Harvest & Storage

When we have excess forage and want to preserve it for future use, we really have only three practical choices. We can let it remain in the field as standing dry vegetation.

Research trials in the eastern U.S, in which large round bales are stored outside without protection for six months or more, found dry matter losses of 30 percent or greater to be common.

An adequate stand of plants with high vigor is necessary for high yields and the opportunity for high forage quality. Profitability during stand life is largely determined by the establishment phase of alfalfa production.

Today’s producers continue to strive to produce the highest-quality hay possible.

The forage needs of the equine industry are changing, presenting forage growers an opportunity to adapt operations to profit from an emerging niche market.

A sustained warming trend heats soils, which tells plants to grow, but day length tells them it’s not time yet. Research looks at how plants are coping with fluctuations.