3RedClover_ph
Leprechauns and pots of gold aside, four-leaf clovers aren’t the only lucky legume. Many members of the Trifolium genus, such as red and white clover, have powerful properties that make them a
2SummerAnnuals_ph
Cool-season grasses are the star of the show during the spring and fall, but these forages tend to get stage fright during the hot, dry summer months. Planting summer annuals can mitigate the effects
AmberFriedrichsen_eHayBIO
Moisture is often used to combat fire, not ignite it. The latter is true for hay and straw, though, in barns housing bales with high moisture levels.When hay is baled at more than 20% moisture
AmberFriedrichsen_eHayBIO
Amber FriedrichsenAmber Friedrichsen is serving as the 2021 Hay & Forage Grower editorial intern. She currently attends Iowa State University where she is majoring in agriculture and lif
3HeadStart_ph
Spring is a time for new life, including a new growing season for warm-season perennials such as bermudagrass and bahiagrass. To effectively transition cattle to grazing these grasses, consider practi

2Lime_ph
Soil pH is often the first metric to be considered when assessing a soil’s ability to support economic crop production. The acidity of a soil impacts both nutrient sufficiency and potential toxicity
3Poultry_ph
Poultry litter is a commonly used nutrient source for pastures in many parts of the United States
2Stretch_ph
Drought is never a certainty, but having a plan to deal with it should be. Without a plan, your options to react if a drought occurs become limited
3BestHay_ph
There’s never been a haymaker who couldn’t improve on their craft. The opportunities to enhance forage yield, quality, and persistence are nearly endless
3CFAP_ph
The National Alfalfa & Forage Alliance (NAFA) reminds alfalfa growers that USDA reopened the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP 2) as a component of the administration’s Pandemic Assistance

2CoolCows_ph
Touting the benefits of harvesting high-quality forages is nothing new. By doing so, feed costs are minimized, and milk production is maximized
2Bloat_ph
The positive benefits that legumes provide to pastures and animals are well known. Still, some graziers cite reasons for not maintaining a significant legume presence in their pastures
3Teff_ph
Teff grass has always been one of those fringe warm-season grass options, but it has gained in popularity over the past 10 years
2Mistakes_ph
For a variety of reasons, winter cereal forages are more popular these days than ever before
3Weevil_ph
Although spring brings with it many welcomed signs, one that is not included in that group is alfalfa weevil activity. Already, several states are reporting weevil adult and/or larval activity

2Conditioner_ph
Photo: New Holland AgricultureBack in my county extension agent years, I began carrying around aluminum foil and scotch tape behind the seat of my pickup
3Nitrate_ph
Pasture forage that is high in nitrate levels is always a concern and something that bears monitoring
2Alfalfa_ph
There are many decisions to be made over the course of an alfalfa stand’s life, including what variety to plant, when to cut each year, how many times to cut, and decisions centered on fertility
3Small-Grains_ph
For many cattle operations, grazing winter annual cereal grains is a standard practice
2California_ph
The fields are already dry, and the mountain snowpack is far below normal. It’s not a scenario that bodes well for alfalfa fields in California where water is divvied up between millions of people