During our careers, we’ve had the privilege of seeing not just one, but several new plant genetic technologies dramatically change the crop production landscape
It’s never too early to begin planning for late summer and early fall management of alfalfa (and alfalfa-grass). First, check your recent soil analyses, and take soil samples for a new analysis
The older we get, the faster summer seems to go by. Just as we begin to enjoy bright sunshine and warm weather, fair time and school time come along to signal the approaching end to another summer
In alfalfa fields, weeds are no more welcome than rain on freshly cut hay. Weeds compete for the same resources needed to grow a good crop of alfalfa: water, nutrients, and light
With all the exciting advances in forage and field crops, including reduced-lignin alfalfa, drought-resistant corn hybrids, and shredlage, agricultural lime seems like a boring topic
Choosing the right machinery for harvesting alfalfa can have a large impact on forage yield. While we certainly need to drive over the field to harvest it, we can minimize the effect traffic has
Wiersma is the alfalfa business manager with DuPont Pioneer. Thomas is retired from the William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute and president of Oak Point Agronomics Ltd. Nit
It’s been over five years since we covered the topic of cool-season grass management in this column. Specifying “cool-season” is important since there are warm-season grasses such as...
Calculating manure's price tag Manure is no doubt a useful by-product, but one must realize the time and money it takes to get it from the cow to the field. Funding for the project was provided by a USDA-RME...
The author is a nutrition and management consultant with Progressive Dairy Solutions based out of California. Once a modernized and well-maintained forage harvester is set up and operating properly, it...
Frequent soil testing and proper fertilization will help to ensure that your crop has an adequate supply of nutrients. by John Goeser and Dustin Sawyer Goeser is director of nutritional research and innovation...
Soil sampling do's and don'ts. A soil analysis is only as good as the sample on which it was based. Therefore, sampling should be done by either the farm's crop consultant
There's no substitute for plastic on bunkers. Thomas is retired from the William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute and president of Oak Point Agronomics Ltd.; Mahanna is with DuPont Pioneer and...
Don't make rash changes based on a single ingredient analysis. Repeated sampling teases out if this is true variation or an error. Feed and forage nutrient composition always vary to some degree. But limiting...
Silage piles aren't always a best buy. Producers and consultants often jump to the conclusion that flat feed storage is the most economical. They could be wrong
The replant window for corn can be quite narrow. Even though corn is a crucial ration ingredient, as the growing season progresses the decision to plant another crop
Frost seeding red clover into wheat stands will not reduce grain yields. However, it can prevent soil erosion, provide nitrogen credits and be fall forage in this double-crop system. If you grow wheat...
If you grow wheat as part of your dairy cropping mix, this could be a good time to try "frost seeding" red clover to boost forage production. But it is important to follow seeding recommendations. The...
In recent years, there has been an explosion of interest in the use of foliar (leaf) fungicide treatments. That extra attention has paralleled the steady upward climb in grain prices. Industry estimates...