It’s been unseasonably hot the past few days. The National Weather Service in Buffalo announced that Monday’s high of 91 degrees is the highest temperature recorded for Sept. 25. The previous record was 87 degrees back in 2007.
This heat is good news for some farmers and tougher news for others.
Corn and soybean farmers, for instance, are enjoying the heat.
Joan Petzen, of the Wyoming County Cornell Cooperative Extension, said this heat will help corn and soybeans mature more in a season that has seen crops struggle to grow.
This heat is “certainly going to help” make up for lost time with the wet spring, cool summer,” Petzen said.
She said this boost in maturity happens through photosynthesis. WHen it’s hotter out, photosynthesis happens at a more “rapid” pace than when it’s cooler.
Though crop sizes won’t crow much, mature crops are important for a harvest because that translates to quality and value.
Petzen said the size of ears of corn was “pretty much set” 6 to 10 weeks ago but the quality could still come through.
Maturity — in this case for corn — means the starch content. So long as a kernel has the starch level it should, the value of the product is there.
“If it doesn’t reach maturity and it doesn’t get dry, we may have to artificially dry it,” Petzen said. “Or, if it is really immature, it will never really have good value.”
She added this applies to both human and feed consumption corn.
On the dairy side of things, the heat poses problems.
“Cows would be really happy if it was 45 to 50 degrees (Fahrenheit) all the time,” Petzen said. “Remember they’re wearing their fur coat.”
Temperatures this high makes cows uncomfortable and induces stress which can impact production and quality. But it’s a situation many farmers are prepared for.
Many farms today are equipped with systems to keep cows cool with sprinklers, fans or blinds.
“All of that stuff is going full bore,” Petzen said. “It’s probably more comfortable this afternoon in a dairy barn than it is sitting out under a shady tree.”
The temperatures are slated to keep up through Wednesday before plummeting on Thursday.
So — like crop farmers — take advantage of the heat now.
Source: The Daily News
Link: http://www.thedailynewsonline.com/bdn01/corn-farming-benefits-from-heat-wave-dairy-farming-does-not-20170926