Forage Types

Friendshuh Farms separates corn silage to feed cows better

audrey@agproud.com — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

When a short, wet 2019 wheat harvest left dairies struggling with expensive and moldy straw, one farm decided there had to be a better way to feed dry cows than their Goldilocks diet. That challenge sparked an idea that would ultimately set the operation apart by separating corn silage into fodder and fines.

How is this year’s corn silage feeding?

james.smith1959@gmail.com — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Understanding and implementing all the best management practices every season for producing high-quality corn silage that are under your control is critical. Making yourself aware of the impact of the growing environment each season through early sampling and testing is the first step. Benchmarking it annually and addressing those impacts with proven and cutting-edge technology will provide the consistency your herd thrives on and is critical to your bottom line.

Growing forage for a growing dairy: opportunities and balance

jrl65@cornell.edu — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

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.

Keeping silage clean: Hygienic practices for optimal feedout

rschmidt@lallemand.com — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Effective feedout goes beyond simply removing the plastic, tires and defacing the silo – it is about preserving quality and maximizing return on investment. Without proper management, silage can spoil quickly, leading to unnecessary waste, reduced feed efficiency and potential for digestive issues for your herd.

Successfully transition your cows from one silage to another

ben.jensen@hubbardfeeds.com — Thu, 29 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Silage can be difficult to introduce into an animal’s diet, but once it is established, moving from one crop to the next produces a new set of challenges. When changing types of silage, or from crop to crop, here are some things to consider.

Maximizing feed's journey from field to bulk tank

kbuse@lallemand.com — Fri, 16 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Staying ahead of seasonal challenges with a proactive feeding program can significantly minimize silage spoilage risks and maximize herd performance and efficiency. By adopting a clean feed approach – through managing the ensiling and feeding of silage, implementing hygienic on-farm practices and ensuring the right nutrition – producers provide their herd with the best opportunity for a high-quality clean feed source and the ability to efficiently produce high-quality milk.

Mycotoxin risks within the 2024 corn crop

mhawkins@alltech.com — Sun, 23 Mar 2025 23:00:00 -0400

Corn silage has a risk from multiple mycotoxins, with type B trichothecenes being the greatest risk. Stored corn grains may be at greater risk due to damaged kernels and a higher percentage of foreign matter.

Tools for a successful forage crop

nickward@wardlab.com — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Discover how selecting weed-competitive varieties, testing soil and irrigation water, adjusting soil pH, monitoring plants, controlling weeds and timing your harvest can have a significant impact on forage quality.

California dairy innovates with automated indoor feed mill

audrey@agproud.com — Fri, 07 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Known for its forward-thinking approach, River Ranch Farms LLC has embraced numerous innovations, from a biogas hub and solar fields to the recent development of an automated indoor feed mill. At the forefront is Forever Feed Technologies, a company that dairy producer Jack de Jong helped establish to explore the possibilities of sprouted grain feeding systems.

How can we determine the ideal amount of corn silage in dairy cow diets?

jplaroche@lactanet.ca — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Producers who work with corn silage sometimes wonder about the optimal proportion of this ingredient in their diet. Answering this question is no easy task, as the effects of changing it are multiple and complex. Let's look at the facts to guide our decisions.

The variability nesting dolls

katie_raver@rockriverlab.com — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Although managing starch digestibility may feel like uncovering the center in a never-ending set of nesting dolls, there are many tools available to help us start to break this down. Doing so can help ensure that rations meet expected values and help farmers make the most out of purchased and homegrown feeds. It can also shed light on opportunities to improve starch digestion and ensure we aren’t missing out on valuable energy.

New report shows mycotoxins are on the rise in common feed ingredients

aldo.rossi@amlan.com — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Cows that consume feed contaminated with mycotoxins – which include natural toxins made by various species of molds – may suffer a host of various metabolic disruptions that lead to a loss of milk production, hormonal imbalance and reduced reproductive performance.

Is this alfalfa stand good enough to keep?

djunders@wisc.edu — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

As an alfalfa stand ages and thins, the primary question becomes: Is this stand good enough to keep? Now is a good time to evaluate stands as more time is allowed for planning crop rotations than when stands are evaluated in the spring and determined to be uneconomic.

