Page 6 - Quarterly Newsletter - December 2016
P. 6
Livestock Production — Kashly Schweer
Managing Winter ground at least 2 feed from the top of the canopy.
Snap a photo and continue to the next screen. A
Wheat with Canopeo black and white image is displayed, showing the
classified green canopy cover is white pixels and
App the background (soil, plant residue, etc.)
represented by black pixels (Figure 1). Include
A wide variety of information additional information with your image including
is available at our fingertips and the field name, vegetation height, tillage and
the agricultural industry is no planting date (Figure 2). Hit “Submit” if using
stranger to the use of mobile Android or the right-pointing arrow if using an
applications. From markets to iPhone. Canopeo automatically saves the date,
weather, mobile apps have been a way for time and location of each submitted image.
producers to receive information from the cab of a
tractor or the windmill in a pasture. The magnitude The percentage of green canopy cover produced
and variety of apps for agriculture is constantly by the Canopeo app is a valuable piece of
increasing. information to make in-season grazing
Canopeo is a rapid and accurate green canopy management decisions. The expected effect of
cover measurement tool developed by Oklahoma different ranges of green canopy cover on wheat
State University. It is available for both Android grain yield differs depending on the growing
and iOS devices and enables the user to measure season stage. In late fall, before winter dormancy,
the percentage of green canopy cover in real time. the optimal level is 60-100%. This means that
This allows users to make informed management there is a low risk of grazing affecting grain yield.
decisions while in the wheat field. At 40-60% green canopy cover, caution should be
With adequate soil moisture levels in the area, taken as there is a moderate risk of grazing
winter wheat is thriving. This presents the affecting grain yield. With 0-40% green canopy
opportunity for producers to have dual-purpose cover, a high risk persists.
wheat systems by both grazing the forage in the
winter and harvesting a grain crop in the summer. In late winter at the first hollow stem, the
Proper management is needed for both avenues to optimal level is 70-100% of green canopy cover.
be successful as overgrazing wheat pastures The range of caution is moved to 50-70% with the
increases the risk of reduced grain yield. danger level being at 0-50%. A minimum green
The percentage of remaining green canopy canopy cover of about 53 percent should be
cover can be used to help decide when to end maintained before winter dormancy and about 62
grazing. The percentage of green canopy cover is percent should be maintained at grazing
simply the proportion of a given ground area termination to minimize grain yield reductions.
covered by green, live vegetation. The more leaf
area that is present at grazing termination, the More information regarding this tool and its
greater the opportunity for the wheat crop to application can be found at greatplainsgrazing.org.
recover from grazing. Producers can use the Educational materials are available at the Midway
percentage of green canopy cover to monitor Extension District Offices.
wheat pastures from the end of fall growth to
grazing termination in late winter to make in-
season adjustments to cattle stocking density to
prevent overgrazing.
Canopeo makes monitoring the percentage of
green canopy cover simple. After downloading the
Canopeo app from either the App Store or
GooglePlay store, you create an account. Once in
the field, open the app on your smartphone. Extend
your arm to the side so your shoes are not included
in the picture. Hold the camera parallel to the
