Prescribed burn image
When preparing for a prescribed burn, remember that warm-season grasses are best burned from mid-April to early May. (Photo by Troy Walz)

Pasture and Forage Minute: Grazing Small Grains and Prescribed Burning

March 31, 2021
With the onset of April, Extension experts stress the need for preparing and finalizing your forage grazing and prescribed burning plans.

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Alfalfa plant
Spring is a good time to evaluate alfalfa stands to plan your management strategy.

Pasture and Forage Minute: Assessing Alfalfa and Fertilizer Needs

March 31, 2021
Were your alfalfa yields lower than expected last year? Try Ben Beckman's suggestions on evaluating your stands this spring. Plus, Brad Schick highlights what you need to know before fertilizing your cool-season grass pastures. 

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Oats and ryegrass in field
A spring pasture mix of oats and ryegrass. (Photo by Jerry Volesky)

Pasture and Forage Minute: Improving Forage Quality with Oats, Italian Ryegrass, Grass Mixtures

March 17, 2021
This week, Extension experts Jerry Volesky and Brad Schick discuss ways to supplement a low quality spring pasture and the strategy behind mixing grasses into your alfalfa fields. 

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Cutting hay in field

Pasture and Forage Minute: Deciphering a Hay Test

March 10, 2021
Extension educators Ben Beckman and Brad Schick break down hay testing and what you need to know to keep your forage crops at optimum performance.

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fall alfalfa field

October Alfalfa Harvest Considerations

September 30, 2020
With droughty conditions across the state and late season moisture regenerating stands of alfalfa, is there still an opportunity to take October alfalfa cuttings? And which stands could handle a late season cut?

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Alfalfa
Alfalfa stand previously interseeded with grass and legumes near Columbus, NE. – Megan Taylor

Evaluating Alfalfa Stands Part II - Renovation Options

August 12, 2020
Typically, alfalfa’s autotoxicity makes planting into established stands impossible. However, in new stands that are less than 12 months old, there is a chance that reseeding alfalfa in areas that are extremely thin or void of alfalfa may see success.

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thinning alfalfa

Evaluating Alfalfa Stands Part 1 - Using the Hay Square Method

August 5, 2020
Were you expecting more from your alfalfa yields? Is it time to renovate, start over, or move on? Typically, evaluating stands occurs in the spring, but evaluating this fall will give you a better idea going forward and allow more time for future options.

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wheat being cut for forage
Cutting and windrowing forage wheat in south central Nebraska for processing into wheatlage. (Photos by Todd Whitney)

Estimating a Fair Value for Standing Forage

July 29, 2020
Several things need to be considered when deciding what value to place on standing forage. Forage prices reflect current inventories, demand, expected current season production and associated yield risk, and quality characteristics.

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