Practicing silage safety is priceless

kzm175@psu.edu — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400

There are six main hazards when it comes to silage: 1) complacency and fatigue, 2) entanglement by machinery, 3) rollover by machinery, 4) fall from heights, 5) crushing by silage avalanche or collapse, and 6) silo gases. By regularly taking safety precautions at each of these hazard points, we can ensure that our farm workers return home safely at the end of the day.

The fiber that gels

woody@woodylane.com — Fri, 12 Jul 2024 00:00:45 -0400

Fiber isn’t fiber isn’t fiber. Lots of folks talk about fiber – doctors, teachers, marketers, nutritionists – but there are different types of nutritional fiber, and fiber digestibility partially depends on the species of animal consuming it.

Trend toward alternative forages means adjusting crop nutrition protocols

dan.peterson@agroliquid.com — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

The emerging trend toward alternative forages means it may be time to adjust crop nutrition protocols. Alfalfa has long been considered the “queen” of forages thanks to its high protein solubility and digestibility balanced with amino acids.

Maximizing forage quality: Key considerations for successful ensiling

rschmidt@lallemand.com — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Effective management, including the use of proven inoculants to manage the ensiling process at the microbiological level, safeguards your investment, maximizes time and resources, and is critical for optimizing your bottom line.

Preserving hay quality: Tips for your dairy operation

Wed, 08 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Forage quality is a crucial consideration on a dairy, impacting the success and profitability of your operation.

Preparations for bunk stability

ben.jensen@hubbardfeeds.com — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400

A total mixed ration (TMR) diet has long been used to consistently offer a high-quality mix to ruminants. It allows farms to incorporate almost any ingredient into the diet consistently, safely removing much of the variation from one mouthful to the next.

Reducing the risk of clostridial fermentation in silage

usjasn@chr-hansen.com — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 00:00:03 -0400

Clostridial fermentation can be detected in silages by its unpleasant smell, slimy appearance and dark coloration. One reason for the nasty odor is butyric acid, which has a strong "rancid butter" smell.

Creating a win-win: Grazing heifers for economic and ecological returns

aschank@wisc.edu — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Dairy heifer grazing increases the amount of well-managed grassland in an area – improving dairy’s climate performance and supporting the regeneration of soil, water and biodiversity resources.

A growing concern for fescue toxicosis within the dairy industry

carmen.burner@uga.edu — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Tall fescue is a hearty deep-rooted perennial that grows widely across 15 states in the southeastern U.S. and covers more than 35 million acres.

2023 U.S. harvest analysis identifies variable mycotoxin risk

mhawkins@alltech.com — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The 2023 corn crop was challenged by a wide variation of environmental challenges. Drought in the Southwest and western Corn Belt to late-season rainfall in the Ohio Valley and eastern Corn Belt, the weather challenged the crop.

Forage Market Insights: 2024 plans taking shape

dave@agproud.com — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Here’s Progressive Forage’s monthly look at factors impacting hay markets across the U.S.

Variability is the only constant when feeding new-crop forages

Joel.Pankowski@churchdwight.com — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Variability is the one constant dairy producers can count on. Unfortunately, cows appreciate consistency and do best when things stay the same on a daily basis.

Purchased and home-raised feeds: Where are we losing the most profit for the dairy?

clm275@psu.edu — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Profitable dairy production requires a very efficient conversion of feed to milk. A combination of purchased and home-raised feeds are frequently used to provide the needs of the dairy operation.

The long or short of it: Silage is a good investment

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Silage is a critical feed for livestock, especially ruminants like dairy cattle. This high-quality feed is created by harvesting crops like corn, sorghum, cereals, alfalfa and grass and storing them in a manner that allows them to ferment and maintain their quality.

Don’t leave money in the field

mark.scuffham@claas.com — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400

By concentrating on improving bale density, producers can significantly enhance their return on investment.

Managing and feeding haylages with butyric acid fermentations

ahall@lallemand.com — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Producers across the U.S. experienced a wet and rainy chopping season for small-grain silage and haylage.

The power of alfalfa: Enhancing dairy nutrition and flexibility

dcweakley@landolakes.com — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0400

In the ever-evolving world of sustainable agriculture, one crop stands tall for its exceptional benefits to both ruminant animals and your farm’s bottom line: alfalfa.