Cattlemen Reminded to Monitor Water Supply

This week's hot weather means the potential for the development of Blue-Green Algae in dugouts. 

 

Natasha Wilkie is a Regional Livestock & Feed Extension Specialist with Saskatchewan's Ministry of Agriculture. 

 

Blue-Green Algae is toxic to livestock so it's important that producers check their water sources.

 

"You want to wear gloves and scoop that algae up.  If it runs through your fingers and looks kind of like pea soup and you just have a few green bits on your fingers, then it could be blue-green algae. When you're just looking out at the water body in general, it's going to have a shimmering blue/green color to it.  It could also have a foamy, or sheen appearance that kind of looks like spilled paint sitting on top of the water."

 

If you find a problem you should remove the livestock or fence the dugout off and treat it with a registered copper sulfate product as the algae can be a major problem and even lead to animal death. 

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.