Ensiling hay crop silage at the correct moisture the same day you mow it continues to expand across dairy farms. Yet there are some who have not been able to make it work.
Here are a few of the reasons:
Tom
April 2015 Forage Harvest
The weather has been two sides of the coin lately. The Northeast, and Canada are still in the center of cool temperatures while the South is much warmer. It is a naturally occurring oscillation based on the temperatures of the water in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. In this natural cycle we are going back to the long term average temperatures. The earlier than normal springs we had been getting, are now reverting to what we used to have a number of years ago: cooler, later springs. This year is approaching the 30 year average of 1965—1995. Don’t panic, we survived then and will survive now if you adjust to the new (old) normal spring.
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March 2015 Nitrogen and Winterkill Alfalfa
Research on spring nitrogen for triticale found that a two dry matter ton crop of winter forage removes about 100 lbs of N/acre. About 50 lbs of N is needed for each ton of dry matter removed. To get both yield and protein from your forage, crops need sulfur. There is no longer enough sulfur being deposited in rain to meet the needs of the crops we grow.
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Feb 2015 Minimum Till Haylage
Minimum till haylage is a new process where we optimize the forage planted, carefully watch to harvest at the peak of quality, and then use the mower to mix a pile of dirt, dead bugs, half rotten plant residue into the forage to make sure your feed will have limited milk producing ability. Looking at the table at the right, the range of ash is considerable. The worst offended are legume and winter forage (triticale). There are two key points this occurs.
Dec 2014 Steps to High Forage Diet and Why
Click here for full newsletter Dec 2014 High Forage
As the forecasts for milk price continue to slide, dairy farmers are justifiably concerned for their bottom line. The shock is magnified having just come off of very good prices. Yes, grain prices have also slid but not as much as milk is forecasted. I saw this similar setup in the early 1980’s and it was not pretty.
October 2014 BMR Sorghum
Interest in BMR sorghum as a potential companion to or replacement of corn silage in high forage diets continues to grow. We are working to develop the steps for a greater chance of success with this crop at both Cornell with Dr. Ketterings, and the Valatie research farm.
Click here for full newsletter:Oct 2014 BMR sorghum
August 2014 Winter Forage
We are continuing to lead research in the management aspects of triticale winter forage. As more farmers grow the crop, their feedback along with our, and other researcher’s replicated results have been used to develop management approaches that increase yields and chance for success. There are key steps to establishing this crop:
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July 2014 Field Day
Valatie Research Farm Field Day
New Tools – New Rotations
Drying Red Clover – New BMR Sorghum – Maximize Winter Forage
Click here for full newsletter:July 2014 Valatie Field Day
June 2014 Equipment for Today’s Crops
With the increase in interest in winter forages, BMR sorghums, and minimum/no till of legumes in winter forage stubble, the realization is starting to sink in with many farmers that they are planting modern crops with antique management and equipment.
Click here for full newsletter:June 2014 drills
May 2014 Harvest
The Northeast, and North central U.S. and Canada are still in the center of much below normal temperatures and now, considerable rainfall. Farms who in the past several years had seedings and corn in the ground, are just getting started – and the cold keeps returning.
Click here for full newsletter May 2014 harvest