All About Agriculture
72 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 4 years ago - ★★★★★ - 1 ratingAll about Agriculture is a podcast featuring recorded interviews with Wooster WQKT radio host Ron Hamilton as part of Farm Hour program broadcasts. The primary audience for these interviews is dairy farmers but the interviews often have wider application and interest. Topics covered include: farm financial management, farm employee management, manure management, milk quality, forage production and use, silage management, grain storage and more.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Episode 21 - Forage Cautions After Frost
October 23, 2018 05:00 - 9 minutes - 1 ByteForages such as sorghum, sudangrass and sorghum sudangrass hybrids along with some weed species such as Johnsongrass and shattercane can produce hydrogen cyanide, commonly known as prussic acid, after a frost event. Livestock owners need to exercise caution because prussic acid is a very toxic compound, capable of producing death when consumed in relatively small quantities.
Episode 20 - Interpreting Forage Test Results
October 02, 2018 05:00 - 11 minutes - 1 ByteThe interview outlines forage terms that are important on a forage test result, provides a simple definition/explanation of the term and provides examples of specific numbers and what those numbers tell you about forage quality and, in some cases, about forage production management.
Episode 19 - Forage Sampling
September 25, 2018 05:00 - 12 minutes - 1 ByteA reliable forage test result depends upon knowing how to collect a representative sample of your forage. The interview covers how to determine forage sample lots, using a core sampler, how to sample various bale types and sizes, how many core samples to collect and how to sample ensiled forages.
Episode 18 - Grain Storage Preparation
September 18, 2018 05:00 - 11 minutes - 1 ByteMaintaining good grain quality in storage depends upon preparation, minimizing potential moisture, insect and rodent problems. The interview covers cleaning harvesting and grain handling equipment, removing old crop grain from bins, bin cleaning and repair, internal empty bin insecticide treatments and external bin treatments.
Episode 17 - Manure Spill Emergency Response
September 04, 2018 05:00 - 11 minutes - 1 ByteTime is a critical factor in manure spills. Emergency spill plans can lead to quicker responses and help to minimize the damage caused by manure spills. Plans should focus on the 4 “C’s” of a manure spill response; control the spill, contain the spill, comply with reporting requirements and clean up the spill.
Episode 16 - Manure Spill Prevention
August 28, 2018 05:00 - 10 minutes - 1 BytePreventing manure spills depends upon preparation and understanding why most spills occur and where most spill commonly occur. The interview covers common reasons for manure spills along with situations, areas and places manure spills commonly occur. Farms need to identify areas of risk in their manure handling and application system and develop practices and actions that can prevent manure spills.
Episode 15 - Corn Silage Harvest Preparation
August 21, 2018 05:00 - 12 minutes - 1 ByteProduction of high quality corn silage depends upon pre-harvest planning a preparation. Key factors to plan and prepare for include dry matter content of the corn plant at harvest, kernel processing, silage inoculant, silage packing and silo and/or pile covering.
Episode 14 - Employee Management
August 07, 2018 05:00 - 12 minutes - 1 ByteEmployee management requires developing a skill set that helps employees to increase their job effectiveness. Four common practices can help; develop good job descriptions, provide effective employee training programs, improve employee morale and address employee productivity issues promptly.
Episode 13 - Stray Voltage
July 31, 2018 05:00 - 11 minutes - 1 ByteStray voltage is not a common problem but if it does occur it has the potential to negatively affect milk production and animal health. The interview covers stray voltage causes, symptoms of stray voltage issues with cattle behavior, diagnosing stray voltage, and where to get help solving the problem.
Episode 12 - Stored Forage Production Systems
June 05, 2018 05:00 - 10 minutes - 1 ByteForages are harvested and stored as dry hay, baleage (wet wrapped) or chopped and ensiled products. Each requires its own management system to produce a quality product. The interview covers forage moisture management, use of preservatives, and “wet” forage production systems compared to dry hay systems.
Episode 11 - Quality Considerations for Stored Forages
May 31, 2018 05:00 - 9 minutes - 1 ByteStored forage harvesting always involves losses. Making high quality forages is about managing and minimizing biological and mechanical harvest losses. Forage maturity, rainfall events, plant dry down after mowing, and variety selection are discussed within this context.
