Forage and business tips from Vita Plus Custom Harvester Meeting 2020

Posted on May 27, 2020 in Dairy Performance
The 2020 forage season is underway!  Are you geared up for success?  Speakers at the Vita Plus Custom Harvester Meeting held in February shared a wide range of expertise in forage production as well as business management.  Browse all of the event e-news topics below and visit Vita Plus Forage Foundations for more forage-focused technical expertise and practical tips.

Get the most from your inoculant
Dr. Michelle Chang-Der Bedrosian & Nathan Hrnicek, Vita Plus
You spend all year trying to maximize forage yield and quality, but now you need to preserve it. Using forage inoculants can help preserve as much forage dry matter as possible.  Read more…

How much planning do you put in for a safe and successful harvest?
Becky Arnold & Stephanie Jens, Lallemand Animal Nutrition
“Everything we do is dangerous,” Arnold said as she launched a discussion about safety on harvest crews and why accidents happen, followed by Jens speaking on the importance of preharvest safety meetings.  Read more…

Mechanics of pack tractors and packing weights
Jon Orr, Orrson Custom Farming LTD.
Custom harvesters are asked to do a lot of things when it comes to packing a bunker or pile, but what happens when it becomes unsafe? Orr spoke from personal experience and provided his solutions to “making it all fit.”  Read more…

Alternative forages:  One cut doesn’t fit all
Steve Murty, Vita Plus
Frustrating planting, growing and harvest conditions have encouraged more farms in the Midwest to look at alternative forage sources to feed their livestock. If grown and harvested correctly, these crops can have great nutritional value.  Read more…

Grain and kernel particle size:  The math
Pat Hoffman, Vita Plus
Kernel processing score is so important to progressive forage harvesters because a dairy cow can’t access the starch in an unprocessed corn kernel and can experience a drop in milk production within 12 hours from a reduction in starch calories.  Read more…

“They said…”:  Lessons learned in the 2019 hemp harvest
Peter Hughes, Red Barn Consulting Inc.
Hemp is now legal to grow in the U.S., and we continue to learn more about the plant each year. The tough, fibrous plant is traditionally hand-harvested, but Hughes explained how it can be harvested mechanically.  Read more…

Sowing and growing good employees
Peter Coyne, Vita Plus
The challenge many employers face is finding and retaining good employees. Coyne said the two factors driving employee retention are culture and engagement.  Read more…

Farm labor update:  Tips for employment law & immigration compliance
Kevin Paul, Range PC
The responsibility to ensure your employees can legally work in the United States falls on your shoulders as their employer. Make sure you have the correct paperwork to continue operating your business.  Read more…

Creating a niche while scaling growth
Kyle Beauchamp, KB Custom Ag Services
When he started his own custom harvesting business in 2007, Beauchamp admited, “I had no clue what I was doing.” But he recognized a need for quality forage, and today KB Custom Ag Services employs 250 people and harvested 150,000 acres in three states last year.  Read more…

Marketing your business
Marjorie Stieve, Vita Plus
You are in the driver’s seat when it comes to marketing your business, and Stieve explained four areas of focus to strengthen your brand.  Read more…

 

 

 

Category: Business and economics
Crop varieties
Dairy Performance
Drought
Employee management
Equipment
Feed quality and nutrition
Forage harvesting
Forage inoculants
Forage storage and management
Safety
Silages