One of the redeeming values of alfalfa is that it has a deep root system, which allows it to reach subsoil moisture and stay relatively productive when topsoil moisture starts to become limited. But e...

Despite their name, stable flies can now be found beyond the barn and in the field. Historically an issue for dairies and feedlots, these pests have emerged as a problem in pasture systems to the detr...

I’m usually the one posing questions to farmers, but I recently found myself on the receiving end of such an exchange. The conversation led me to consider one step of the haymaking process that seem...

Unless you run a John Deere tractor or root for the Green Bay Packers, yellow and green don’t make the best color combination by most standards. It’s especially an eyesore in pastures and hayfield...

As haymakers tackle first cutting and grazing livestock relish in lush pastures, it may seem a bit early to think about seeding summer annuals, let alone harvesting them. But having a plan for these f...

Over time, what once was a monoculture of perennial grass may turn into a mixed stand of grasses, legumes, and even some unwanted species. But just because a pasture isn’t what it used to be doesn�...

Waiting days for a good-quality hay crop to dry and then have it rained on just as it was getting close to baling moisture can be demoralizing. It’s like losing a baseball game with two outs in the...

Horse hay has its own set of standards that are exclusive to equine. Many of these standards fall under the physical attributes of the bale, followed by the nutritive qualities of the forage, but clea...

Natural water sources in pastures are only as valuable to a grazing system as the quality of water they contain. In other words, the health and performance of livestock will suffer if animals are subj...

Grazing fall corn stalks is a common practice throughout the Midwest and Great Plains. But what if we could improve that brown crop residue with green and growing forage? Interseeding annual fora...