Moving from a dry hay system to baleage involves additional capital investment. In fact, it’s a major reason why many hay producers don’t make that switch.Even with the additional cash outlay for...

AS I travel around, I see a lot of silage in uncovered piles, many for use by cow-calf or backgrounding operations. Looking at the amount of surface spoilage and knowing about the other major so...

Forage quality and consistency rank near the top of every dairy producer’s list as key influences on farm profitability...

Wrapping moist, large round or square bales in plastic to create an anaerobic environment for silage fermentation has gained steadily in popularity, particularly for small and midsized dairy or beef producers...

As the realization of the work and endless tasks begins to bear down each spring, the anticipation of a new crop year can quickly turn to anxiety. Juggling the spring workload requires wel...

It seems pretty rare to find a 2-for-1 deal that is of value. It can also feel frustrating when proposed practices to protect the environment impede your ability to remain efficient...

“Our failure rate was just too high,” said Dan Funke to those in attendance at the California Alfalfa & Forage Symposium.The veteran Larchwood, Iowa, haymaker was referring to his abilit...

“Mike, you need to come down here. I’d like to talk to you,” related the voice over my office phone in late April. I would soon learn that voice belonged to Willie Foster, a man who has a...

The author is a forage consultant in Bay City, Wis. Several years into my forage career I encountered a high-producing, well-managed herd struggling with managing forage piles. It wasn’t...

The New York state agricultural plastics recycling program is one of the best in the nation. Even so, there’s still plenty of room for more involvement by farmers and agencies. Billions of pou...