Hay and Forage Research
The following items report on forage-related research recently presented by University experts at meetings across the country.
Improved Fescues Show Mixed Financial Benefits
Dairy cows produced more milk when grazing endophyte-free or novel (non-toxic)-endophyte tall fescue varieties instead of conventional fescue in a study by researchers...
Dry Distillers Grains Raise Digestibility, Feed Intake
Feeding a dry distillers grains supplement with smooth bromegrass increased total dry matter digestibility and feed intake, according to Iowa State University researchers...
Nitrogen Helps Make Bermudagrass More Digestible
Nitrogen fertilizer can increase bermudagrass digestibility, according to a study by researchers at the USDA-ARS Coastal Plain Experiment Station, Tifton, GA...
Hay Contest Helps Increase Forage Testing, RFQ Scores
A multi-state hay contest can influence growers to use forage tests and help increase relative forage quality (RFQ) scores...
Row Spacing Doesn't Affect Alfalfa Yield, Persistence
Alfalfa seeded at different row spacings but at the same rate of pure live seed (PLS) doesn't yield or persist much differently after the establishment...
Silage Density Variations Reduce Forage Quality
Dry matter densities of corn silage vary widely within bunkers and piles, reducing the opportunity to feed consistent, high-quality dairy forage, according...
Ryegrass Cover Crop Increases No-Till Corn Yields In Dry Years
Annual ryegrass used as a cover crop with no-till corn can out-produce conventionally tilled acres by an average of 50 bu/acre in droughty conditions...
Partial TMR Boosts Pasture Profit
In a whole-farm simulation study in Pennsylvania, feeding a partial TMR (pTMR) to grazing dairy cows increased annual net return per cow by $260 compared to a pas-ture-plus-concentrate system...
Pastures With Multiple Species Combat Drought
Pastures with more than two forage species are more productive than simpler mixes during drought, but not when rainfall is adequate...
Irrigation System Affects Corn Silage Nutrition
Too much flood irrigation can decrease the nutritional value of corn silage hybrids, say Italian and Cornell University researchers. They compared the NDF digestibility of si-lage made from silage hybrids watered with flood and sprinkler irrigation...
