Forage Foundations

By Stacy Nichols, Vita Plus | As we enter the summer months, we face a higher risk of milk fat depression caused by several factors.  One of those factors can be the increased availability of starch and corn oil in well-fermented corn silage and high moisture corn.

By Michelle Chang-Der Bedrosian, Ph.D., Vita Plus | The initial phase of making silage is the aerobic phase and it is characterized by the presence of oxygen.  The aerobic phase begins when the plant is cut in the field and continues until the silo is sealed (either the plastic is laid on top of the silo or the bag silo is sealed) and oxygen is consumed by the upfront fermentation. 

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 Luke Daninger, Ag Partners Coop | As we approach warmer temperatures and alfalfa greens up throughout the countryside, it is good to think about a key factor in alfalfa production: minimizing ash content during harvest. Main concerns of high ash content in forage include the fact that it has no energy value and that elevated soil contamination could potentially result in Clostidria being found in the silage.

One strategy to control costs on your dairy is to retain of much of your homegrown forages - and the nutrients they contain - as possible.  Choosing the right inoculant and oxygen barrier plastic will help you limit dry matter (DM) loss and spoilage.  

By Keith Lesmeister, Ph.D., Vita Plus dairy specialist and Michelle Chang-Der Bedrosian, Ph.D., Vita Plus forage specialist | The silo was sealed well, the applicator was winterized, the chopper was cleaned and put away, and hopefully, the harvest crew finally caught up on some much-needed sleep.  Temperatures dropped and, hopefully, so did the silage pH.  Now it’s time to start feeding that corn silage.

By Luiz Ferraretto, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison | Forage needs vary vastly within and among dairies across years.  Implementation of practices targeting greater yields is key; however, finding the sweet spot between yield and nutritive value is no simple task, especially when producing silage with high fiber digestibility.

By Jon Rasmussen, Vita Plus | While farms may “break the rules” of forage storage every now and then, the goal should always be to SAFELY store forages with nearly zero oxygen exposure.  If you find yourself frequently breaking the rules, it might be time to resize your feed pad.  Following are four rules to help you in the planning process.

By Kassidy Buse, University of Nebraska | The quality and characteristics of forages can have direct impact on milk production and profits.  We typically focus on characteristics such as starch content, protein content and NDF digestibility as we include forages in rations.  But as the attributes of fiber and its fractions have continued to be explored, forage fragility has emerged as an area of interest.

By Renato Schmidt, Ph.D., Lallemand Animal Nutrition | Quality forage inoculants can be used to control the fermentation and quality of forages, as well as enhance the overall value at feedout. A newly available inoculant offers flexibility in feedout by allowing a silage to be fed as soon as 15 days post-ensiling.

Contact your consultant to book today! Vita Plus Crop-N-Rich inoculants are pure, effective bacterial inoculants that offer unmatched ease of use and are backed with immense research.

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.

A long fall allowed for great harvest conditions across most of the upper Midwest.  Vita Plus consultants across the region recap the 2022 harvest.

By Jonathan Ydstie, Vita Plus | Accidents and fatalities increase 17% in the winter. As we think about our farm teams, we likely have some employees who need reminders of the dangers winter can bring. Others may have very little experience working in the cold and need proper training to work safely through the season ahead.

By Jon Rasmussen | More farms are considering feed centers as a means to reduce shrink and improve efficiency by reducing the steps, wheel traffic, and time to load a TMR mixer. Here are a few suggested steps in the process of designing your ideal feed center.

By Steve Murty, Vita Plus | