Pennsylvania updates custom and rental rates Determining if a quoted custom rate is a fair price can be somewhat challenging especially with today's higher fuel costs. To help give all parties perspective...
Grass is finding newfound respect by Ev Thomas and Bill Mahanna Thomas is retired from the William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute and is the president of Oak Point Agronomics Ltd., Hammond, N.Y....
Most growers have limited experiences with Roundup Ready alfalfa. While RR alfalfa may have its place in crop rotations, it is not an option for mixed forage stands. A comparison of recent genetic advancement...
Years of repeated tillage and equipment traffic have left many farm soils compacted. In some cases, this compaction can cause water to pond and also lead to shallow root depths which limit crop yields....
A major goal of corn silage making is to reduce oxygen and raise acidity rapidly so that lactic acid bacteria grow to stabilize and preserve or "pickle" the silage. Often, people believe that corn silage...
Bale silage a great option in wet climates. Mastering the fermentation cycle will lead to the best possible product for your herd. A group of farmers and livestock producers gathered at the historic Hereth...
Little details make all the difference in baleage. Making bale silage is a combination of science and art. Mastering the details will lead to the best possible forage. A good tight bale of hay silage with...
What's a fair price for standing hay? Many factors must be considered including forage quality and yields, stand life, nutrient costs, and who is doing the work. A written contract can tie it all together....
The lower milk prices are generally, the harder it is to justify high-priced alfalfa. Having by-product feeds nearby is a key. Dairy hay prices have climbed in recent years as hay acreages have declined....
Alfalfa has the greatest sensitivity to acid soils of any crop we grow, so managing soil pH is critical. The legume simply will not grow below a soil pH of 6.0, while other field crops are quite happy...
The Koster tester, microwave, and lab have all been good options to determine dry matters. The food dehydrator might top the list when you factor in ease and consistency of test results. We were able to...
Should you plant only one in an effort to feed corn silage of uniform quality each day, or should you plant several hybrids to reduce the impact of a single hybrid performing poorly? Since there's no standard...
Manure is in it for the "long haul". Manure's advantages go far beyond major nutrients as the organic matter in manure acts as a soil conditioner. It also adds secondary and trace minerals. Before you...
As the old saying goes, corn is corn is corn, right? Let's take a closer look.Traditionally, the variation in nutrient composition within dry or high-moisture corns was assumed to be minimal. It was common...
Alfalfa is one of the most important crops grown in North America, with its market value ranked right behind corn and soybeans. Maintaining a high-quality alfalfa stand results in higher yields and enhanced...
Grass deserves a second look. With its more highly digestible fiber, grass provides a great mix for rations heavy with corn silage and alfalfa. Grasses' agronomic benefits are an added bonus. When adding...
Copper Sulfate Use May Bite Us Good crop and hoof health are possible with copper sulfate use. However, future regulations remain the wildcard. When making farm decisions, what might seem like a good idea...
Wide rows, quick dry-down, same-day harvest leads to more milk potential. Forage quality drives milk production. And the only measure of forage quality that truly matters is the quality of forage that...