RFQ was designed to fix RFV’s blind spots – so why are producers still split on which number to trust?

Short‑stature corn hybrids are gaining attention as producers look for silage options with better standability and improved fiber digestibility. Their unique characteristics may offer nutritional and agronomic advantages.

RFV and RFQ give a fast way to rank forage lots, but both reduce a complex feed to a single number. A full forage analysis is essential for understanding true feeding value.

Forage is the foundation of most beef cattle diets. Whether cattle are grazing pasture, eating hay or being fed silage, these feeds provide the bulk of nutrients for cow-calf, stocker and backgrounding operations.

Sheep and goats share ruminant anatomy with cattle, but their smaller rumens and distinct grazing behaviors demand higher-quality, more digestible forage to meet energy needs.

In the Northeast and similar growing environments, home-grown forages are well-understood to provide the foundation of an economically and environmentally sustainable dairy cow diet.

Winter feeding presents one of the greatest challenges for beef cattle producers. Forage quality often declines once pastures mature or when hay is harvested under less-than-ideal conditions.

As early-lactation dairy cows demand increasingly digestible forages, producers continue to challenge the limits of nutrient delivery. New data and decades of USDA-ARS research confirm that digestibility is key to unlocking forage value.

That green field of alfalfa might look lush from the roadside – but what’s lurking in the mix could be quietly reducing your forage quality, lowering animal intake and even risking nitrate toxicity. Learn which weeds do the most damage, how they impact feed value and what you can do to protect your first cutting and your herd.