Forage Quality Targets Based on Animal Class
Forage Quality Targets Based on Animal Class | Agronomic Crops Network (osu.edu)
Aphids make early appearance in Kansas alfalfa fields
Aphids make early appearance in Kansas alfalfa fields (k-state.edu)
K-State crop entomologist: Be on the lookout for alfalfa weevil
K-State crop entomologist: Be on the lookout for alfalfa weevil
Pasture (Frothy) Bloat; Beware when grazing legumes!
Stephen Boyles, OSU Extension Beef Specialist Bloat has been described in agricultural writings since A.D. 60. Names for bloat have changed over the years: hoove, hoven, tympany, and blown have appeared in English journals of the 18th and 19th centuries. Bloat occurs when rumen gas production exceeds the rate of gas elimination. The gas accumulates and causes distention of the rumen (left side of cattle). If the situation continues, the inflated rumen interferes…
Grazing Alfalfa in Fall or Winter
Brad Schick, Nebraska Extension EducatorBen Beckman, Nebraska Extension Educator Winter alfalfa stands will seldom provide enough nutritional value to be a primary forage source for animals. Photo credit Troy Walz. KEY RECOMMENDATIONS: Alfalfa needs 6 weeks of growth, uninterrupted by grazing or hayingFall grazing should maintain 8 inches of stubble height; Winter grazing should maintain 4 inches of stubble heightBloat risk can be reduced by making sure livestock are full prior to grazingFeed…
Cautions for Cattle Grazing Frosted Forages
Troy Walz, Nebraska Extension Educator Photo credit Troy Walz. When some forages are frosted, the potential for bloat, toxicity, and nitrates may increase for grazing cattle. Bloat When grazing alfalfa in the fall, bloat remains a potential problem, especially during the first three to five days after alfalfa has been exposed to freezing temperatures. In general, the risk of bloat will be minimal only after a significant portion (about 50-70 percent) of the…
Knowing What You Are Feeding: HAY SAMPLING 101
Chris Teutsch, Associate Extension Professor, Forage Specialist, University of Kentucky Knowing the nutritional quality of forage and hay is an integral part of a profitable and efficient livestock operation. Accurate estimation of forage quality starts with obtaining a representative sample of the forage to be fed. Proper sampling technique is critical. Hay is preserved in a number of different packages ranging from the small square bale weighing 40-50 lb to the large square…
Oklahoma State University recommendations maximize alfalfa field productivity
By Donald Stotts STILLWATER, Okla. – Producers who will be planting alfalfa in late August and early September can maximize their investment by following research-based recommendations, Oklahoma State University experts said. Alfalfa has been called the royalty of forage crops as far back as 1909, when an Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station bulletin heralded its benefits relative to raising livestock, both for grazing and as hay. Today, cattle grazing alfalfa pastures is a common sight and alfalfa…
K-State beef cattle experts suggest best practices for storing round bales
Rain will often cause high nutrient losses in bales stored outside MANHATTAN, Kan. — It is hay cutting time in Kansas, and once all the grass is baled it must be stored for future use. Oftentimes that is outdoors, and many producers may not fully realize the nutrient loss that comes with weathering of large round hay bales stored outside, particularly in regions of the country with high rainfall. “Thirty percent of the…
Determine Forage Moisture Content
Forage maturity/stage of development is often cited as the number one factor that determines forage quality, but for any stored forage, moisture content at harvest is a close second. Moisture content drives what happens to that forage after it is removed from the field, whether quality is maintained or degraded. Improper moisture content can reduce storage life. The most common method of determining forage moisture is some type of visual appraisal whereby a…