Other Forage

Winter annual forages have become a mainstay for many dairy and beef rations across the country. The greatest challenge for many of my local producers is managing harvest timing to maximize quality with rain events that not only delay custom harvesters but also cause your perfectly timed harvest to come to a halt.

BJ Marks is an eighth-generation farmer in Mansfield, Georgia. He grew up in and around the livestock business; therefore he understands that forage quality and production is one of the biggest contributors to the success of any livestock operation.

Baleage has become a common term on farms throughout the country, as it is now one of the most popular ways of harvesting and storing feed – but what is baleage?

There are many forages grown for livestock feed, and today there are some new options.

Myths surrounding cover crops typically fall into one of two camps. The first camp is that of detriment, with concerns about available moisture being sucked up in a drought-prone area or fear that cash crop yields will be hurt. The second is misplaced expectations – placing cover crops on a pedestal as the Holy Grail to simultaneously fix every production woe.

Sainfoin is an old forage that is receiving renewed interest. It is known as a legume that has low bloat potential and also suppresses internal parasites in ruminants.