October 2024 Hay Pellets

October 29, 2024

• Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.6 million head on October 1. That number was down slightly year-over-year, according to USDA’s Cattle on Feed report.

• Placements in feedlots during September totaled 2.16 million head, down 2% from last year. On the other hand, marketings of fed cattle were up 2% from September 2023 at 1.7 million head.

• Should you find more feed or reduce the need?

• Everything is bigger in Texas, including hay stocks, but hay quality may be low.

• Alpacas have potential to reduce carbon emissions in grazing systems.

October 22, 2024

• According to the USDA’s Milk Production report, September milk production slid almost 4% month-over-month to less than 18.2 million pounds; however, this is up 0.1% from 2023. August milk production estimates were also revised from a slight deficit to a 0.4% year-over-year improvement.

• Of the top five dairy states, California’s milk production held steady year-over-year, while Wisconsin’s output fell 0.5%. Idaho, Texas, and New York milk production rose 1.8%, 4.9%, and 1.2%, respectively.

• Check out the nutrient value of corn residue for grazing cattle.

• You might be wasting money on more nitrogen fertilizer this fall.

• Be extra cautious of equipment fires during a dry period.

October 15, 2024

• The USDA’s Crop Production report for October showed the production of alfalfa and alfalfa-mixed hay was up 8% from last year at 53.9 million tons. Projections for acres harvested saw a marginal drop from last year, but expected average yields shot up 8% to 3.45 tons per acre. Note that final numbers won’t be available until January.

• All hay production other than alfalfa was pegged at 72.9 million tons, which was almost 6% higher than last year’s estimates. Greater yields per acre is likely to explain this trend as well.

• Total alfalfa hay exports fell to 157,353 metric tons (MT) in August, dropping 5% month-over-month, according to the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service.

• Alfalfa hay exports to China dropped significantly, from 81,493 MT in July to 55,547 MT in August. That decline was far from offset by the small gains in the second and third largest alfalfa hay export markets, Saudi Arabia and Japan.

• All U.S. hay exports for August totaled 247,113 MT, which was 1% greater than exports in July but 12% lower year-over-year.

October 8, 2024

• Three donation sites for livestock supplies are open in North Carolina to help those affected by Hurricane Helene. Needed items include round and square hay bales, grain mix and pellets for cattle, and fencing supplies. Click here for more information.

• The Heart of America Grazing Conference will be held October 15 to 17 in Elizabethtown, Ky. Register for the event here.

• A temporary agreement was reached to end the labor union strike and resume operations at more than 35 ports along the East and Gulf Coasts.

• Don’t shortcut any of these steps for selecting herbicide and spraying weeds.

• Follow up on your fall forage management with these tips for hayfields and pastures.

October 1, 2024

• Dairy Forage Seminars at World Dairy Expo begin Wednesday morning. Click here for the presentation schedule.

• The University of Minnesota finished first among 17 teams at the National Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest at World Dairy Expo. Modesto Junior College topped the International Post-Secondary Dairy Cattle Judging Contest, and the winning team for the National 4-H Dairy Cattle Judging Contest was New York.

• True and fall armyworms are both wreaking havoc in Kansas pastures and hayfields.

• Why do weeds stay green when drought kills other forages?

• This is the trade-off of applying nitrogen on tall fescue.