Reducing the exposure of hay to the rain, snow and hot sun certainly aids in protecting the visual integrity of the baled forage. However, what does the weather, elements and time do to the nutritional integrity of these same bales?

Drought stress is one of the most significant limiting factors in crop production worldwide, and alfalfa is no exception. Dealing with droughts and water shortages can be challenging. However, there are some new tools available to alfalfa producers to help mitigate yield and profit losses.

The good news is that despite the downsizing of proprietary and public alfalfa breeding programs, there is still a lot of genetic improvements being made. This is in part due to the technical advances in plant breeding.

When a producer plants an alfalfa field, there is an expectation that the field will remain productive for several years. Alfalfa is a perennial crop but there is a limit to its longevity, since all alfalfa fields naturally thin over time.

Alfalfa, often crowned the “queen of forages,” has long reigned supreme in the world of agriculture, commanding respect and admiration from hay producers and dairy farmers alike.

Winter cereals provide green, actively growing plants during the fall and early winter periods and are the first to green up in the spring.

Drought conditions around the country can be a mixed bag any given year. This year, portions of the Central Plains, West, Southwest and Midwest have dealt with various drought conditions.

The most effective weed control programs for summer annual weeds in many crops include herbicides that deliver long-lasting, residual weed control.

Many grasses and legumes can be utilized in pastures or hayfields today to improve production, and new varieties are better than some of the traditional forages. When selecting something to plant, look at what might work best in your situation.