Making and using ditch hay to feed cattle can be a good way to combat a feed shortage. It’s a common practice across the U.S., but balancing beef diets around it can be a challenge. In most cases

Photo credit: Melissa HerrMany factors can have an influence on the price of hay. Some of these factors are related to the characteristics of the hay itself while others may be more external in nature

This year’s weather has been far from cooperative. Many fields are flooded, and even if the rain stops, meadows and fields will see severe damage from the standing water. Overall, these fields will

Don’t be surprised if you find friendly fish swimming around pasture water tanks on some farms. As crazy as it may seem, keeping goldfish in water tanks has been reported as a method to keep water

It’s been a wet growing season — one of the wettest in recent memory — and harvest conditions have been less than ideal. Some first crop alfalfa and small grain silages that have been

Photo credit: Russ Higgins, University of Illinois After a spring of rain, humidity, and cool temperatures, the Midwest is susceptible to another year of depleted yields and low-quality silage

Water is key for the survival of animals and plants; however, its quality can play just as big of a role for an animal to thrive and grow on pasture. In a Noble News and Views article, Caitlin Hebber

Concerns are continuing to grow in the South about the possibility that toxicity associated with forage grasses is creating health issues in livestock and endangered wildlife. With the hope of determi

After being brought to the forefront by studies done at the Noble Research Institute (Ardmore, Okla.), crabgrass began gaining favor as a high-quality forage alternative. Many farmers are now consider

The traditional ways of getting hay to dry haven’t changed in a decade, but the weather patterns are changing more each year . . . and frankly, not for the better. With conditions being wetter than

This spring has not been a kind one to farmers; it’s wet, and the forecast continues to call for more rain. Fields are being left unplanted, and hay is losing nutrition with each passing day.If current

With winter resulting in substantial winterkill and a wet spring delaying harvests, a lot of high-quality forage has been turned into, at best, heifer feed. There is justified concern about forage inv

Transitioning some of your grazing acres to native, warm-season perennials can pose a utilization challenge. Pat Keyser, director of the Center of Native Grasslands Management at the University of Tennessee,

Warm-season perennial grasses are the most used forages in the South but require nitrogen fertilization to maintain productivity and nutritive value. For this reason, warm-season forage legumes are be

With the rising cost of raising and feeding dairy heifers in confinement, there has been more interest in putting young stock out to pasture. Rotational grazing can lower expenses, minimize labor for

Damaged forage stands from a harsh winter, deteriorating stands from a wet spring, and the approaching warm summer weather have left farmers questioning what options they have for growing forage this

With late planting of corn now a given and more than the usual amount of alfalfa winterkill, this might be a year to think about planting summer annuals such as sorghum and sorghum-sudangrass hybrids

Hay & Forage Grower is pleased to announce that Michaela King has joined the team as our 2019 summer editorial intern. King just completed her sophomore year at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

As stored forage supplies start to run low, more and more producers are turning their livestock out on pastures earlier than they would like. With this advanced start to the grazing season, it i

From time to time, the question is raised about fertilizing alfalfa with nitrogen (N) to either boost yields or improve crude protein (CP) concentration. With alfalfa being a