Forage

Cheatgrass closeup — Rejuvra™ is a new rangeland herbicide product from Bayer that controls cheatgrass seedlings. It should be applied in early fall before seeds germinate and can provide control up to two years post-application.

Pasture and Forage Minute: Managing Cheatgrass, Last Alfalfa Harvest and Fall Armyworms

September 19, 2023

Management insights on controlling cheatgrass, wild oats and fall armyworms in pastures, and using growing degree days to schedule your final alfalfa harvest.

Cattle grazing field — Cattle grazing cereal rye cover crop near Tecumseh. (CropWatch file photo)

Pasture and Forage Minute: Planning Cover Crops, Testing Hay Quality and Nitrate Management

September 12, 2023

Tips on selecting and planting cover crops, managing nitrate risks while grazing annuals, and preparing hay samples for testing.

Pasture and Forage Minute: Understanding Nitrate Scores, Corn Silage Pricing

September 6, 2023

Extension educators review the importance of understanding nitrate and nitrate nitrogen scores in forage test results, how to price corn silage to salvage drought-stressed crops, and selecting winter annual forages.

Loading corn silage — Silage harvesters can put out impressive volumes of chop, often overwhelming the packer with too many loads before they can get a proper pack. Remember, the speed of chopping should be determined by the packing speed, not the silage chopper.

Pasture and Forage Minute: Considerations for Corn Silage, Last Cutting Alfalfa and Forage Inventories

August 29, 2023

Best practices for packing and covering corn silage, timing the last fall alfalfa cutting, and taking inventory of fall and winter feed supplies.

Grasshopper in field — With continued drought, producers may see grasshoppers moving from field edges into crops. Frequent scouting of fields will be critical in the coming weeks, particularly in alfalfa and late summer-seeded grasses, which are more susceptible to feeding damage..

Pasture and Forage Minute: Managing Grasshoppers, Pasture Weeds and Wet Hay

August 23, 2023

Insights on late summer grasshopper and pasture weed control, and options for producers putting up hay in wet conditions.

Corn silage — Silage is the most widely preferred method of utilizing drought-stressed corn, as the ensiling process reduces nitrate levels by as much as one-half to one-third; however, proper technique is critical and testing before feeding is recommended. (Photo by Kristen Ulmer)

Drought-stressed Corn: A Feed Opportunity

August 18, 2023

When grain harvest of drought-stressed corn won’t be a viable option, it can be utilized in several other ways with careful management and care in feeding.

Pasture in drought — Though pastures that have had some precipitation are coming back, resist the temptation of grazing them hard this fall, as these plants need to build back reserves before winter.

Pasture and Forage Minute: Managing Drought-stressed Brome, Alfalfa Seeding

August 17, 2023

Insights on managing drought-stressed brome pastures this fall, planting windows and weed control for fall-seeded alfalfa, and registration information about upcoming field days.

Drought-stressed soybean field — Drought-stressed soybeans with few to no pods present. Depending on economics to harvest, using drought-stressed soybeans for forage may be an option. (Photo by Jenny Rees)

Soybeans for Forage

August 17, 2023

Brown soybean plants that were evaluated by crop insurance at 2-4 bu/ac can be grazed if a grower doesn’t wish to harvest them. They’re just low quality.

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