Custom harvesters are in the driver’s seat when it comes to marketing their services, and Stieve explained four areas of focus where custom harvesters can strengthen their brand and grow their business.
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.
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."
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.
Posted on October 28th, 2019 in Forage Foundations
By Pat Hoffman, Vita Plus dairy technical specialist, and Dr. Michelle Chang-Der Bedrosian, Vita Plus forage products and dairy technical specialist Frost has settled in across most of the Midwest. Freezing temperatures will affect silage fermentations and, if you find yourself in this situation, here are some management tips.
Posted on October 28th, 2019 in Forage Foundations
By Dr. Michelle Chang-Der Bedrosian, Vita Plus forage products and dairy technical specialist Sudangrass and other grasses come with a potentially deadly challenge in the form of prussic acid. This problem is further complicated after a frost, but proper management can help minimize detrimental effects.
Posted on October 28th, 2019 in Forage Foundations
By Pat Hoffman, Vita Plus dairy technical specialist Starch digestibilities are expected to be lower than ideal in many situations this year, and many producers are wondering what they can do to compensate for low starch levels. It helps to first understand how starch is protected in the kernel.
By Dr. Michelle Chang-Der Bedrosian, Vita Plus forage products and dairy technical specialist Every dairy producer wants to get more milk from homegrown forages and spend less on purchased feeds. Here are 10 things you can do to improve forage quality and, hopefully, milk production.
Posted on October 28th, 2019 in Forage Foundations
By Steve Murty, Vita Plus forage products specialist As harvest season wraps up, producers will soon be swarmed with yield data from countless sources. This trial data can be overwhelming, so we broke it down to make it more manageable and to help you make the best decision for your production.
By Dr. Michelle Der Bedrosian, Vita Plus forage products and dairy technical specialist Forage inventories are running low on many farms, and many producers are considering chopping corn silage early and feeding it right away. While this strategy has some benefits, immature corn can have some drawbacks if it is not harvested and fed correctly.
By Steve Murty, Vita Plus forage products specialist This growing season, many producers had to plant new forages they weren't accustomed to growing or harvesting. These summer annuals can be harvested for silage, wet baled, or used for grazing, but they also come with an unfamiliar challenge.
By Nathan Hrnicek, Vita Plus forage consultant With the unique challenges of this growing season and forage inventory shortages on many farms, some producers are already considering a late alfalfa harvest. Keep these tips in mind if you are considering - or have already decided to take - a late cutting.
To Josh Parker, owner of Parker Forage LLC, communication is one of the biggest factors that leads to a successful harvest. He shared why this is important along with other points he wished you knew about custom harvesters.
By Dr. Michelle Der Bedrosian, Vita Plus forage products and dairy technical specialist The decision of which inoculant to use is an important one. With so many challenges this growing season, this is not the year to skimp on inoculants, but you also need to decide what inoculant is best for your situation.
By Jon Urness, Vita Plus national forage specialist, retired Abraham Lincoln once said, "Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." In a word - attitude, and starting the day with a positive thought or experience, can help a lot.
By Pat Hoffman, Vita Plus dairy technical specialist, and Dr. Michelle Der Bedrosian, Vita Plus forage products and dairy technical specialist This spring's excessive rainfall could complicate harvest of small grain silages. Here are some key points to keep in mind if you're putting up wet small grain silages.