Pesticide education program Feb. 24
By
John Grimes-
Last week in this article, I mentioned that the famous groundhog Punxsutawney Phil recently saw his shadow which is supposed to indicate six more weeks of winter. However, that famous weather predictor failed to mention that it was going to be six weeks of crappy weather!
The past week of weather has been a challenge by just about anybody’s standards. Look at this on the bright side – we are inching closer to spring by the day!
Pesticide Education Programs
I want to remind you of some of our pesticide education programs available locally.
The Highland County Pesticide Recertification School will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 24, starting at 12:30 p.m. at the Highland County Training and Employment Center located at 1575 N. High St. in Hillsboro.
If you have not done so, please contact us for a registration form as a $35 pre-registration is required or you will face a $45 registration fee at the door.
The Feb. 9 Pesticide Recertification School scheduled for Georgetown that was canceled has been rescheduled for Wednesday, March 3. It will be held at the FOE Building (original site) located at 600 Mt. Orab Pike in Georgetown with the meal starting at 12:30 p.m.
For individuals wanting to obtain a Private Pesticide Applicator’s License or add categories to an existing license, there are also Certification testing opportunities available. On Feb. 22, testing will be conducted at the South Campus of Southern State Community College in Fincastle. Testing will run from 1-5 p.m. with a review (study) session at 10:30 a.m. until 11:45 a.m. An additional testing date has been set for March 15 from -6 p.m. at the same location.
Please call the Ohio Department of Agriculture Pesticide Regulations at 1-800-282-1955, Ext. 31 for reservations.
Winter Wind Hazards
With winter comes windchills and frostbite. There is clear science behind the relationship between the two, but a better understanding can help avoid the painful and potentially fatal effects of frostbite and hypothermia.
Windchill is not just a concern for humans. Pets and livestock are also impacted by wind chill. As wind blows across exposed skin, the body must work hard to move heat from the core to replace the heat lost. As the wind speed increases so does the rate at which heat is lost. Wind chill lessens the amount of time it takes exposed skin to reach the temperature of the surrounding air.
The health danger results when the body is unable to replace the heat lost quickly enough. In order to conserve the core temperature of vital organs, the body begins to constrict blood flow to the effected parts of the body.
In essence, the body will sacrifice skin and extremities to save organs. If the heat loss cannot be controlled hypothermia will result, which is a life threatening decrease in core body temperature.
The National Weather Service (NWS), a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, publishes the NWS Windchill Chart which helps show the relationship between outside temperature, wind speed and windchill.
The chart is available at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/windchill.
According to the NWS, if the temperature is 0 degrees Fahrenheit and the wind is blowing at 15 mph, the windchill is minus 19 degrees Fahrenheit. At this windchill temperature, exposed skin can freeze in 30 minutes. It is important to know the signs of frostbite and what can be done to prevent it.
• Stage One: “Pins and needles” sensation followed by numbness with possible early throbbing or aching. Eventually, the affected part loses sensation.
• Stage Two: Frostbitten skin is hard, pale, cold, and has no feeling. When the skin has thawed out, it becomes red and painful (early frostbite).
• Stage Three: Severe frostbite may cause blisters, gangrene (blackened, dead tissue), and damage to deep structures such as tendons, muscles, nerves, and bone.
The best way to avoid frostbite and hypothermia is to stay warm and dry indoors. When you must go outside:
• Dress appropriately. Wear several layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing. Trapped air between the layers is good insulation.
• Remove layers to avoid sweating and subsequent chill.
• Outer garments should be tightly woven, water repellent, and hooded.
• Wear a hat, because half of body heat can be lost from the head.
• Cover the mouth to protect the lungs from extreme cold.
• Mittens, snug at the wrist, are better than gloves.
• Try to stay dry and out of the wind.
Winter is a good time to attend to chores in the house or in the shop where windchill can be avoided.
