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Cogongrass was accidentally introduced into Alabama in the 1900’s, but intentionally brought to Florida in the 1930’s as a potential forage and soil stabilizer. Currently it can be found in 73 countries and on every continent. Since being introduced Cogongrass has spread to nearly every county in Florida, and today is considered a major pest …
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Permanent link to this article: http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/phag/2017/09/22/weed-of-the-week-cogongrass/
Coffee Senna is not only an issue for livestock producers, as seeds are toxic when consumed, it also causes issues for cotton and peanut farmers in the southern states. The scientific name Senna occidentalis comes from Arabic and Latin roots, with Senna meaning “these plants” and occidentalis meaning “western,” in reference to its origin. While closely …
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Permanent link to this article: http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/phag/2017/09/15/weed-of-the-weed-coffee-senna/
Sicklepod is commonly known as Coffeeweed and is a major issue for livestock producers across the Southeast. This semi-woody annual legume is native to the American tropics. Sicklepod is known to be toxic, affecting liver, kidney and muscle function in livestock. The stems and leaves, as well as seeds, contain toxins, whether green or dry.
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Permanent link to this article: http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/phag/2017/08/25/weed-of-the-week-sicklepod/
Once just an issue in Central Florida Orange groves, Goatweed (Scoparia dulcis), also referred to as sweet broom and licorice weed, is now an issue for many pasture owners in North Florida. The spread of this prolific weed has been attributed to many factors including seed production, seed movement from groves to pastures by wildlife …
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Permanent link to this article: http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/phag/2017/08/18/weed-of-the-week-goatweed/
Across the Southern United States, Southern Sandbur (aka sandspur) can be found. It is an annual grass that grows in cropland and pastures, thriving in dry sandy soils. Southern Sandbur has a shallow fibrous root system and can easily invade poorly managed fields or pastures. It is known to impact the quality of hay fields, as …
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Permanent link to this article: http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/phag/2017/08/11/weed-of-the-week-southern-sandbur/
Commonly known as Showy Rattlebox, Showy Crotalaria is a fast growing summer annual that germinates in early spring and flowers in late summer. As a member of the legume family, it was brought to the United States to be used as a cover crop to help set nitrogen in dry sandy soils. Showy Crotalaria is …
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Permanent link to this article: http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/phag/2017/08/04/weed-of-the-week-showy-crotalaria/
This week’s featured weed is tropical soda apple, a serious weed problem in many pastures and natural areas of Florida. This invasive weed is very prolific and can infest a pasture in a very short time. Its fruit are toxic to goats, and the unpalatable thorny leaves results in reduced forage production and lower stocking …
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Permanent link to this article: http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/phag/2017/07/28/weed-of-the-week-tropical-soda-apple/
On Tuesday, July 18th, 2017, USDA announced confirmation of an atypical case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in an 11 year-old cow in Alabama. The case was detected at a livestock market in Alabama where the cow was showing clinical signs of the disease, which were detected through routine surveillance. The animal was identified prior …
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Permanent link to this article: http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/phag/2017/07/21/atypical-bse-cow-confirmed-in-alabama/
Insect management tends to focus on pests that cause damage and reduce yields, but one aspect of integrated pest management (IPM) includes the knowledge of beneficial insects that naturally control those pests. In peanuts, there are several different beneficial parasitoids that can be found preying on pest insects in the southern U.S. A parasitoid is …
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Permanent link to this article: http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/phag/2017/07/07/beneficial-parasitic-wasps-in-peanuts/
The 2017-2018 Florida Heifer Development Program began accepting nominations of heifers on June 1, 2017. Last year the program developed 79 head of commercial and purebred heifers for producers from Georgia, Alabama, and Florida.
The program was designed to meet the following objectives:
1) To successfully develop beef replacement heifers for cattle producers using research-based …
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Permanent link to this article: http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/phag/2017/06/02/nominations-open-for-the-florida-heifer-development-program/
