The Ohio State University and Ohio Sheep Improvement Association is pleased welcome all to the 2022 Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium in Wooster on Saturday, Dec. 3, at Shisler Conference Center at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center. The theme of the symposium is management and marketing.

Attendees will hear reflections and insights about changes in the sheep, lamb and wool industry. Speakers will discuss management as it primarily relates to confinement/dry lot management scenarios, one of fastest growing management systems in the eastern U.S. sheep production systems. Attendees also will hear from speakers on marketing insights related to sheep, lamb and wool. Speakers and discussions will lead to the betterment of the flock and the American sheep industry.

More:Soil and nutrient management is key in fruit and vegetable production

Speakers attending this year’s event include Dr. Eric Gordon, Dr. Brady Campbell, Susan Shultz, Dr. Richard Ehrhardt, Dr. Andrew Weaver, Roger Hunker, Garth Ruff, Sandra Morris and many more.

A brief listing of the days program is provided below.

• OSU sheep research update

• Confinement/dry lot systems topics

  • Animal health and welfare

  • Facility and design

  • Economics

  • Genetics

  • Nutrition

• Sheep and lamb marketing

  • Marketing – on/off farm sales

  • Online sales

• Wool marketing

  • Adding value to wool

Additionally, just as they have in years past, they will continue the tradition of hosting the Young Shepherd’s Assembly. This program will be held on the evening before the symposium, Friday, Dec. 2. Shepherd’s 18-40 are invited for food and drinks at the JAFB Wooster Brewery, 120 Beall Ave. Please note pre-registration is required to attend. For any questions related to the event, contact Christine Gelley at gelley.2@osu.edu or Brady Campbell at campbell.1279@osu.edu. You can register at go.osu.edu/ohiosheep.

Furthermore, shepherds of all ages, sectors and regions are invited to attend the symposium to connect with other shepherds and to continue learning together. If you are unable to attend the symposium in-person, you won’t have to miss the event. The 2022 symposium will be held in a hybrid format including options for both in-person or online participation depending on your preference.

Registration type (in-person or online) must be indicated when completing your registration form. Word on the street is lamb chops are on the menu – so if I were you, I would be making plans to attend in-person.

Fall herbicide application can prevent weed challenges

As harvest progresses and focus shifts to field preparations for the 2023 season, evaluating fields to be considered for fall herbicide treatments can prevent significant weed challenges next year. In a recent C.O.R.N. (Crop Observation and Recommendation Network) article, Alyssa Essman shares her thoughts on the dry weather and how it may impact decisions making around fall herbicide applications. Essman highlights that “fall applications are an essential part of managing marestail and other overwintering species."

“The dry pattern this fall may have reduced winter annual weed emergence, and we don’t appear to be headed into an overly wet pattern. It’s possible that weed populations are low and may not merit a fall application, although there are always more weeds out there than we think," Essman said. "While it’s possible any rain through the next month would stimulate additional emergence, colder weather in that time could limit emergence. Evaluation of overall weed emergence and growth at this time could help determine if an application is necessary.

"In OSU research there has not been a benefit of adding metribuzin or other residual herbicides this late in the fall (exception being chlorimuron which persists into the spring), so treatments at this time should address emerged weeds. Dry weather can also influence efficacy of systemic products like glyphosate and 2,4-D, which work best when applied to weeds that are actively growing.

"However, the main concern here should be the presence or lack of weeds. OSU research has shown that fall treatments tend to work over a variety of conditions. Although activity is slower, herbicides applied into December are still effective, so the decision about whether to apply this fall can be delayed some."

"Where considerable weed populations are present, fall applications are the best way to ensure a clean start next spring. Foliar herbicides are generally most effective when daytime temperatures are in the 50s or higher and nighttime temps above 40. Applications made in cooler temperatures can result in slower plant death or poor control overall (see comment at end of preceding paragraph).

"The addition of labeled adjuvants can ensure better herbicide performance in these conditions. The need for a fall application may vary across the state, and from field to field within an operation. Repeated scouting to assess weed emergence and growth following precipitation or frost events can be helpful in making this decision.”

Essman, Mark Sulc and Mark Loux have published several C.O.R.N. articles about fall weed control, and those can be found at agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter.

Frank Becker is the Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Educator with Ohio State University Extension – Wayne County, and a Certified Crop Adviser, and may be reached at 330-264-8722 or becker.5872osu.edu.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Shepherd's Symposium coming to Wooster in December; register now