MANAGEMENT

Since the mid-1800s, there have been efforts to characterize the value of forage and predict its effects on animal production. Joe Burns defined this issue with, “The characteristic of a forage that composes its nutritive value (NVAL) and its consumption and conversion by the animal determines the quality of the nutrient entity and provides an estimate of its forage quality.”

Average daily gain (ADG) is a widely used benchmark in the beef industry. A high weight at weaning is the sum of about 200 days of growth, with a high rate of growth each day.

Employee work ethics can result in either profit or loss for the forage grower, so it is wise to devote ample time to personnel management. You don’t want an inferior employee operating a $50,000 round baler.

It is often overwhelming to know where to begin when it comes to forage production. Do I spray for weeds? Do I replant? Do I graze what forage is already there? How do I get to that perfectly lush, green pasture like my neighbor?

A fundamental goal to a successful harvest season is that “everyone goes home at the end of the day – whole, healthy and ideally in better shape and condition than at the start of their work day.” There is also a very real financial side to a successful and safe harvest. Prevention of accidents and their resultant injury and illness reduces your annual worker’s compensation bill.

Recordkeeping – the term conjures up hours of office work and data entry. It’s the nemesis of many a productive farmer, a nightmare of paperwork and frustrating computer programs.