November 25, 2025
• Alfalfa hay exports totaled 128,574 metric tons (MT) in August, according to USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. This was down 19% year-over-year, but up 15% from the previous month.
• China, our nation’s largest export market for alfalfa hay, imported 66,519 MT in August. The next biggest buyers were Japan with 21,726 MT and Saudi Arabia with 11,487 MT.
• Other hay (mostly grass) exports totaled 71,361 MT in August. The three largest markets on the leaderboard were Japan (37,593 MT), South Korea (20,019 MT), and Taiwan (6,267 MT).
• Here’s what to do if you find mold, mycotoxins, or significant shrink in your corn silage.
• There is hope for tall fescue that was seeded into dry soil.
November 18, 2025
• September milk production was up 4% year-over-year at 18.99 billion pounds, according to USDA’s Milk Production report. Nearly every state reported greater output in September, especially the top dairy states.
• The nation’s dairy herd continues to expand, reaching 9.58 million head in September, which was the largest it’s been since 1993. USDA reports indicate that farmers added 42,000 and 40,000 head to the national dairy herd in August and September, respectively.
• Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.1 million head on Sept. 1, according to USDA’s Cattle on Feed report. This was down 1% year-over-year.
• Placements in feedlots during August totaled 1.78 million head, down 10% from 2024. Marketings of fed cattle during August were also down, totaling 1.57 million head, or 14% less than last year.
• Feeding soybeans to cattle can limit forage digestibility.
November 11, 2025
• These meteorologists predict that drought will persist in this month as temperatures drop to “Christmastime cold.”
• Grazing crop fields with high levels of grain residue can be risky. Consider this advice for doing so safely and economically.
• Manage fall pastures with spring in mind.
• Here’s a list of November forage management tips.
• Does bale grazing make sense?
November 4, 2025
• The Wisconsin Cover Crop Data Network (WCCDN) is looking for farmers to contribute cover crop forage samples and survey responses to expand its project data. Find more information about the grower-driven dataset and interactive resources here.
• Do you have a solid grazing exit plan?
• Fall-born calves may benefit from creep feeding where stressed pastures won’t support creep grazing.
• An integrated approach to weed management includes cultural, mechanical, biological, and chemical practices.
• All you need to make an in-field soil health assessment is a shovel and some observational skills.