Forage Types

For those who raise livestock, making hay is a way of life. However, after going through another frustrating hay season dealing with weather and equipment, there has to be a better way … and there is.

It is the time of year that our office begins receiving calls about getting rid of toxic tall fescue. The calls are really questions: “How to?” ... “When to?” ... “What to?” Let’s go through these questions, beginning at the end with the ultimate question: What should I plant after I get rid of my toxic tall fescue?

Whether it’s after the wheat or corn harvest, there are many wonderful opportunities to enhance your profitability by grazing cover crops.

Dr. Charles Brummer’s research at the University of California – Davis has focused on alfalfa breeding. One area of focus is looking into the genetic basis of fall dormancy using various genetic mapping methods. His group is also evaluating a large amount of germplasm to find adapted, high-yielding, non-dormant germplasm under saline conditions and under deficit irrigation.

Alfalfa can get sick too, but oftentimes the influence of a disease goes unrecognized or is mistaken for something else. Find out what ailments are prevalent in your area, what it can do to your alfalfa’s production and what can be done to stop it.

Triticale is the result of crossing wheat and rye, combining the nutritional value of the wheat and the rapid growth, heat tolerance and hardiness of rye. It was originally discovered back in the late 1800s, although it wasn’t until the 1960s that it was available commercially.