July 29, 2025
• Milk production in the United States totaled 19.2 billion pounds in June, according to USDA’s Milk Production report. This was 3.3% greater year-over-year with better milk production in 20 of the 24 major dairy states.
• The national dairy herd totaled nearly 9.47 million head in June, which was up slightly from the previous month and the greatest head count since July 2021. Milk production per cow was 2,031 pounds.
• Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.1 million on July 1, according to USDA’s Cattle on Feed report. This was down 2% compared to last year.
• Placements in feedlots during June totaled 1.44 million head, which was 8% less than last year. Marketings of fed cattle totaled 1.71 million head.
• Lincoln University is hosting a small ruminant workshop and field day on August 22 in Jefferson City, Mo. Register for the event here.
July 22, 2025
• Take care of your hail-damaged forage.
• Keep an eye out for these toxic pasture weeds.
• Make hay and keep ergot infestation at bay.
• Fallen cherry trees can be poisonous to livestock.
• Stockpile tall fescue to extend the grazing season
July 15, 2025
• U.S. alfalfa hay exports totaled 128,303 metric tons (MT) in May, according to USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. That was down nearly 10% from the previous month and a more than 35% decline in alfalfa exports compared to May 2024.
• China’s demand for U.S. alfalfa continued to diminish in May, with the Asian country only importing 24,190 MT, down roughly 70% from the previous year. Japan, which is usually the second-largest market, imported more alfalfa hay than China in May with 28,835 MT.
• All other hay (mostly grass) exports totaled 74,409 MT in May. The largest markets for U.S. grass hay were Japan at 44,017 MT, South Korea at 16,157 MT, and Taiwan at 9,470 MT.
• You still have a few weeks to get warm-season annuals in the ground.
• Blue-green algal blooms could develop under hot, dry conditions.
July 8, 2025
• The University of Wisconsin-Madison is hosting a forage and cover crop field day on July 15 in Arlington, Wis. The agenda will include topics from forage and cover crop breeding to establishment and maintenance to animal feeding. Find more information and registration details here.
• Harvested hay acre projections are up slightly, according to the USDA’s June Acreage report. Total harvested hay acres are pegged at 49.7 million acres across the country, which is about 0.6% greater than total hay acres harvested in 2024.
• Harvested alfalfa and alfalfa mixture acreage is forecasted at 14.19 million acres, which is roughly 3% less than last year’s total. The estimated total for other hay (mostly grass) acreage is up 2% from last year at 35.5 million acres.
• The Acreage report estimated corn planted for all purposes to reach 95.2 million acres, which is up about 5% from corn acreage last year. This would represent the third-highest corn acreage in the United States since 1944. Area harvested for grain is also up 5% year-over-year at 86.8 million acres.
• The options abound for annual forages planted in July and August.
July 1, 2025
• Iowa State University Extension is hosting a forage field day in Castana, Iowa, on July 31. Topics will include growing summer annuals for silage, baleage, and grazing; interseeding strategies; and pasture management. Register here.
• Start scouting for potato leafhopper in alfalfa as pest populations climb.
• Try these strategies to mitigate heat stress in cattle grazing hot fescue.
• Take control of summer annual grasses in alfalfa hayfields.
• Expect July to be hot and dry.