Where climate is adequate for its growth, corn silage is the main forage in intensive cattle production systems.

Winter annual forages have become a mainstay for many dairy and beef rations across the country. The greatest challenge for many of my local producers is managing harvest timing to maximize quality with rain events that not only delay custom harvesters but also cause your perfectly timed harvest to come to a halt.

Baleage has become a common term on farms throughout the country, as it is now one of the most popular ways of harvesting and storing feed – but what is baleage?

Photosynthesis is a little like Ben & Jerry’s ice cream – it comes in a variety of flavors. Some folks can probably recite all the ice cream flavors from memory, but how many folks know the types of photosynthesis?

Grazing cover crops can be a cost-effective way to achieve multiple operational goals. Cover crops can provide ground cover to prevent erosion, improve soil health over time and provide nutrient-dense forage for grazing. However, turning cattle out onto cover crops to graze without understanding the risks can lead to a wreck.

Brown midrib (BMR) or low-lignin varieties of sorghum, sudan, millet and hybrid crosses have been commercially available since the 1990s. However, I still receive questions (and opinions) from livestock producers regarding claims that BMR varieties improve animal performance relative to their non-BMR counterparts. Some buy in wholeheartedly, attesting to improved intake and body condition; others say they have not seen the benefits.