Planting

Debates about uncoated, light-coated (9 percent) and heavy-coated (34 percent) alfalfa seed are common among seed sellers and farmers.

Corn silage is one of the most commonly fed forages in the U.S. However, it often leaves soil bare between fall harvest and spring planting.

Silage and earlage can be important sources of energy and other nutrients for growing beef cattle and also sources of roughage for finishing cattle.

If you are not familiar with binomial nomenclature (the international language for naming plants), let’s clarify the differences between species, variety and cultivar, which are all terms you will encounter during seed selection.

Cover crops should be more than just a placeholder between cash crop seasons. They should improve soil health, provide nutrients to cattle and be adaptable to the producer’s needs.

In recent years, budgets for public breeding in forage grasses and legumes have been decreasing. Public universities and government agencies with already limited activity in grass and legume breeding are moving those resources to other crop breeding and trial activities.