Nov. 27, 2023
On a Tuesday afternoon in the middle of August, Dan Funke zipped through a hayfield in a Krone Big M450 triple mower...


Aug. 15, 2023
Enduring a drought is depleting for forages as well as farmers. Not only did the lack of rainfall through mid-summer limit yield and quality in hayfields across the country, but the dry weather has le...


March 9, 2020
BALEAGE, or making silage in bales of wilted forage that are wrapped in plastic to create an anaerobic environment, allows for the more timely harvest of forage crops...


Jan. 13, 2020
As the growing season comes to an end, the hay buying and selling season begins. It’s still amazing how many round bales get sold on a per bale/roll basis rather than by weight...


Nov. 27, 2019
Choosing the correct location for a hay barn can be a challenge. You might choose different locations depending on where you bale hay, how the farm is laid out, and whether you plan to sell your hay or feed your animals...


May 3, 2016
“Sometimes the method with the least expense ends up costing you the most,” says Brian Beer, an extension area livestock specialist for Clemson University. Beer proves his point in a recent...


Feb. 19, 2016
Though there is no scientific survey that documents the rising popularity of baled silage, an excursion down rural roads tells us that more and more forage is being harvested in this manner...


June 2, 2015
Your hay storage needs to balance storage cost and forage loss.Given the value of hay today, the economic loss from large round bales stored outside, without cover, on the ground can be excessive. Thi...


June 1, 2015
Many bales of expensive hay in big stacks is a recipe for financial disaster that is present to some degree on every dairy in the West. But it is a risk that doesn’t have to exist, says University of Idaho extension forage specialist Glenn Shewmaker, who has 11 strategies for dairies to reduce the risk of hay fires. They don’t center around buying expensive equipment, but making time to take samples frequently, keeping records and learning what to look for...