Forage Types

When rain occurs in windrowed alfalfa fields, problems often develop. Sometimes referred to as “windrow disease,” these problems can be noted by stripes in the field where alfalfa windrows remained so long that some smothering occurred underneath the hay.

Have you looked at the commodity futures markets lately? If you’re cringing right now, it’s most likely because you’ve seen corn futures projected to climb higher than $5 per bushel and soybeans on the march to record highs, too. Because these prices aren’t expected to drop anytime soon, dairy producers continue to find ways to lower costs, sometimes by substituting cheaper feedstuffs with a lower nutrient value. But one feedstuff producers can’t cut corners with is high-quality alfalfa for the nutrition, health and productivity it provides. For growers, high-quality, high-yielding alfalfa can mean additional profits in the bank.

Crop production demands for corn (starch) and soybeans (soy oil) have dramatically changed in the past 12 months in this country, as have the commodity prices that accompany them.

Some alfalfa fields have had a rough time. If drought does not stress the crop enough, the winter ice or freezing temperatures certainly could.

Alfalfa is a high-quality, valuable forage crop that can be successfully produced on most well-drained soils.

Corn silage is a very challenging crop to feed, analyze in the laboratory and to sort fact-from-fiction with regards to selecting the best genetics for individual dairy enterprises. The challenge begins with corn silage being a “TMR plant” consisting of a grass plant with high-moisture corn attached. This raises issues ranging from more potential for sub-sampling errors in obtaining representative samples, to the energy availability being highly influenced by the degree of kernel damage.