It doesn’t matter what variety of alfalfa you plant. It doesn’t matter how much your seeder cost. It doesn’t matter if you nail the correct planting depth. It doesn’t matter if you poured the...

Graziers have always been challenged by the spring flush of forage, but most wouldn’t give it up unless there was an assurance of consistent growth throughout the summer, which never happens.The flu...

An agronomist, a beef farmer, and a dairy farmer walk into a bar . . . or in this case, the breakout session at the Midwest Forage Association Symposium. What ensued during the panel discussion last m...

With a week of warmer-than-average temperatures displayed on my weather app following a sub-zero cold snap, I’m a little concerned about alfalfa injury and winterkill. This isn’t the first time te...

Unless you’re putting your round bales on a scale, you’re probably guessing bale weight all wrong. The key word here is “guessing,” which spells trouble in terms of feed expenses and hay suppl...

Alfalfa seedbeds are typically prepared with tillage and a cultipacker to reduce residue and create a smooth soil surface, but this can leave fields more susceptible to erosion. One alternative is to...

With the front half of February in the rearview mirror, pastures will soon start greening up from south to north. Regardless of where you hang your hat, spring-calving cows on lush pastures demand clo...

IN YET another innovation for the small square bale commercial hay producer, AGCO Corporation recently announced the release of the Hesston by Massey Ferguson SB.1436DB baler. The baler produces two r...

The use of native warm-season grasses such as the bluestems, indiangrass, and switchgrass in pasture systems is on the rise. Establishment of these grasses is often challenging, and failures are often...

As the Super Bowl approaches, offensive and defensive coordinators will pour over film in an effort to either score points or prevent points, respectively. Truth be told, farmers should be doing the s...