March 24, 2026
• Milk production in the United States continues to gush, totaling 18.3 billion pounds in February, according to USDA’s Milk Production report. This was up 2.9% year-over-year. Production per cow in the United States averaged 1,899 pounds in February, 12 pounds more than the previous year.
• The number of milk cows on U.S. farms was reported at 9.62 million head, or 211,000 head more than February 2025.
• Cattle and calves on feed for the U.S. slaughter market in feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more animals totaled 11.5 million head on March 1, according to USDA’s Cattle on Feed report. This was down slightly from the previous year. Placements in feedlots during February totaled 1.61 million head, down 4% year-over-year. Marketings of fed cattle during February were down 7% at 1.52 million head.
• The impact of the war with Iran on fertilizer prices was never so apparent as in the latest Illinois Production Cost Report. Compared to the previous report from two weeks ago, the average retail price for urea was up $231.50 per ton with a range of $780 to $875.
• Forage quality and supplementation on spring pastures is especially important for first-calf heifers.
March 17, 2026
• Alfalfa hay exports to all trade partners totaled 160,218 metric tons (MT) in December, according to USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. Even though that was almost on par with December 2024, annual alfalfa hay exports were down significantly in 2025.
• China was the largest export market for U.S. alfalfa in December with 55,184 MT. Saudi Arabia followed as the second largest with 38,388 MT, and Japan and South Korea were almost even, with 25,890 MT and 24,670 MT of alfalfa hay, respectively.
• All other hay (mostly grass) exports totaled 85,430 MT in December. The biggest customers of U.S. grass hay that month were Japan with 34,946 MT, South Korea with 31,629 MT, and Taiwan with 9,463 MT.
• Here’s your guide to preventing grass tetany with high-magnesium supplementation.
• Take stock of last year’s hay yields — what do you need to do different this year?
March 10, 2026
• Here are some timely tips for forage management in March.
• Use this guide to assess alfalfa for winterkill and determine your options for damaged fields.
• Before locking in on a pasture rental rate, consider how the value of grazed forage measures up to local hay prices.
• Green does not always mean go — at least not for early spring grazing.
• Alfalfa weevil activity is well ahead of schedule in Kansas.
March 3, 2026
• Kim Ricardo is the new forage field specialist with South Dakota State University Extension. In this role, Ricardo will help farmers enhance the productivity and sustainability of their forage systems with an emphasis on livestock integration, improved forage utilization, and forage resilience under variable environmental conditions.
• The best recovery for forage after a wildfire is rest, but even then, fire damage can have long-lasting effects.
• This study shows that round bale grazing in winter pastures can have a positive impact on low-fertility soils.
• Protect your grazing cattle from horn flies and save big money.
• If you need a reminder about the detrimental effects of tall fescue toxicosis, here it is.