The Midwest Forage Association (MFA) and University of Minnesota (UMN) Extension Forage Team are partnering to bring the 2008 Minnesota Forage Days program to three locations during February. Similar programs will be held at the Detroit Lakes Holiday Inn on Feb. 12, Joseph's in Avon on Feb. 13 and the UCR Heintz Center in Rochester on Feb. 15.
Geoff Brink of the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center in Madison, WI, is one of this year's featured speakers at all the meetings. He will share his latest research findings on alfalfa harvest timing's impact on yield and quality tradeoffs, and also will discuss grass species selection, management and quality.
Mike Murphy, UMN College of Veterinary Medicine, will discuss the importance of molds and mycotoxins in stored forage, and Paul Peterson, extension forage specialist, will present his latest research on alfalfa-grass mixtures, offering guidelines for selecting grass species for mixtures with alfalfa.
Other presentations will occur at selected locations, but will be included in the proceedings available at all the meetings. At Detroit Lakes, Dwain Meyer, North Dakota State University forage agronomist, will present his latest work on the merits and management of fall-harvested alfalfa, and will also cover recent work on alfalfa fertilization. Dan Kaiser, UMN soil fertility extension specialist, and Jim Salfer, regional dairy extension educator, will discuss forage nutrient management relationships with dairy cow feeding at the Avon Forage Day. At Rochester, Craig Sheaffer, forage agronomist, will discuss forage establishment innovations, and also will give a Roundup Ready alfalfa update.
Each Forage Day opens with registration at 9:30 a.m. followed by presentations starting at 10 a.m. sharp, lunch at noon and adjournment at 3 p.m. Pre-register with MFA staff at 651-484-3888 or at midwestforage@comcast.net. For more information, visit www.extension.umn.edu/forages or www.midwestforage.org.