Wrap it up: Producing high-quality baleage – Dr. Michelle Windle, Vita Plus

Posted on January 27, 2016 in Forage Foundations
By Dr. Michelle Windle, Vita Plus forage products and dairy technical service specialist With lower milk prices, producers are all the more focused on getting as much value as possible from the resources they have.  One way to do this is by producing high-quality baleage. Recent research from Dr. Dan Undersander at the University of

When is ‘adequate’ kernel processing not adequate? – Jon Urness and Pat Hoffman, Vita Plus

Posted on January 27, 2016 in Forage Foundations

By Jon Urness, Vita Plus national forage specialist
A kernel processing score between 60 and 70 has been widely considered as “ideal.” However, that might not necessarily be true depending on harvest moisture. Wetter corn silage has the potential for greater starch digestibility while drier silage may have far less starch digestion potential given the same processing score.

Ask the expert: Walls or no walls? – Randall Greenfield, Vita Plus

Posted on January 27, 2016 in Forage Foundations

By Randall Greenfield, Vita Plus dairy specialist

Question:  What makes the most financial sense?  Building a bunker or drive-over pile to store my forages?

Answer:  This question inevitably comes up when considering storage options for ensiled forages and grains. The answer, of course, is always “it depends.” For any specific situation, the ultimate solution could be different than the next. For the purpose of this article, however, I’ll make some generic comparisons.

Quick tip: Five ways to keep your feet beneath you this winter – Jon Urness, Vita Plus

Posted on January 27, 2016 in Forage Foundations

By Jon Urness, Vita Plus national forage specialist
We all know things get slick in the winter time, but that’s especially true around forage bunkers, piles and bags where moisture and loose plastic add to the challenge.  Here are five reminders to help keep you safe as you work through the cold months...

Practical research shared at International Silage Conference

Posted on July 30, 2015 in Forage Foundations
By Dr. Michelle Windle, Vita Plus forage products and dairy technical services specialist Every three years, the world’s foremost silage scientists gather to discuss the newest discoveries at the International Silage Conference.  This year, 268 delegates from 39 countries gathered for the 17th International Silage Conference in Piracicaba, Brazil, held at a renovated sugar mill.  Ground-breaking research premiered

Is crude protein in corn silage decreasing?

Posted on July 30, 2015 in Forage Foundations
By Pat Hoffman, Vita Plus dairy technical specialist It is not uncommon to receive a forage analysis for corn silage that reports a crude protein content less than 6.5 percent.  In fact, we sometimes see crude protein content of corn silage dip below 6.0 percent. In contrast, when we examine crude protein book values for

Bunkers, bags or piles: Storage options for high moisture corn and snaplage

Posted on July 30, 2015 in Forage Foundations
By Jon Urness, Vita Plus national forage specialist What is the best storage option for high-value ensiled feeds like high moisture shelled corn (HMSC), ear corn or snaplage?  The answer depends on the definition of the word “best.” For some, “best” could mean “easiest.”  For others, it could be the option that yields the most

New tool to monitor processing roll gap and chop length

Posted on July 30, 2015 in Forage Foundations
The Vita Plus forage team recently developed a new, simple-to-use tool for measuring corn silage processing roll gap and chop length in the field. A series of four cards, each measuring 0.75 mm in thickness, will enable operators to verify roll gap simply by inserting the cards between the processing rolls at various locations.  If

Video – Inoculant applicators: Keep the bugs alive!

Posted on July 30, 2015 in Forage Foundations
 In this video, Dr. Michelle Windle, Vita Plus forage products and dairy technical service specialist, details strategies to keep inoculant bacteria alive. A few common-sense strategies can significantly protect the effectiveness of inoculants and make the most of your investment. Visit our YouTube channel for more helpful tips.

Video – Inoculant applicators: Cleaning and maintenance

Posted on July 30, 2015 in Forage Foundations
 In this video, Jon Urness, Vita Plus national forage specialist, explains the simple steps of cleaning and maintaining your inoculant applicator. Taking a few minutes to clean applicators can prevent major downtime when you're chopping. Visit our YouTube channel for more helpful tips.

Applicator troubleshooting mystery: An elusive solution

Posted on July 30, 2015 in Forage Foundations
By Jon Urness, Vita Plus national forage specialist "Help!  My applicator isn't putting out what it should!" Most everyone who works with forage applicators has heard that plea.  The solution is usually a simple matter of replacing the flexible pump tube on the Dohrmann DE applicators.  However, things were different this time when I received

Inoculant strategies for corn silage, high moisture corn and snaplage

Posted on July 30, 2015 in Forage Foundations
By Dr. Michelle Windle, Vita Plus forage products and dairy technical services specialist The majority of dry matter (DM) losses occur during the front end ensiling process (as the pH drops) and during the back end (after exposure to oxygen when lactate-assimilating spoilage yeasts flourish). Spoilage yeasts are especially prevalent in feeds rich in starch,

Getting to know new low lignin alfalfa varieties (Chris Wacek-Driver)

Posted on March 18, 2015 in Forage Foundations
By Chris Wacek-Driver, Vita Plus forage program manager Lignin is the primary fiber component that reduces fiber digestibility in ruminant diets. Because alfalfa contains high lignin concentrations (greater than 6.0 percent), alfalfa fiber digestibility is often compromised as compared to low lignin forages such as BMR corn silage (with a 2-percent lignin concentration). As a

12-point check for small grain forages (Pat Hoffman)

Posted on March 18, 2015 in Forage Foundations
By Pat Hoffman, Vita Plus dairy technical specialist Producers used to only plant small grains in the spring for forage when they faced alfalfa winterkill or needed a companion crop for alfalfa seedings. Times have changed and small grain forages are now commonly and diversely used to augment a wide array of forage needs.  In

Corn silage digestibility: Can we make a difference? (Pat Hoffman)

Posted on March 18, 2015 in Forage Foundations
By Pat Hoffman, Vita Plus dairy technical specialist Today’s high-producing dairy cows consume copious amounts of calories to sustain milk production and no forage is better suited to provide calories than corn silage. As discussed at the Vita Plus Custom Harvester Meeting, corn silage is unique in the world of forages, containing a source of

Do your bunkers need a spring forage face lift? (Jon Rasmussen and Jon Urness)

Posted on March 18, 2015 in Forage Foundations
By Jon Rasmussen, Vita Plus technology specialist, and Jon Urness, Vita Plus national forage specialist This winter that will probably go in the books as just average for temperatures.  The periods of extreme cold are what most of us will remember about the 2014-15 winter. During those cold spells, our forage faces might have sagged