December 2021 Hay Pellets

December 28, 2021

• November milk production in the U.S. totaled 18 billion pounds, down 0.4% from November 2020. Milk cow numbers have been on a steady decline, dropping by 122,000 head since last May, according to USDA’s Milk Production report.

• Cattle and calves on feed for the U.S. slaughter market totaled 12 million head on December 1 for feedlots with over 1,000 head capacity. The inventory was slightly below one year ago. Marketings of fed cattle during November totaled 1.87 million head, which was 5% above 2020, but there was one additional slaughter day compared to last year.

• North Dakota State extension specialists note that vitamin A will be an important component in beef cattle diets this winter if drought-impacted forages are being fed.

• David Hula of Charles City, Va., topped this year’s National Corn Yield Contest by tipping the scales at 602 bushels per acre. The projected U.S. average corn yield is 177 bushels per acre.

• A comparison of commercially available novel-endophyte tall fescue forage varieties is now available from North Carolina State Extension.

December 21, 2021

• The Alliance for Grassland Renewal offers this information for assessing the economics of converting a pasture to novel endophyte tall fescue.

• South Dakota State University reminds us that proper forage sampling is the key to obtaining an accurate nutrient analysis.

• Here’s some tips on estimating and supplying the correct amount of forage for horses during winter.

• Time is running short to register for the American Forage and Grassland Council Conference in Wichita, Kan., beginning on January 9.

• This University of Missouri extension agronomist offers tips on dealing with high nitrogen prices.

December 14, 2021

• The University of Kentucky’s Research and Education Center in Princeton took a direct hit from the recent tornado.

• October exports of U.S. alfalfa hay totaled 259,801 metric tons (MT), according to USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. Per usual, China led the pack of trade partners by importing 162,856 MT, which was slightly higher than its September total.

• University of Florida Extension adds to the growing advice for tuning up crop fertilizer strategies in 2022.

• Here’s a new video addition from the University of Kentucky titled “Ten Tips to Help Livestock Producers Weather High Fertilizer Prices.”

• Alabama Cooperative Extension has recently unveiled a free online “Forage Basics” course, which can be completed at the participant’s convenience.

• What’s the value of those cornstalk bales?

December 7, 2021

• Baling corn residue following harvest might offer an optional roughage source if hay supplies are going to be tight, but what is their true value?

• The potential for nitrate poisoning is high when feeding drought-affected forages.

• Although the fall started out strong with record-breaking rain amounts in California, it has been mostly dry since then. Historically, most of The Golden State's precipitation comes in the months of January through April, so there is still time to rebound. However, many people have already predicted large water allocation cuts for the 2022 growing season.

• The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Controls agreed to provide a reprieve through next April on sanctions for potash fertilizers imported to the U.S. from Belarus. This will help alleviate some of the pressure on further price hikes.

• Iowa State University Extension has developed a new publication that details how to grow and sell carbon credits and characterizes the different options available.