There are nearly as many ways to feed hay as there are farms in the U.S. Everyone seems to have their own method. Despite significantly lower fertilizer prices in 2016, hay and baleage bales are still expensive. So, a number of articles have been penned over the years to keep costs low by minimizing hay feeding losses. Yet, that is only part of the story.

During our current severe drought, any technique that saves water excites us more than a dog in a sausage factory. Thus the comments by some claiming substantial water savings by growing forage hydroponically as a livestock feed has attracted substantial interest.

What does it cost to harvest a ton of hay? I have asked this question to large audiences of hay producers. Several farmers can estimate their harvest costs fairly accurately; some know their costs exactly; others do not know what it costs them.

Setting up a limited liability company (LLC) is a popular option in America and it could provide both tax and liability advantages for farmers. However, since every farming operation is unique and every farmer’s assets and liabilities differ, an LLC doesn’t fit the needs of every farming operation.

A written contract can be a valuable tool for farmers, but many farm leases never end up in writing. Basing a farm lease arrangement on just a conversation and a handshake can be risky. Consider, for example, a verbal grazing lease that ended up in court because an extended drought substantially reduced the amount of forage and the parties couldn’t agree on how to handle the problem.

High-starch feeds can encourage excellent milk production by providing a great energy source to cows, but they may seem intimidating to producers. Ensiling feeds such as corn silage, high-moisture corn (HMC) and snaplage bring additional challenges to silage fermentation because these feeds are high in starch and can differ in moisture content.