Tall fescue in Northern New York will yield as much or more than other cool-season grass species. There continue to be new varieties, most endophyte-free, but a number of the new varieties also have a “Novel endophyte” version.

An endophytic fungus in the fescue gives the plant added vigor without the toxic side effects of typical endophyte-infected fescue.

The question for the NNYADP-funded research is are the “friendly-endophyte” varieties worth the extra seed cost.

Click here for the 2011-12 results of the NNY tall fescue variety trials evaluated by Cornell University Crop and Soil Sciences Professor Dr. Jerry Cherney and Cornell Willsboro Research Farm Manager Michael Davis.

Kitty O’Neil has begun traveling Northern New York as Regional Field Crops and Soils Specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension. She will be working in St. Lawrence, Franklin, Clinton and Essex counties.

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Farmers in northern New York and a Cornell University research team are evaluating the value of planting winter cereal crops, such as triticale, wheat and cereal rye, as cover crops for spring harvest as a forage for dairy cows.

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Read two articles on the economic and environmental benefits of the Adapt-N nitrogen management tool that is built on foundational research started nearly two decades ago at the Cornell Willsboro Research Farm in Northern New York and more recent results from NNYADP-funded trial participation by farms in the six-county region.

Find other calculating tools, research by nutrient and crop, cover crops and mass nutrient balancing information, soil health tips, and resources for coping with plant pests and diseases in the Field Crops section of this website.

Quality Milk Production: Getting to the Next Level
One way to satisfy the increasing demand for your milk and to take the pressure off increasing costs is to reduce SCC.

A 100-cow dairy making 65 lbs/cow/day that would like to increase milk production and get to its first premium at 250K SCC ($.25/cwt, on top of the $20/cwt milk), at a bulk tank SCC of 400k would have a yearly missed bonus of $5,931 and missed milk check of $7,518 for a total of $13,449, with a milk loss of 36,500 lbs.

Assess your situation by linking to University of Kentucky Milk Quality Economic Opportunity Dashboard.

Watch for program announcements for a series of 3 Quality Milk workshops conducted locally starting in early November 2013. CCE of Jefferson and Lewis County in conjunction with the NNY Dairy Institute and Quality Milk Production Services will present workshops with a morning section geared to farms looking for their first quality milk premium and more rigorous afternoon sections for those whose goal to get to the next premium or quality milk level. Both sections will be open to any dairy producer.

This program will be presented in cooperation with CCE associations of Northern New York and Quality Milk Production Service. For more info contact:

Ron Kuck, Dairy Educator, CCE Jefferson County: 315-788-8450, rak76@cornell.edu

Kimberley Morrill, PhD; NNY Dairy Specialist, CCE St. Lawrence:
315-379-9192, kmm434@cornell.edu

Jessica C. Scillieri Smith, DVM; Quality Milk Lab Directo, Canton: 877-645-552,3 jcs385@cornell.edu.

Learn more