Protozoa threat, fescue toxicity, drones discussed at 101st Soils and Crops Conference

New agricultural threats and technological innovations took center stage at the 101st Lawrence County Soils and Crops Conference, held on February. 13 at the University of Missouri's Southwest Research Center, southwest of Mt. Vernon.
 
Reports on activities
 
Caleb O’Neal, a field specialist in plant science, reported for Jay Chism, Southwest Center director, on the latest activity at the University of Missouri facility. O’Neal noted the center is about to deploy no-fence collars on its breeding flock of 150 sheep, a group that has grown from 50 in 2022. He expected the acquisition of more land adjacent to the center would pay for itself in two years through growth of the sheep herd. The center also did not renew leases on about 50 acres it owns west of the Mt. Vernon airport, offering new permanent pasture. 
 
The second round of artificial insemination in the new Eldon  Cole livestock facility went very well, protected from the weather. “We’re high-tech rednecks now,” O’Neal said. Other research is focusing on studying carbon balance, Hazelnut development, and combining forages on the same land, including red clover with fescue as well as Gamma grass and fescue. 
 
Western County Commissioner Chris Prater offered an overview of the county’s budget. Having completed the new law enforcement center and the health department’s new building, this year’s focus will turn to infrastructure. Prater talked about replacing the heating and air conditioning systems on the now-20-year-old Justice Center, and two bridges, one in Common Road District No. 1 on Farm Road 1207, and another over Center Creek on Farm Road 2130 that the Missouri Department of Transportation forced the county to close. 
 
Nathan Isakson, from Lawrenceburg, the Region 7 vice president of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association, spoke about the organization’s legislative efforts. He noted less than 2 percent of Americans today wake up on a farm or ranch. By a conservative estimate, most families are now three generations away from farm life, yet the obligation to feed the world has not diminished. He urged support for the organization’s mission “to preserve our lifestyle.” 
 
New cattle plague
 
Dr. Craig Payne, University Extension state veterinarian, spoke about Theileria (pronounced TY-leer-ia) orientalis ikeda, a protozoa being spread into cattle herds primarily through the Asian longhorn tick. First detected in Missouri in June 2023, it was seen in New Zealand in 2006 and in Virginia in 2017. It’s now in 60 Missouri counties, including Barry and Lawrence counties, and spreading, with no successful deterrent, even isolation. 
 
The protozoa affect an animal’s red blood cells, causing them to break down, resulting in anemia and increasing inflammation. Its symptoms resemble pneumonia, fever, and depression in cattle. Infection is difficult to detect and symptoms do not respond to antibiotics. Some 1 to 5 percent of cattle can die from infection, which is lifelong. 
 
“This is the most frustrating disease I’ve dealt with in my 33 years as a veterinarian,” Payne said. 
 
The only good news he could share was that after the infection period, lasting from six weeks to six months, most cattle seem to acclimate to the new condition, so much so that 90 percent will never show symptoms. Entire herds can become infected. The best defense, he argued, would limit the exposure of cattle to ticks, especially wooded areas where ticks thrive, and maintaining a steady diet. Bringing in cattle from another state, or moving cattle to another farm through a sale where their diet changes, creates vulnerable situations and new exposures. Some feedlots have had as much as 30 percent mortality because of exposure. 
 
Payne advised keeping very close records of mortality rates that may be eligible for compensation under insurance available from the US Department of Agriculture. Not enough research has yet been done to determine any treatments or mitigating factors such as antibiotics or exposure to toxic fescue. Tests to confirm infection cost $40 per sample with the University of Missouri. 
 
Ivermectin, he noted, may help with control of ticks, but does not affect the protozoa itself. Since infection impacts reproduction, particularly in males, he advised using bulls that may be chronic carriers that are still healthy and have adapted, rather than seeking ones that have never been exposed. 
 
Drones on the farm
 
Caleb O’Neal spoke about the advantages of using an Enterprise drone on the farm. Armed with a camera, drones can survey pastures, identify thinning forages, identify weed issues, spot plant deficiencies, count herds, and assess erosion. The machines can also be used to herd sheep. He advised using extra tools like infrared lenses to detect heat that will help locate animals, and can even take temperature readings, showing estrus levels for reproduction or those with poor circulation from fescue toxicity. 
 
“Animals for the majority of time don’t pay attention to drones,” O’Neal said. 
 
He cautioned about using drones for spraying. While effective on some grass and weed issues, drone height can result in significant drift of herbicides. Major lawsuits have resulted from herbicides killing adjacent fields. 
 
Devices can cost as little as $2,500. A commercial drone, requiring licensing with a capacity of hauling a 10-gallon payload for spraying, can cost $30,000, or up to $60,000 for bigger spraying capacity. O’Neal urged purchasing older, used drones from the secondary market for economy. 
 
Cattle feed performance
 
Ian McGregor, field specialist at the Southwest Research Center, spoke about optimizing cattle performance on fescue. McGregor expressed a different strategy from past speakers at the conference who argued strongly that the best way to escape the bad side effects from fescue was to switch to a non-toxic variety with an endophyte-friendly fungus sustaining it. The endophyte, while reinforcing the grass to make it resistant to heat, works as a vasoconstrictor in animals, impacting them in a variety of negative ways. 
 
McGregor referred to Eldon Cole, longtime livestock specialist at the center, who wrote Publication 101 on ways to deal with fescue toxicity. Rather than pushing conversion to a different forage over the popular Kentucky 31 fescue, known to carry the potentially toxic endophyte, McGregor focused on a dilution strategy, mixing fields of fescue with other feed, such as clover. He noted research has shown 10 to 25 percent of clover in a pasture did not show significant delusion effect on its own, but other strategies helped. 
 
“The issue is with time, money, and the technical knowledge to do it right,” McGregor said. 
 
He detailed using molasses block supplements, condensed tannin supplements, and using 5-Hydroxytriptophan to help dissolve supplements. McGregor strongly advocated having alternative pastures, such as those with the non-harmful endophyte, for use in very hot weather when the endophyte can become most toxic. He cautioned putting cattle in fields with seed heads that hold Ergovaline, an alkaloid produced through the endophyte, six times stronger than leaf blades. He further advised against cutting fields too low in autumn, pushing grasses into survival mode that slows recovery in the spring. Applying too much nitrogen fertilizer can also increase toxicity in the next growth. 
 
O’Neal joined the discussion, noting that Kentucky 31 performs well regionally, and trying to eliminate its hearty stands through drilling new forages has not produced a comparable volume of feed. Kentucky 31 also out-performs endophyte-free fescues. Studies at the center currently are looking at mixing Orchardgrass into fields, compared to mixing clover with fescue. Some herbicides, McGregor noted, work on different clovers, so results may vary by product. 
 
Genetics to overcome fescue issues
 
Dr. Cecilia Rocha, a livestock research professor, closed the program speaking on new research about breeding different cattle together for a genetic line less impacted by toxic fescue. She concentrated her focus on crossbreeding Senepol with Angus. The recessive gene transferred by this mix shows in the hair, from long to slick. 
 
While her studies are in their early stages, the recessive gene appears to transfer easily to the next generation of cattle. The new version also seems to grow its own winter hair, so not having its natural longer hair does not negatively impact the cow during cold months. Growth rates appear comparable and even better in early months. 
 
Rocha invited local producers to sign up with the Bovine Endocrinology and Fertility University to participate in studies and share insights from their herds. 
 
The Southwest Missouri Cattlemen’s Association provided supper for the event. The Mt. Vernon Chamber of Commerce, Mid-Missouri Bank of Mt. Vernon, the Lawrence County Farm Bureau, and Ozark Electric Cooperative helped