While the preceding winter ’s unseasonably warm temperature seemed like a blessing to citizenry across the land , now that give has arrived , farmers must cope with the effects of the conditions - pattern change . In addition to theearly arrival and more constant presence of crop pests , farmers must be organize for early maturity of subject area grasses and grains as well as the former onrush of related to stock illness .
According to Ray Smith , extension forage medical specialist in the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture , many grass grasses and small-scale grains used for forage strain maturity two to three week ahead of schedule — the other he ’s seen in his seven years with the extension . This presents some concerns for farmers throughout Kentucky .
“ Alfalfa and small food grain lose nutritious note value as they get to the later growth stages , ” Smith aver . “ However , nutrient value in small cereal neglect much quicker than in alfalfa . ”
pocket-sized grains , like straw , rye and barley , are cut for mellow - caliber silage used to prey dairy farm cattle . manufacturer glean them at the late - boot stage to get the highest character . Much of the wheat used for silage could turn over this stage by mid - April in Kentucky .
Perhaps related , the state of matter has already have seven sheath of cattle bloat , all of which arrived about 20 mean solar day ahead of schedule , according to Craig Carter , lab director at UK ’s Veterinary Diagnostic Lab . Bloat , or frothy bloat , is a aliveness - threatening disease in cattle that can pass off when beast ingest young , vegetative legumes . The most common leguminous plant grazed in Kentucky is white clover , but cattle can also get bloat from pasture Medicago sativa and red clover .
“ Alfalfa in many areas of southerly Kentucky is ready to be cut now , ” Smith says . “ Alfalfa in key and northerly Kentucky is probably one to two week from being ready for its first film editing . ”
Legumes , which are mellow in soluble protein , can cause the geological formation of a sludge - like essence that traps gasses in the kine ’s rumen . Being ineffective to expel gas can stimulate the animal ’s first stomach to stretch . As pressure increases , external respiration is affected , which can lead to death from suffocation . cows can die from bloat as rapidly as an time of day after graze Begin , but more ordinarily , death occur after two to three days of grazing on a bloat - producingpasture .
The master symptom of bloat is a swollen unexpended abdomen . Other symptoms admit repetitive standing up and lying down , kicking at the belly , frequent laxation and urination , grunting , and extension of the neck and head . If untreated , the animal will collapse and die within three to four minute after symptoms seem .
UK specialists recommend several practice session to aid reduce the occurrence of bloat :
