Best management practices for making silage from alfalfa, corn and cereal grains will be among numerous topics covered at the 2010 California Alfalfa & Forage Symposium, set for Dec. 1-2 at the Visalia Convention Center.
Presentations on dairy industry and hay production trends will kick off the symposium on Dec. 1. Other topics that day will include: understanding the biology of silage preservation, anaerobic stability of silage, managing cereal crops for high-quality forage production, stem nematode and gopher control, flood-irrigation management and adjusting cutting schedules for economic conditions.
Genetic innovations for alfalfa and corn silage, optimizing hay for horses, water issues, assessing alfalfa’s future and other topics are on the Dec. 2 agenda.
The annual conference will be preceded by a Nov. 30 Integrated Pest Management (IPM) workshop on managing alfalfa pests while protecting the environment. The intensive program will include IPM principles, specific strategies and techniques, diagnostic skills and an emphasis on protecting air and water quality.
For details, call Dan Putnam at 530-752-8982 or visit ucanr.org/sites/Alfalfa_Forages/.