Although summer weather is long gone, the effects of drought conditions linger on many livestock operations. This means purchasing feed will probably be a necessity on farms where forage supplie

When temperatures fluctuate around the freezing point in the Midwest, the soil repeatedly expands and contracts. These freezing and thawing cycles can cause heaving in alfalfa stands, which may lead t

Cattle, sheep, goats, horses, or camels — it doesn’t matter. If you feed livestock, the chances are good that you’ve got forage in storage or lining fence rows. As the new year begins,

Feeding livestock hay in the winter may be an inevitable expense to an operation, but paying for wasted hay doesn’t have to be. Choosing an appropriate feeding practice and adhering to a strict feed

It’s been another year of ups and downs on farms and ranches. If you weren’t locked in on eHay Weekly every Tuesday morning, here’s a list of the 10 most popular articles that filtered

Winter rye is a popular winter annual to plant after corn or soybeans in the Midwest because of its ability to overwinter and acquire nutrients from the soil. In addition to protecting the ground and

Widespread drought in the western Fescue Belt caused significant damage or death to tall fescue pastures, according to Bruno Pedreira and Dale Helwig, an area agronomist and extension agent, res

One more practice to add to the current list of fescue toxicity mitigation strategies for beef cattle may have been discovered.Researchers at the University of Arkansas (UA) have found that the common

It is rarely ideal for grazing livestock to lose body condition — especially not in the midst of winter breeding season. Weight loss is often a result of low energy levels in cattle rations, but

Growth in the grass-finished beef sector has grown exponentially in the past decade. The desire for local foods by more consumers and the pandemic added a giant nudge to the grass-finished growth curv

Some farmers may have lower hay supplies this winter following a dry growing season. Buying hay might seem like a simple solution to fill feed gaps, but the decision to do so can be complex. Whil

In many areas hammered by drought this past summer and fall, purchasing additional hay will be a necessity in the upcoming weeks and months. Hay buyers need to exercise caution when making purchases f

As we flip the calendar from November to December, most harvest equipment is making its way to the machine shed for the season. Without properly winterizing equipment — including inoculant app

The concept of phosphorus and potassium “fixation” is often raised during discussions of potential forage fertilizer strategies. Fixation is thought of in terms of nutrients being bound in

Identifying the cause of an unanticipated crop problem during the growing season can be easy . . . until it’s not. When a second variable such as irrigation is thrown into the agronomic

Most silage and haylage crops from the past growing season now sit packed, covered, and/or wrapped. Perhaps you think it will make good feed because everything was done “right,” or maybe you

Cotton fiber may be the most valuable part of a cotton plant for human use, but cotton stalk residue can be utilized for livestock feed. Grazing cattle on leftover lint, leaves, burrs, and unopened bo

Farmers may be looking for alternative feedstuffs this fall if they are experiencing high hay prices or forage shortages due to drought. Baling soybean residue can be a low-cost solution to thes

In an era where dry weather seems to be the new normal, the Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage (PRF) insurance program is gaining interest and participation. The deadline to purchase PRF insurance fo

Photo: University of FloridaConventional feeding systems involve not only the cost of the feed but also a considerable investment in labor and equipment. To lower these costs, researchers at the Unive