MANAGEMENT

Cover crop consultant David Kleinschmidt discusses key factors producers need to consider before setting up a trial and what data to collect.

Often, I consult with livestock producers testing forage for their animals. Inevitably there are two numbers on the report they are most concerned with, protein and relative feed value (RFV). Protein is an important value to understand if the forage meets animal requirements, and RFV is a useful index to quickly compare or rank forages.

It can be difficult to make the right decisions when it feels like everything is on the line. Times of uncertainty can impose pressures that cause the decision-making process to malfunction.

Double KS Farms LLC

“Every minute counts,” said Jim Schmidt. Schmidt and his family run Double KS Farms LLC, an 8,000-acre no-till grain farm near Manhattan, Kansas.

Ranchers often use fire to help control or retard invasive species or brushy plants like juniper or cedar, create more forage for livestock or reduce fuel loads to help prevent catastrophic wildfires.