Other Forage

The economic interest in enhancing the utilization of forage crops for dairy production has already been well demonstrated.

The use of cover crops in commercial crop production systems has grown exponentially over the last decade.

California dairy farmers are now in their fourth year of drought, and this has led to more forage sorghums being planted in the state.

About 35 years ago, Jack Hudson of Dafter, Michigan, decided he wanted to farm. He chose to grow birdsfoot trefoil and raised as much as 1,000 acres at one point.

Andy Schuepbach, a Hereford breeder in southern Alberta, has been utilizing two varieties of ryegrass to provide fall and winter feed. High protein content eliminates the need for any other protein source.

You likely have seen a seed sales pitch on high-sugar forages or high-sugar grass and legume mixes. Then follows the question: Why should you produce sweet forages? The simple reason is that cows prefer it, will eat more and thus produce more milk or gain with improved nitrogen use efficiency, which means reduced nitrogen loss to the environment.