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Many forage growers have recently had “sticker shock” at their ag-supplier’s counter. The best varieties are considerably more expensive than what most growers have grown accustomed to paying. Consequently, some forage growers have been tempted to either use inferior varieties or substantially reduce seeding rates in the superior varieties to save on seed costs during establishment. But, there is a difference between cutting costs and cutting corners.
Grab a bag of grass or clover seed at your local supplier, and that seed likely has an origin in Oregon. In fact, around 90 percent of all the cool-season forage seeds used in the U.S. originate from the Willamette River Valley south of Portland.
Tall fescue is one of the most important forage species, with about 40 million acres of it in the U.S. Yet forage growers have reported that yield loss and stand declines have gotten increasingly noticeable over the last few years.
At the American Forage and Grassland Council’s annual meeting in Roanoke, Virginia, this past January, I was asked to summarize and present the scientific literature on mob grazing. This article provides a distilled version of that research summary.
When progressive forage growers hear the words “New Zealand,” they instantly think of rolling pastures and intensive grazing management. Those who are also in the dairy industry are likely to think about the volume of milk produced in such a tiny country.
“Off with their heads!” is the trademark phrase of the Queen of Hearts, a vile and loathsome character in Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. Whenever she was even slightly annoyed by one of her subjects, she would command this terrible fate for them. This is obviously not a good character trait, unless one applies the “off with their heads” philosophy to tall fescue. As it turns out, headless tall fescue is greatly beneficial to animal performance.
In late October and early November 2016, I led a group from the American Forage and Grassland Council on a tour of New Zealand. The goal for our trip was to foster more of a connection with our colleagues and counterparts while learning more about their livestock industries.
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.
Late summer means the fall planting season is upon us. In the coming weeks, hundreds of thousands of acres will be planted. Here are some key considerations to help ensure your plantings are successful and cost-effective.
As their name implies, sugarcane aphids have been a significant pest in sugarcane for decades. These small yellow, gray or tan aphids (Photo 1) feed on the underside of the plant leaf. The host range of these aphids was thought to only include sugarcane, but that changed in 2013.
