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A cattle producer wants to put 25 head of feeder cattle on a pasture you are not currently using. Envisioning 500-pound feeders, you estimate the pasture will feed 25 500-pound steers for three months, and you both agree.
Based on the title, you might be wondering if prognostication is some kind of new forage management practice – and in a way, it is. Prognostication means “to predict, using current indicators as a guide.”
The U.S. farming sector has exhibited very strong financial performance during the past five to seven years in terms of income generation, cash flow and debt servicing capacity, and equity accumulation, but that strong performance has been accompanied by increased volatility.
There’s something magical about turning a shovelful of soil in a pasture or an alfalfa field – the sound of the shovel slicing smoothly into ground, the rich smell of soil and the sight of wriggling earthworms.
“It’s hard to find any help that isn’t as confused as we are.”
For Mark Davies, the middle-generation son in this farming family, it was a dubious beginning for what should have been a major step on the road to a more certain future.
Most winter-feeding programs for dry cows rely on relatively less expensive, lower quality forages like corn stalks, prairie hay and winter range. These forages have low amounts of crude protein.
I am often bewildered by all the brands, bells and whistles available for just about anything I set out to buy these days. Perhaps you feel that way about buying forage seed. How do you determine the best species and varieties for your farm?
To have a successful transition between the generations, it is important that everyone involved is aware of your plan. While some heirs may think the plan is inequitable, it is better if they discuss with you rather than taking it out on the other heirs after your death.
Dr. Frank Owsley recalls a visit years ago with a friend and livestock producer who was practicing data management long before the term “big data” rated so much as blip on the cultural radar – for that matter, long before any grower could enter data into a computer via the convenience of a keyboard.
Every farm business faces a host of risks from weather, disease, markets and ever-changing ag policy. However, there are five major risks every farm transition plan should consider and develop contingencies to address.
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