The offseason is planning season, which includes preparing for pasture and hayfield improvements. In this case, a good plan will justify why, how, and when stand maintenance is required, as well a bud
In every edition of eHay Weekly, we offer examples of market prices for alfalfa and grass hay from selected state USDA reports. Those reports are also used to complete the Market Update column toward
I’m a big believer in no Christmas preparations or activities until after Thanksgiving. So, when it was suggested that I hang the Christmas lights on the house last week, my response was a hard “n
Winter can be a critical growth period for weaned calves that are retained as backgrounders. This stretch of time sets the stage for final animal performance, which may be helped or hindered by the gr
The first production year for spring-seeded alfalfa typically gets off to a slow start. In some cases, farmers may only get half of the forage yield they would expect from an established stand.This yi
Alfalfa-killing freezes aren’t what they used to be. In fact, other than perhaps the far Northern reaches of the U.S., alfalfa is barely showing signs of frost damage, if at all. This is unusual
Drought can take an obvious toll on forage supplies, stand condition, and water resources, but the effect it has on electric fences may be less apparent. Less apparent, that is, until livestock escape
As the grazing season shifts to a period of hay feeding, it is time to take inventory of current forage supplies and map out a budget for buying feed. Crunching some numbers and thinking ahead can hel
Researchers are one step closer to solving the mysterious case of alfalfa autotoxicity. Up until now, the chemical compound — or compounds — that causes autotoxicity has kept a secret identity,
The thin layer of frost that covered my windshield one morning last week was a subtle reminder of the harsh reality that colder weather is on the horizon. I’ve since located my ice scraper in the
Equine asthma, or heaves as it is often referred to, is an inflammatory reaction to inhaled dusts, molds, or other allergens. Horses that contract the disease have swollen airways, which constrict and
Feed costs are the greatest expense for a livestock operation, and with winter on the way, it will be prudent to plan for feed purchases in the months ahead. Buying bales doesn’t have to break the
Forage research is invaluable for producers to access and apply on their own operations, but that isn’t to say they should always expect the same results. A healthy dose of skepticism may serve farm
A total of 207 entries from 12 states made up the playing field for the 40th annual World Forage Analysis Superbowl. Winners were announced and awards were presented last week at World Dairy Expo in M
Crop residues have long provided a cost-effective forage source for feeding animals during late fall, winter, and early spring. Grazing cornstalks tops the list from a popularity standpoint; however
The end of the line for alfalfa growth is usually when plants experience a hard freeze. This weather event can be defined by temperatures dropping below 25ºF for more than four hours, and some region
Rye is a staple forage in Southern pastures. Well, ryegrass, that is — not cereal rye. More specifically, annual ryegrass is the crop in question, not the perennial kind. And just to be clear, we
After a short hiatus as the alfalfa marketing world went through an engine overhaul, the Alfalfa Checkoff Program is set to resume on October 1. This is great news for the future of alfalfa.The checko
Corn smut is like an old tattoo; it looks worse than it really is. Nevertheless, it still baffles the typical mind that something that looks so bad can actually cause inconsequential harm when fed to
