Harvest & Storage

We haven’t paid much attention to ash until recently when we have begun using the summative equation to estimate energy of forage.

As dairy businesses become larger, more specialized and management-intensive, producers are focusing more on production from forages, requiring larger quantities of high-quality forages.

You prepare the land; purchase the seed and fertilizer; plant the crop; manage the pests; nurture that crop throughout the season; harvest when the crop matures or when the weather allows.

Haymaking conditions this spring were very poor in some areas. Much hay has been rained on or left lying in the field for prolonged time periods due to cool and humid conditions, which reduced drying rates.

This year’s unusually wet spring and early summer has led many farmers in some areas to store hay that’s wetter than normal, increasing the danger of barn fires.

Dairy farmers now have an option to purchase consistently high-quality hay that provides 23.3 percent crude protein and virtually no waste because of the way it’s processed.