” animals in order to maintain grazing pressure across all treatments. Each pasture is divided into six 1.5 acre paddocks which the calves are rotated into every 5 days.

The proposed treatments are as follows:

Treatment #	Period 1	Period 2
1	E+	E+
2	NE	NE
3	E+	NE
4	E+	SC

Differences in the following areas will be measured as follows:

    1.  Forage availability

• Use rising plate at beginning of grazing in each pasture and again at the end of each rotation
• Measure forage mass in four randomly chosen sites within each pasture at beginning of trial and again every 30 days

    2. Forage Nutrient Content

• Clip samples while measuring forage mass
• Dry samples and send to forage analysis lab to determine nutrient content

    3. Calf Average Daily Gain:

• Double-weigh calves at beginning of Period 1
• Reweigh calves between Periods 1 & 2 and also at the end of the trial in August

4. Symptoms of Thermal Stress

• Measure respiration rate for tester cattle in each treatment
• Take blood on the 1st & 2nd of May, June, July, and August and again on August 31st to measure serum prolactin levels
• Assess hair coat and assign body conditioning scores at each weighing and bleed point

5. Calf Grazing Behavior

• Measure amount of steps taken by attaching pedometers to the legs of the tester animals in each treatment

                                                        

Lastly, all data will be assessed to determine the effects of each grazing treatment. Based  on these results, we will determine which forage or combination of forages yields the most positive overall effects on the tester cattle.

Period 2 Update

• Due to the drought,  Period 1 has been extended at least 15 days to allow the warm season treatment to grown in.
• The sudangrass was also replanted June 7th and 8th at 25 lbs/acre. This regrowth must reach a height of 18-20 inches before grazing to reduce the prussic acid toxicity.
• If Period 2 begins July 15th, the end date of the trial will be pushed back to October 2nd or 3rd.
• If an adequate forage amount for this treatment is not achieved, the project will be thrown out for this summer.

Deliverables & Outcomes

• Bain Wilson will present the research at the Midwest Conference
• More information on the effects and alternatives to endophyte-infected fescue will be available
• Producers will have more evidence to support switching their pastures to an alternative forage and avoid the profit losses caused by fescue toxicosis

Please pray for rain. As you can see, I really need it!

 

Eileen and I are also trying to create a companion animals program here. So, each week we take a day to visit a local shelter, vet clinic, or pound to assess the needs down here. By the end of the summer, based on the feedback we have received from these places, we will hold an event or create educational pamphlets for the local pet owners. Some ideas that we’re throwing around is a spay/neuter weekend, free microchipping, or creating pamphlets on the importance of flea and tick prevention, heartworm prevention, spay/neuter, and other responsibilities that pet owners have. 

So far, we have visited an animal shelter in Metropolis, a vet clinic in Vienna, and the City of Harrisburg Animal Control. We actually volunteered at Project Hope, the shelter in Metropolis, after church today. It was great to see that a few of the dogs that we met during our last visit had been adopted, including Jax (the husky)  and 2 of 3 other puppies that I had played with.

Anyways, my dad came down to visit me last weekend for Father’s Day. I don’t think I have ever been so excited to see someone. I had so much fun showing him my steer calves and all the other bulls and heifers, demonstrating my cattle callin’ abilities, and exploring the area. Him and I had a deja vu when I saw that one of my calves had made it through the fence and was catchin up with his buddies across the lane. It took me back to when we were "camping" but were actually just sleeping in a tent outside the house. Dad woke me up and got me outside the tent. Pointing towards the farm shop, he asked, "Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Yes I was. It was our miniature donkey, Eeyore. He had gotten out of his pen, made his way up the driveway, and was wishing us good morning.

All the ladies at the fence after I sent out my cow call

 I’m so glad he got to come down to see all that I have been working on and everything I have been telling him about in person. I really do love it down here. It reminds me of my years on the farm, except now I'm old enough to have more responsibilities and I don't get to eat the "dud" apple cider donuts. Even on my days off work, I usually end up stopping in at the lab to say hi to the guys and see if I can do anything. I can’t believe how fast this summer has gone. To be honest, it makes me sad to think I’ll be heading back at the beginning of August. But I know the memories will outlast the summer.

