Manure restores soil with nutrients needed by crops. One method of application is manure irrigation, in which manure is applied to fields using equipment that can move liquids. Although this practice is...
Once it's harvested, it's all you have to work with. That's the story with forage quality. At last week's Tri-State Dairy Conference, Dan Undersander, University of Wisconsin-Madison forage specialist,...
Pictured (L to R): Tyler Gaddie, David, Martha and Roger Corbin. "We added more BMR (brown midrib) corn silage to our diets and use fungicide on it," said David Corbin when discussing ways to take full...
On the road to preservation, silage goes through four phases: aerobic, fermentation, storage and, finally, feedout. During the anaerobic phase, the crop uses up sugars and protein while it respires. At...
"We have a very detail-oriented nutritionist who monitors processing scores throughout the harvest. This year, the processing scores were in the upper 70s," explained James Coble. "That number is constantly...
A unique partnership was born in 1999 when Jake and Saskia Zwemmer approached a group of crop farmers in the thumb of Michigan. The Zwemmers wanted to focus their talents on cow care and buy forages from...
"The grid sampling was quite interesting. Some farmers have fields that do better in some areas than other areas," explained Les Danielson. "You may have suspicions as to those fields; however, the grid...
All plastics aren't created equal by Amanda Smith, Associate Editor Plastic covers are a convenient and effective method to help preserve our silage piles. When silos are not promptly sealed, fewer sugars...
It's our most crucial decision of the year. By incorporating a blend of homegrown forages and those raised by Gene Baumgardner, Teun Verhoeven fills the bunkers for his 1,400-cow dairy. On his South Solon,...
Select the cream of next year's corn crop. As one corn harvest season comes to a close, plans are already underway for the next growing season. Many critical agronomic conversations happen around the kitchen...
"Too wet, too dry and just right," Goldilocks would say when evaluating corn silage, with just right being our goal! Growing high-yielding, high-quality corn is only half the battle when it comes to silage...
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...
Throughout the Midwest and Northeast, dairymen are awaiting the opportunity to get their corn crop in the ground. Since corn silage makes up the bulk of dairy rations, it's essential to ensure that your...
We all know that a Google search about GMOs and glyphosates will turn up an overwhelming number of negative websites as mentioned in the Hoard's Dairyman Intel, "Could glyphosate cause cancer?" These negative...
The 2015 national feed situation is off to a not very encouraging start, thanks to the March 31 Prospective Plantings report from USDA.According to the report, total corn acreage for the year is forecast...
The rumen is akin to an orchestra. It requires a variety of elements, working in concert with one another, to achieve its end goal. When the rumen is working harmoniously, dairy cattle are able to transform...