Some of you reading this may never have considered the ensilage process as a preservation option, while others of you have been practicing this preservation technique since you and your pitchfork first lost your job to a silo unloader.

As herd sizes have grown, so have the storage units that preserve the forages used to feed dairy cows.

Fundamentally, the goal of hay production is to provide an inexpensive feedstuff that meets the nutritional needs (i.e., energy, protein, mineral, etc.) of the livestock.

The last few years have been difficult ones for hay producers. Regardless if someone is producing hay to feed to their own stock or producing it for sale to the public, the economics of hay production have changed drastically in the last several years. As a result, many producers are now taking a long-overdue look at the economics of hay production.

Men and women who harvest forage crops need to follow the weather predictions closely, especially when there is a shift to the “chance of showers” weather pattern.

Preventing molds and mycotoxins in dairy cattle feed is imperative to keep a herd healthy and on track to meet operational goals. Since there are few ways to overcome issues once mycotoxins are present, it is essential to prevent them from creeping into the ration.

Selling versus marketing
First, let’s make a distinction between selling and marketing. These two terms are frequently used interchangeably, but the processes are quite different. Selling is defined simply as the exchange or delivery of goods and services to a customer for a negotiated price.

On occasion, rain delays many folks from taking their first cutting of alfalfa.

As a buyer or seller of hay, what works for you? In the end, the buyer and seller are working towards a price that gives both a reasonable chance to make a living – a return for their share in labor, management, capital and risk.

Good quality forages are the nutritional cornerstone of profitable milk production.