However, when recreation or responsibility require venturing outside knowing the signs of frostbite and dressing for the weather can help lessen the likelihood of pain and injury.
Source: Tim Butcher, OSHA Program Coordinator
Winter temps may
affect calf birth weights
The recent weather patterns made this recent article that I found on calf birth weights seem very timely. As a beef producer, I have personally felt that colder temperatures had some impact on heavier birth weights. It turns out that research apparently bears this fact out.
Oklahoma State Extension reports on research that examined the effect of winter temperatures on calf birth weights.
A three-year study was conducted by University of Nebraska scientists to evaluate the effects of high and low air temperatures and wind chills during winter months on subsequent calf birth weights and calving difficulty of spring-born calves.
The greatest differences in monthly temperatures between years were found during December, January and February. Average temperatures for these three months increased 11° F. over the three years. Meanwhile, average calf birth weights decreased 11 lbs. (81 lbs. to 70 lbs.). A 1:1 ratio was observed.
Results indicate that cold temperatures influenced calf birth weight.
Weather can’t be controlled; however, with below-average winter temperatures, larger birth weight calves and more calving difficulty may be expected in the spring.
Other data that may shed some light on this subject comes from Ohio State University in 1990. Birth weights of 172 fall-born calves and 242 spring-born calves were compared. These calves were the result of artificial-insemination matings using the same bulls and bred to similar crossbred cows.
The fall-born calves averaged 4.5 lbs. lighter at birth than their spring-born counterparts (77.7 lbs. vs. 82.2 lbs.). A possible explanation for this phenomenon is the changing of blood-flow patterns of cows gestating in hot weather vs. cold weather.
In hot weather, blood is shunted away from internal organs toward outer extremities to dissipate heat, while the opposite is the case in very cold weather where blood flow is directed toward internal organs in an effort to conserve heat and maintain body temperature. Researchers say this change in maternal blood flow may impact fetal growth in a small way, but result in a measurable difference.
Source: Beef Cow/Calf Weekly newsletter
John Grimes is the Ohio State University Extension Educator for Agriculture and Natural Resources in Highland County.[[In-content Ad]]
The past week of weather has been a challenge by just about anybody’s standards. Look at this on the bright side – we are inching closer to spring by the day!
Pesticide Education Programs
I want to remind you of some of our pesticide education programs available locally.
The Highland County Pesticide Recertification School will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 24, starting at 12:30 p.m. at the Highland County Training and Employment Center located at 1575 N. High St. in Hillsboro.
If you have not done so, please contact us for a registration form as a $35 pre-registration is required or you will face a $45 registration fee at the door.
The Feb. 9 Pesticide Recertification School scheduled for Georgetown that was canceled has been rescheduled for Wednesday, March 3. It will be held at the FOE Building (original site) located at 600 Mt. Orab Pike in Georgetown with the meal starting at 12:30 p.m.
For individuals wanting to obtain a Private Pesticide Applicator’s License or add categories to an existing license, there are also Certification testing opportunities available. On Feb. 22, testing will be conducted at the South Campus of Southern State Community College in Fincastle. Testing will run from 1-5 p.m. with a review (study) session at 10:30 a.m. until 11:45 a.m. An additional testing date has been set for March 15 from -6 p.m. at the same location.
Please call the Ohio Department of Agriculture Pesticide Regulations at 1-800-282-1955, Ext. 31 for reservations.
Winter Wind Hazards
With winter comes windchills and frostbite. There is clear science behind the relationship between the two, but a better understanding can help avoid the painful and potentially fatal effects of frostbite and hypothermia.
Windchill is not just a concern for humans. Pets and livestock are also impacted by wind chill. As wind blows across exposed skin, the body must work hard to move heat from the core to replace the heat lost. As the wind speed increases so does the rate at which heat is lost. Wind chill lessens the amount of time it takes exposed skin to reach the temperature of the surrounding air.
