Aug. 8 2017 “It was the driest of times, it was the wettest of times...” might be the opening of a modern-day Charles Dickens novel. Why? Because depending on where you bought your 2017 fishing license...
Aug. 1 2017 For me, the onset of August always brings a significant demarcation date for forage producers. The end of the hot season is near, and the start of the cooler fall season can be seen with binoculars ra
July 18 2017 One of the long-standing topics of debate in the forage world is whether it is advantageous to cut in the morning or during late afternoon. People still hang their hat on one side of this argument or
July 11 2017 In most years, there are always farms and ranches that find themselves in the middle of a severe drought, while others are saddled with an extended period of relentless rain
July 4 2017 I’ve come to the conclusion that no forage species offers more complexities and mind-boggling management alternatives than toxic tall fescue. It is both a gift from God and at the same time a curse
June 27 2017 With a growing need for alfalfa, the Peoples Republic of China aims to significantly ramp up domestic production, according to a recent GAIN Report published by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service...
June 20 2017 I’ll admit it — for many years my eyes glossed right over the ash content of a forage sample. That’s not the case anymore.Ash content in harvested forages can have a significant role...
June 13 2017 Perhaps no flowering legume catches the eye more than crimson clover. Native to southern Europe, farmers and ranchers in the southern U.S. noted its value as a green manure and grazing crop
June 6 2017 Make it three — three consecutive months when hay prices have pushed higher, according to USDA’s Agricultural Prices report released last week.But should that excite hay market sellers and...
May 30 2017 It’s usually a no-win deal. The hay is ready to cut ... perhaps past ready ... but there’s a chance of rain over the next few days. So, do you cut and take a chance on the crop getting washed?
May 23 2017 After the speaker spent the better part of 45 minutes discussing the virtues of high forage fiber digestibility, he opened the floor up for questions. First out of the chute came this question in the
May 16 2017 Harvesting hay from the road right-of-way is a common practice in many parts of the United States. While the phrase “It’s better than feeding snowballs” is often associated with road...
May 8 2017 Never, ever complain or worry about a dry late winter and early spring.We’ve probably all done this and perhaps still do, but more often than not Mother Nature evens the score in May and June
April 30 2017 There was a day not too many years ago when virtually all fermented forage in the Midwest was stored in permanent, upright silos. These days, a significant percentage is stored either under or w
April 30 2017 Perhaps no physiological phenomenon is more important to the livestock industry than that of plant regrowth. Where would we be without it? Regrowth occurs each spring after winter dormancy, foll
April 30 2017 Long-time nutritionist Steve Woodford (left) and Tom Kestell regularly discuss forage quality tests and associated ration adjustments for Kestell’s high-producing dairy herd
April 25 2017 Cows aren’t the only creatures that like to eat alfalfa; count alfalfa weevils in that group as well.Entomologists across the U.S. are either filing reports of already severe alfalfa damage from...
April 18 2017 Here we go — the start of another growing season. In some areas of the U.S., the initial cutting of alfalfa is underway; for others, it is near, while some are just starting to watch the first signs...
