Harvest & Storage

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.

Disc-type mowers have revolutionized hay mowing by eliminating cutter bar clogs and by increasing the speed at which an acre of hay can be mowed. Disc machines come in pull-type models, with or without conditioners, and three-point-hitch-mounted models, with some manufacturers offering attached conditioners.

When you can see the quality of the hay, haylage or baleage that you harvested last year, and how the animals eating it are doing, now is a good time to evaluate how well you did with forage harvesting last year.

When pasture production is limited (drought, temperatures, etc.), there are other opportunities to continue to provide forage for livestock. Some of those opportunities could include hay production, stockpiled forage or baleage.

Problem: You’re frustrated – you send hay samples to multiple labs and the variability between them is high. What gives?

Yes, variability among labs exists; no one denies that. Before we lay blame on the lab, however, let’s make sure you understand the analysis.