During my years as an extension agent, I would occasionally be called out to a farm for the purpose of evaluating a failed or thin new alfalfa seeding field

Although alfalfa has been grown and studied for many generations, there are still some mysteries surrounding the crop that continue to dog us

Forage should make up the majority of any horse diet, typically around 1% to 2% of body weight

The offseason is a time of year when you can get unexpected phone calls and possibly a few visits from sales people who are trying to pedal their agricultural wares

One of the tools I have used to assist my grazing management decisions is the pasture inventory

In the northern United States, hayfields often consist of a single forage species like alfalfa, but single species pastures are somewhat rare

Alfalfa offers a great opportunity to combat the spread of herbicide-resistant weed variants on your farm for two main reasons

In the mixed hardwood forests of the eastern U.S., silvopasturing has struggled to take hold

As people gathered in Punxsutawney, Pa., to see whether the infamous groundhog with the same namesake would see his shadow, hundreds of others attended the CattleFax Outlook Seminar on the main stage

Forage research and extension positions at state universities weren’t getting filled from lack of research funding and budget constraints

The cow-calf industry will always be close to my heart

Though diminutive, the lowly alfalfa seed contains every genetic instruction for that plant to grow into a hearty, deep-rooted perennial legume, capable of multiple harvests, high yields, high persistence,

A flowing river is a symbol for progress and change, and the Colorado River is specifically emblematic of the evolution of Western agriculture. Water from the river shaped and supported crop productio

Bale grazing in the eastern U.S. has its challenges compared to traditional, more Northern regions where the system is used

“The U.S. dollar is having a huge impact on hay exports,” said Scot Courtright at the Western Alfalfa & Forage Symposium earlier this month in Sparks, Nev

Many states lit up the U.S. Drought Monitor in some shade of yellow, orange, or red this past year, especially in parts of the Midwest, the High Plains, and the South

Teff grass is not as well known in the U.S. as other forage grasses

In an ideal world, pastures would always be green with plenty of forage, cattle would never get sick or eat something they weren’t supposed to, and if we’re dreaming big, toxic weeds wouldn’t

One of the core principles of plant breeding is to improve crop genetics so plants are better equipped to survive environmental stress

With haymaking activities ceased on most farms and bales tucked away in sheds or under tarps, attention now turns to machinery maintenance and hay marketing