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Managing alfalfa in cold climates

Alfalfa is vital for Idaho dairies, but cold climates hinder fermentation and storage; careful management of harvest, nutrients and preservation is essential to maintain forage quality and productivity.

April 27, 2026

Daniella Almeida and Thiago Bernardes

Overall, producing and preserving alfalfa in cold climates requires technical planning and strategic decisions at every stage, from cutting to feedout.

Wet forecast intensifies seeding decisions

Frequent winter freeze-thaw periods and a wet spring outlook increase stress on alfalfa and small‑grain establishment. Planting soon after the last killing frost helps alfalfa compete with weeds and reduces early season risks. Monitoring 30‑, 60‑ and 90‑day forecasts allows growers to adjust plans as conditions shift.

February 23, 2026

Lynn Grooms

Spring forage planting in the Upper Midwest may be complicated by freeze-thaw cycles and forecasts for above‑normal precipitation. Even so, timely decisions and attention to field conditions can help growers establish strong stands.

Assessing the 2025 growing season while anticipating the 2026 outlook

Weather conditions changed dramatically during the course of the last growing season, with drought easing in some areas while emerging in others. By winter, attention had shifted eastward, where new dryness raised concerns for soil moisture heading into the next growing season.

December 26, 2025

Marian Viney

The 2025 growing season saw drought recede in the west, only to emerge east of the Mississippi, setting up an uncertain 2026 outlook as producers brace for shifting moisture patterns.

Prussic acid management in sorghum forages

Sorghum is a high-value forage option, but producers need to manage it carefully to avoid maladies such as prussic acid poisoning.

July 31, 2025

Shelby Gruss

In recent years, producers across the Midwest have increasingly turned to sorghum as a flexible forage option. However, careful management is required to avoid maladies such as prussic acid poisoning.

Managing forage in the face of more frequent extreme weather events

March 12, 2024

Joe Lawrence

The list of notable weather events in 2023 is long and varied — from drought conditions in parts of the Midwest, to extreme flooding in portions of New England, to smoky skies from Canadian wildfires.

Frost seeding clovers into tall fescue pastures provides multiple ecosystem services

Ball, crimson, red and white clovers can be successfully frost seeded into tall fescue pastures as a strategy to create a grass-legume mixture and to improve pasture and livestock responses.

December 12, 2023

Miguel Castillo

Tall fescue-clover pastures have a long history of improving livestock performance in the U.S. transition zone as well as mitigating the effects of fescue toxicosis.

Southeast: Forages, frost and prussic acid poisoning

October 23, 2023

Kim Mullenix

Forages such as johnsongrass, sorghum, sudangrass and sorghum-sudangrass hybrids can contain toxic concentrations of hydrocyanic acid (HCN) after a frost event or during periods of drought.

Maximize seeding yield: Plant early

Inspect new alfalfa stands about a week after freezing temperatures. If populations are inadequate for long-term productive stands, no-till alfalfa seed to thicken the stand.

April 10, 2023

Craig Sheaffer

Spring seedings provide optimal temperatures and moisture for the establishment and growth of alfalfa.

Giving the best nutrition in winter grazing

December 1, 2020

Caitlin Hebbert

The greatest percentage of a cow’s annual maintenance cost is almost always allocated toward her feed bill, which can include supplement, mineral and hay.