Cow Callin'

All Creatures Big & Small.....and Superman

Hey everyone! Sorry for the delay! We have been pretty busy the past few days. Anyways, on Thursday, Eileen and I visited the Project Hope Humane Society in Metropolis. It was great to play with the dogs and puppies. Lately, I have only cuddled with cattle and a fawn. While at the shelter, we also talked with the vet tech to find out the biggest needs when it comes to companion animals down here. We’re thinking about holding a spay/neuter weekend and creating informational pamphlets to educate pet owners on the importance of spaying/neutering their pets, flea and tick prevention, and heartworm prevention. Here are some pictures of the little cuties we met there!

Jax

Reno

3 Puppies Project Hope rescued from the pound

On Saturday, it was back to the cattle. Mike taught me how to drive the Bobcat and we fixed the feed truck. After work, I scrubbed the grease off and we interns headed to Metropolis for their annual Superman Festival. There were quite a few “characters” there. 

Then, for dinner we went to a Japanese hibachi grill in Paducah, Kentucky. The food was great and our chef was very entertaining to watch. I never thought that the first hibachi grill that I would ever go to would be in Kentucky. 

To wrap up the night, we all went downtown Paducah where there was a street music festival. We walked the streets for a while and made our way down to the river bank where we sat as the sun set. It was so gorgeous and peaceful. Plus, it was wonderful to have all the interns together. We didn’t realize how late it was until one of us checked their phone. I’m sure we’ll have a few more nights like that before the summer’s end. 

The Interns of 2012

Life is Beautiful

WARNING: This post is sad but eye-opening.

 

Just yesterday, I experienced something and learned a lesson that I will never forget. Mike and I had taken the truck to an old barn to take some of the roofing off to make shades for my steer calves. As Mike drove through the tall grass, we suddenly heard something cry. We jumped out of the truck to see if we hit something. Sadly, we did. As I searched I almost stepped on it; it let out a cry.

The fawn as I sat with her and tried to get her to stand

I was horrified to see a tiny fawn. It couldn’t stand and was not moving its hind legs. We felt her body to see if she had any broken bones; I suspected something had happened to her spine. While Mike returned to work, I sat with the baby. I so desperately wanted her to stand and walk. I held her in my arms, petted her soft fur, spoke softly to her as she occasionally let out a cry. I don’t believe it was out of pain, but that she was calling her mother.

After some time, Mike called me. He needed my help. I could hardly talk, not wanting to allow the tears to flow in front of him. Before getting back in the truck, we both looked to see if the fawn was still there. My hopes soared when I didn’t see her where I had left her, but they plummeted when I followed the trail of flattened grass to see she had dragged herself.

I didn’t want to leave her, but I knew I couldn’t make her better. I couldn’t stop thinking about her, wondering what would happen to her. I needed advice so I called my dad. I imagined he would just say, “that’s the circle of life.” But he didn’t. He told me to do what I thought was right. So I called one of the stakeholders of my research project who is a vet. Again, I was surprised by how willing he was to help. He explained that he didn’t have a certification to do wildlife rehab, but he would humanely euthanize her if I brought her to his office.

I immediately jumped in my car, parked outside the gate, and climbed over. I ran down the gravel road to get her. I tried to follow the tire trail to find her. But the grass was so tall and thick. I listened for her cries. Silence. I was not going to leave until I found her. Finally, I did but it was too late. She had passed. I again held her in my arms, ran my hands along her body, and spoke to her. I had never held something so beautiful, delicate, and peaceful. I kissed her on the forehead, and placed her in a safer place. After I told her goodbye and said a prayer, I walked empty-handed back to my car. It felt endless.

I was so disappointed that I didn’t make it in time and couldn’t be there for her. I felt horrible. I could not stop thinking about her and what I could have done differently. While I was glad she passed peacefully and wasn’t put through any further pain, I wanted to be there. She shouldn’t have been alone. But I hope she felt loved, respected, and cared for.

That day, not only did I realize just how beautiful and fragile life can be, but I also learned how important it is to stay true to myself. If something like this had happened back at home, I would have driven her right to the vet. But here, I was worried people would think I was silly for caring so much. Now I know that I should never compromise my devotion for animals. No matter where I am, I will always be the same. I am me. I may be crazy, people may think I’m "too sensitive," but I am me and I won’t be ashamed to do what I feel is right.

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

 

As always, thanks for reading. It felt great to put my feelings into words and share them with you all.

P.S. I also found some baby mice (I'm guessing) in one of my pastures today. It brightened my day, reminding me that while there is death, there is new life.

Here are some pictures of the little pinkies!