Crop varieties

Producing high-quality small-grain silage presents challenges related to moisture management and the maintenance of anaerobic conditions for optimal fermentation. Ensuring the correct moisture content - 60% to 65% moisture or 35% to 40% dry matter (DM) - is crucial.

As this year’s crop plans and seed hybrids are finalized, some producers are considering pairing reduced-lignin alfalfa with brown midrib corn silage. The question arises, can pairing these technologies result in too much digestible fiber?

The challenges to establishing a healthier and diverse soil environment can be overcome by breaking the big picture into small, manageable, bite-size steps.

By Steve Murty, Vita Plus, forage products specialist | The same questions arise several times every spring.  "Will my alfalfa stands survive another season?  Will there be enough forage this coming year?"  A proactive approach to answering these questions begins in late fall after you have filled the silos, pumped the pits and seeded cover crops.

By Cody McCary, Vita Plus | Maximizing the forage production from your available land base is pivotal because forage availability and quality can have immense impacts on your purchased feed and ration costs. Forage production efficiency can be best evaluated by determining if the gap between agronomic decisions and the nutritional needs of your dairy herd is bridged.

By Dr. Zach Sawall | We often focus on growing crops to maximize tonnage, and we figure out how to deal with that feed once it’s in the bunk. A more economical approach is to look at what the cow needs and focus on growing forage to meet those needs.

By Cody McCary, Vita Plus forage specialist | The stage of plant growth and timing of harvest are essential to achieving the yield and quality goals for a given grass crop. The progression from one stage of maturity to the next often happens rapidly. To combat a narrow harvest window, consistent monitoring of in-field conditions and plant stage of maturity is necessary.

By Augusta Witt, Vita Plus dairy specialist | Learn from an agronomy consultant's first-hand experiences with fall armyworms and strategies to deal with this pest.

Randy Welch, CROPLAN - In this video, Randy Welch describes fall dormancy of alfalfa and provides tips for selecting varieties that best fit your fields and forage needs.

By Ashley Blackburn, Vita Plus agronomy and forage specialist If you battle wet conditions in the same field year after year, you may consider planting an alternative crop to meet your farm’s forage needs.  Grasses can be a good fit in these conditions, but all grasses are not created equal.

By Cody McCary, Vita Plus forage specialist Sorghum has proven useful as an alternative forage for many farms.  Here are some important items to consider when determining if sorghum may fit into your forage program.

Forage – the foundation of a dairy cow’s diet – is heavily impacted by variations during the growing season.  The emerging concept of “true forage” can be a highly effective tool for both the nutritionist and dairy producer.

By Ashley Blackburn, Vita Plus agronomy and forage specialist One of the most important decisions you make each year is what corn variety to plant. Corn hybrids can be classified using relative maturity or growing degree days (GDD or GDU). These systems can help you determine which hybrid best fits your farm and goals.

Vita Plus consultants from Minnesota to Ohio share their observations of the 2021 growing season and what they anticipate for this year's corn silage harvest.

By Ashley Blackburn, Vita Plus agronomy and forage specialist
Colder soil temperatures, frost and less rain than a normal growing season plus other stressors can affect crops in different ways, especially crude protein levels in small grain silages.