Forage Foundations

Click here to download Shinners' PowerPoint presentation. With Dr. Kevin Shinners, University of Wisconsin-Madison Enhancing feed value is a major focus for producers and customer harvesters alike. Dr. Kevin Shinners of the Biological Systems Engineering Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison shared his thoughts on new ways to harvest and process forages at the Vita

Click here to download Colby's PowerPoint presentation. With Chad Colby, AgTechTalk.com A hot topic in the industry seems to be drones, also called ships and unmanned aerial systems. Chad Colby of AgTechTalk.com explained the importance of this rapidly changing technology at the Vita Plus Custom Harvester Meeting. “At the end of the day, understanding how

With Barry Visser and Dr. Darin Bremmer, Vita Plus dairy technical service specialists, Dr. Randy Shaver, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Dr. Larry Chase, Cornell University When it comes to forages, custom harvesters and dairy producers always have questions to ask and topics to discuss. In a panel discussion at the recent Vita Plus Custom Harvester

Click here to download Shaver's PowerPoint presentation.  Click here to download Chase's PowerPoint presentation. With Dr. Randy Shaver, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Dr. Larry Chase, Cornell University Shredlage® is becoming popular, yet many questions still surround the logistics of this harvesting strategy. Dr. Randy Shaver, University of Wisconsin-Madison Dairy Science Department, shared results of his

Click here to download Hoffman's PowerPoint presentation. 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

Click here to download Urness' PowerPoint presentation. By Jon Urness, Vita Plus national forage specialist Harvest is often a time of high stress on dairies looking to put up high-quality forages and high moisture grains.  The window of opportunity is often ridiculously narrow. Relationships between dairy producers and their custom harvesters can be stretched to

Click here to download Taysom's PowerPoint presentation.  Click here to download Goeser's PowerPoint presentation. With Dave Taysom, Dairyland Laboratories, Inc., and Dr. John Goeser, Rock River Laboratory, Inc. Dairyland Laboratories, Inc. was established in 1958 and currently has four locations, serving more than 20 countries. Dave Taysom, Dairyland Laboratories director, explained the company’s role with

Click here to download Windle's PowerPoint presentation. By Dr. Michelle Windle, Vita Plus forage products and dairy technical service specialist Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) was first discovered in the 19th century, with the first industrial applications in the 1950s.  This technology is used today in agriculture, physics, physiology and medicine.  The potential it holds for

By Dr. Michelle Windle, Vita Plus forage products & dairy technical service specialist Fermentation breaks down the starch-binding proteins within the corn kernel.  As a result, high moisture corn (HMC) can feed better than dry corn due to an increase in starch availability in the rumen. However, HMC often spoils quickly upon exposure to air,

By Dr. Michelle Windle, Vita Plus forage products & dairy technical service specialist Most producers are aware that inoculants can help minimize shrink, avoid heating, and improve forage quality, animal health, and performance.  Left untreated, naturally occurring microorganisms on plants in the field drive fermentation.  Inoculants offer a tool to control this fermentation. It’s tempting

By Pat Hoffman, Vita Plus dairy technical specialist Dairy producers feed dairy cows a variety of grains, including dry corn, high moisture corn (HMC) and snaplage.  These grains are stored in bins, bags, silos and bunkers for variable lengths of time and are processed by a multitude of systems. Traditional forage testing procedures have not

By Jon Urness, Vita Plus national forage specialist Dairy producers have successfully harvested, stored and fed high moisture corn for many years. By now, most have the routine down pat. But when things go wrong, it’s often the lack of high moisture that causes problems.  Naturally, too much moisture can be a challenge as well,

By Jon Rasmussen, Vita Plus technology specialist Trying to get a handle on corn silage processing while the choppers are moving has gained a great deal of interest in the recent years. A few considerations can help make the evaluation a little less subjective. Start by gathering a fresh corn silage sample in a 32-ounce

By Chris Wacek-Driver, Vita Plus forage program manager, with Kyle Taysom, Dairyland Laboratories, Inc. The trend of feeding greater levels of corn silage to dairy cows and an influx of new processor designs has heightened dairy industry interest in determining optimal kernel processing.  While it's certainly not the sole factor that determines optimal dietary digestibility

By Emily Templeton, Vita Plus forage summer intern If it’s not one thing, it’s another when it comes to the up-keep on machinery around the farm.  It’s essential that we take good care of our equipment so it can last longer and we can save a few dollars down the road.  But are we looking

By Jon Urness, Vita Plus national forage specialist The strategy of applying fungicides to growing corn has received a lot of attention in recent years and producers have been asking themselves, “Should we get on board with this or is it a waste of my crop input dollars?” Like many new technologies, the answer seems