Enduring a drought is depleting for forages as well as farmers. Not only did the lack of rainfall through mid-summer limit yield and quality in hayfields across the country, but the dry weather has le
With the turning of the calendar to August next week, the window opens for Northern regions to begin seeding alfalfa and alfalfa-grass mixtures. That window progresses to later dates as we move south
Dry weather — to varying degrees — has beset a large swath of the U.S. during the beginning of the 2023 haymaking season. In the Midwest, I have never seen so much first-cutting hay get baled
Source: U.S. Drought MonitorThe abundant rain and snowfall in the West put a temporary Band-Aid on many areas that were either devoid of moisture or had their irrigation spigots shut off
The first “Alfalfa Conference,” which was later to become the North American Alfalfa Improvement Conference, took place in Washington D.C. on January 13, 1930
Alfalfa hay can be used in rations for pregnant and nonlactating dairy cows without necessarily causing metabolic diseases such as clinical hypocalcemia — also called milk fever. That’s the
Perhaps the weakest link in the entire alfalfa production cycle is getting a healthy, vigorous stand. Subsequent production, forage quality, and persistence hinge on it.During a “Field Crops Virtual
Over the course of the next two months, a large number of hay implements will venture out into fields for their maiden voyage of 2023. Be it grass or alfalfa, first cutting separates itself as a time
Forage nutrient digestion and energy yield is a function of the feed’s nutrient content and subsequent digestion by the animal. Fiber content and digestion has been a major focus in ruminant nutrition,
In a recent survey of horse owners, 48% said alfalfa hay was an excellent source of nutrition while 73% said it was too high in protein or overall nutrients. These results represent conflicting opinions
Why Alfalfa?presented by Emily Meccage, David Weakley, and Matt Minnes,W-L Alfalfas presented this webinar detailing why alfalfa needs to stay in crop rotations
Okay, maybe renaissance is too strong of a word, but in case you haven’t been paying attention, things are happening on the small square bale front.In the same way I’ve been told since middle
Whiskey is for drinking; water is for fighting over. This is far from an original statement, but no truer mantra has ever been spoken.The western U.S. is in all-out battle over water, and it’s being
I’ve recently opted for a diesel truck, primarily to step up the range between fuel stops. It’s got a 33-gallon fuel tank, but the range equation is more than just a larger fuel tank. Both
Before expanding my agricultural canvas as a national magazine editor, I really had little idea how the rest of the nation operated beyond my home Midwest region. Here, we plant, it rains, crops grow
“Alfalfa is a virtuous queen,” began Dennis Hancock while speaking to a packed house at the World Alfalfa Congress last month in San Diego, Calif. “There is a long list of well-known