Episode 10 - Best Management Spray Practices
May 27, 2018 05:00 - 11 minutes - 1 ByteAll spray applications, whether delivering a pesticide, fertilizer or any other product needs to be done accurately, and safely. Best management spray practices focus on knowing and following the label, using the correct droplet size, nozzle and boom height and spraying under appropriate weather conditions. The podcast covers label information, droplet size relating to drift and plant coverage, nozzle selection, boom height and weather factors affecting application efficacy.
Episode 9 - Determining a Manure Application Rate
April 24, 2018 05:00 - 12 minutes - 1 ByteManure nutrients need to be valued and used properly. Determining a manure application rate takes into account the economic value and economic return of nutrients in manure. In addition, a manure application has environmental implications. Manure application rates should be determined within the context of the NRCS code 590 standards. Soil test results, crop nutrient removal rates based on reasonable yield goals, and a nutrient analysis of the manure source are needed to determine a manure...
Episode 8 - Manure Gases and Manure Pumping Safety
April 17, 2018 05:00 - 13 minutes - 1 ByteAgitating manure in liquid storage systems in preparation for hauling and application will release manure gases, which can pose a safety hazard. The gases of concern are ammonia, carbon dioxide, methane and hydrogen sulfide. This podcast includes more information about awareness of these gases, hazardous levels, and precautions that should be taken during agitation and pumping of manure.
Episode 7 - Management to Improve Milk Fat and Protein Percentages
April 03, 2018 05:00 - 10 minutes - 1 ByteIn this part two podcast of a discussion about milk components with a focus on milk fat and milk protein, the conversation is about management practices that can improve milk fat and milk protein percentage. Genetic selection, heat abatement, ration formulation, feed delivery, feed mixing, recordkeeping and cow observation can all impact milk fat and protein percentage.
Episode 6 - Factors Affecting Milk Components
March 27, 2018 05:00 - 9 minutes - 1 ByteWhile milk price to dairy farmers is reported in terms of dollars per hundredweights shipped, the milk check to the farmer is based on the milk components of butterfat, protein and other solids. Therefore, increasing milk components is one strategy to bolster the milk check. This requires understanding factors that affect milk component percentages. In this part one of two podcasts on the topic of milk components, breed, nutrition and diet composition are examined with respect to how they i...
Episode 5 - Farm Income and Cash Flow Statements
February 06, 2018 05:00 - 10 minutes - 1 ByteAn explanation of how to put together and use the farm income and cash flow statement as part of a core financial document package for farm business analysis. The farm income statement provides information about farm profitability or loss, while the cash flow statement shows the ability of the farm to meet expenses in a timely manner.
Episode 4 - The Farm Balance Sheet
January 30, 2018 05:00 - 10 minutes - 1 ByteThe farm balance sheet is considered a core financial document. The balance sheet provides a snapshot of what the farm business owns and what it owes, from which is calculated farm net worth. This podcast is a discussion on how to put together a farm balance sheet and use the information to generate some key ratios to evaluate farm financial health.
Episode 3 - End of Year Employee Evaluation
January 09, 2018 05:00 - 10 minutes - 1 ByteIn many businesses, including farms with hired labor, there is a tradition of end of the year employee evaluations and performance reviews. Are end of year employee evaluations necessary? Do they have value? Are there better approaches for employee evaluations? This podcast discusses other methods and approaches to employee evaluations that may be more productive and increase employee performance.
Episode 2 - Cold Weather Teat Management
January 02, 2018 05:00 - 9 minutes - 1 ByteCold weather damage to the teat can result in chapped and/or cracked teat surfaces, rough teat ends, and even frostbite in extreme cases. This podcast discusses conditions most likely to result in cold weather damage to teats and how to protect teats from cold weather damage by keeping them dry, managing post milking teat dipping and providing protection from wind chills.
Episode 1 - Farm Stress Management
December 26, 2017 05:00 - 9 minutes - 1 ByteThe first 5 minutes and 30 seconds of this interview covers some ways to manage farm stress including maintaining social networks, exercise, nutrition, rest, and mental health. The second portion of the interview is a discussion about a 2018 farm financial management school.
Episode 0 - Welcome to All About Agriculture
December 19, 2017 05:00 - 1 minute - 1 ByteWelcome to All About Agriculture. In this episode we explain a bit about how this podcast got started, the format used, general topic themes and the podcast focus.