Berrys Picks

It has been a rough two years for any forage production in the county, but bermudagrass is still a very high value crop in the county. Bermudagrass has the most planted acres of any crop in the county. It is the primary forage for hay production in the county with an average of over 25 million in hay sales. It is also extremely important as grazing forage for our cattlemen.

Since the introduction of Coastal Bermuda in 1943 improved bermudagrasses have changed the landscape and agriculture in Texas and most of the south. While bermudagrass has been a tremendous asset to agriculture in Texas and Comanche County, it does not come without faults and management issues. After two years of severe drought, fields have been stressed about as hard as they ever have, making management even more important. To help producers understand these issues and manage them, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office in Comanche County will be hosting a Bermudagrass Production Program. The program will be Friday, January 19th, 2024, from 12:00 pm- 4:00 pm at the Comanche Community Center.

Speakers and topics at the program will include the following: Dr. Tony Provin Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service State Soil and Water Chemist will discuss drought recovery, soil fertility and nutrient requirements for bermudagrass.

Dr. Scott Nolte Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Weed Specialist will discuss weed control in your hay meadows and pastures.

Dr. Sonja Swiger Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Entomologist will cover insect identification and control in forages.

These speakers are exceptional in their fields and will do an excellent job of covering their material. If you grow bermudagrass for hay or grazing, you will not want to miss this program. I am hopeful that the predictions will be correct, and we will have above average moisture this spring and summer. If this is the case, we all need to be ready to take advantage of the increased production opportunities that may come with these favorable weather conditions. Whether you have been making hay for 50 years or just started, this program will have something to offer everyone.

As a bonus, the program will offer 1 DOPA credit and 2 CEU’s, 1 IPM and 1 General. There is no charge for the program and lunch will be provided by our great local sponsors. For more information or to preregister, please call the office at 325-356-2539. You can also find the flyer at our web page: https:// comanche. agrilife. org/ or on our FB page: Comanche County Agriculture.