Forage Types

Weed management in alfalfa poses significant challenges for many producers. Conventional herbicide options are limited, both in number and how they can be used.

There’s a bright spot on the horizon – the future of forages will be in good hands. Youth from 10 states entered the American Forage and Grassland Council (AFGC) 2019 youth essay contest, with prizes awarded at the annual convention in January in St. Louis, Missouri. Winners in the three categories are:

The use of silage on backgrounding operations offers many benefits, particularly for those producers who own or rent crop ground. Finishing rations typically include 5 to 15 percent silage for roughage.

Whether you want to grow more homegrown feedstuff without increasing acreage, improve soil structure, add organic matter into the ground, increase soil fertility or all the above – cover crops are an effective and quick way to achieve your forage goals.

“Have you ever gone to a company-sponsored producer meeting with one hand over your billfold and one hand over your checkbook, afraid that they [vitamin and mineral supplement companies] would try to squeeze one more dollar out of you?”

A total mixed ration (TMR) is defined as a method of feeding cows that combines feeds formulated to a specific nutrient content into a single feed mix that contains forages, grains, protein sources, minerals, vitamins and feed additives. This method of feeding has been highly adopted since the 1950s because it allows cows to consume a nutritionally balanced meal with every bite. Feeding a TMR has both advantages and disadvantages.