The health danger results when the body is unable to replace the heat lost quickly enough. In order to conserve the core temperature of vital organs, the body begins to constrict blood flow to the effected parts of the body.
In essence, the body will sacrifice skin and extremities to save organs. If the heat loss cannot be controlled hypothermia will result, which is a life threatening decrease in core body temperature.
The National Weather Service (NWS), a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, publishes the NWS Windchill Chart which helps show the relationship between outside temperature, wind speed and windchill.
The chart is available at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/windchill.
According to the NWS, if the temperature is 0 degrees Fahrenheit and the wind is blowing at 15 mph, the windchill is minus 19 degrees Fahrenheit. At this windchill temperature, exposed skin can freeze in 30 minutes. It is important to know the signs of frostbite and what can be done to prevent it.
• Stage One: “Pins and needles” sensation followed by numbness with possible early throbbing or aching. Eventually, the affected part loses sensation.
• Stage Two: Frostbitten skin is hard, pale, cold, and has no feeling. When the skin has thawed out, it becomes red and painful (early frostbite).
• Stage Three: Severe frostbite may cause blisters, gangrene (blackened, dead tissue), and damage to deep structures such as tendons, muscles, nerves, and bone.
The best way to avoid frostbite and hypothermia is to stay warm and dry indoors. When you must go outside:
• Dress appropriately. Wear several layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing. Trapped air between the layers is good insulation.
• Remove layers to avoid sweating and subsequent chill.
• Outer garments should be tightly woven, water repellent, and hooded.
• Wear a hat, because half of body heat can be lost from the head.
• Cover the mouth to protect the lungs from extreme cold.
• Mittens, snug at the wrist, are better than gloves.
• Try to stay dry and out of the wind.
Winter is a good time to attend to chores in the house or in the shop where windchill can be avoided.
However, when recreation or responsibility require venturing outside knowing the signs of frostbite and dressing for the weather can help lessen the likelihood of pain and injury.
Source: Tim Butcher, OSHA Program Coordinator
Winter temps may
affect calf birth weights
The recent weather patterns made this recent article that I found on calf birth weights seem very timely. As a beef producer, I have personally felt that colder temperatures had some impact on heavier birth weights. It turns out that research apparently bears this fact out.
Oklahoma State Extension reports on research that examined the effect of winter temperatures on calf birth weights.
A three-year study was conducted by University of Nebraska scientists to evaluate the effects of high and low air temperatures and wind chills during winter months on subsequent calf birth weights and calving difficulty of spring-born calves.
The greatest differences in monthly temperatures between years were found during December, January and February. Average temperatures for these three months increased 11° F. over the three years. Meanwhile, average calf birth weights decreased 11 lbs. (81 lbs. to 70 lbs.). A 1:1 ratio was observed.
Results indicate that cold temperatures influenced calf birth weight.
Weather can’t be controlled; however, with below-average winter temperatures, larger birth weight calves and more calving difficulty may be expected in the spring.
Other data that may shed some light on this subject comes from Ohio State University in 1990. Birth weights of 172 fall-born calves and 242 spring-born calves were compared. These calves were the result of artificial-insemination matings using the same bulls and bred to similar crossbred cows.
The fall-born calves averaged 4.5 lbs. lighter at birth than their spring-born counterparts (77.7 lbs. vs. 82.2 lbs.). A possible explanation for this phenomenon is the changing of blood-flow patterns of cows gestating in hot weather vs. cold weather.
In hot weather, blood is shunted away from internal organs toward outer extremities to dissipate heat, while the opposite is the case in very cold weather where blood flow is directed toward internal organs in an effort to conserve heat and maintain body temperature. Researchers say this change in maternal blood flow may impact fetal growth in a small way, but result in a measurable difference.
Source: Beef Cow/Calf Weekly newsletter
John Grimes is the Ohio State University Extension Educator for Agriculture and Natural Resources in Highland County.[[In-content Ad]]