Weather conditions in 2015 across many regions of the U.S. ranged from early monsoons to late summer dryness. That, of course, excludes Southern California where the ongoing drought continues to

By all accounts, winter rye is in a renaissance. Cover crop craze aside, the rebirth of winter rye appears to be driven more by its utility as a forage crop, especially in the corn silage growing areas

"Feeding silage is much different than feeding hay," notes Dennis Hancock, extension forage specialist for the University of Georgia. "Because it's wetter, deterioration becomes a factor whe

Covering silage in a pile or bunker silo is a no-brainer decision. When to cover and what with are also important considerations. Researchers at Cal Poly and Kansas State compared silage pile sealing

With most hay and corn silage now tucked away for the winter, it’s probably a good time to remind all of those who work around bunker and pile silos that feedout faces are always subject to collapse

Recent research results undertaken by the University of Wisconsin Discovery Farms has documented that runoff occurs from feed storage areas during 60 percent of precipitation events. This compar

For those who have been stomping around cornfields long enough, you’ll remember when corn silage processors first entered the scene. There was a flurry of discussion whether this new technology was

The author is a partner in Orrson Custom Farming Ltd., Apple Creek, Ohio. He currently serves as president of the U.S. Custom Harvesters Inc

Corn silage harvest presents a relatively narrow window to optimize feed quality.Pull the trigger too early and you have a wet mess that is sour and seeps. Pull it too late and molds can develop and digestibility

In years when early-season monsoon rains cause delayed planting of corn, there is often more than the usual amount of late-maturing standing corn that gets sold for silage harvest

One of the most often discussed, misunderstood and argued topics in the forage production feed chain is the use of silage inoculants

I think, but am not entirely sure, that Congressional Republicans and Democrats would agree on the importance of water for agriculture. For folks in the business of crop production, there is nothing to

With the wet conditions and challenges in making dry hay this year, there’s been a lot of discussion and ink dedicated to making baleage. Round and square bale silage certainly has become as c

In 1930 there were nearly 40 million acres of oats harvested for grain in the United States. By contrast, the most recent Census of Agriculture reported that the nation's farmers harvested jus

Many regions of the U.S. (sans West Coast) have received copious amounts of rain following the start of what was a pretty ideal early planting season.

Wide windrows are routinely recommended for hay silage, but a drive through farm country during forage harvest season still finds many narrow windrows. Narrow windrows represent “Goldilocks management”

Twin row has emerged as an approach to boost yields without high equipment-switching costs given twin-row compatibility with postemergence herbicide or side-dress nitrogen applications and existing

Research has consistently found that crop rotation results in higher yields. A recent study in Illinois concluded that corn grown in rotation with soybeans yielded 25 bushels per acre more than did continuous

One of the most dreaded jobs on dairy farms is covering bunker silos and drive-over piles. For this reason, farmers have always been willing to try alternatives, even though most have wound up as eith

Producers who have concerns about molds or mycotoxins should begin preventative measures when looking through seed catalogs. Most seed companies provide resistance ratings for Fusarium, Gibberella and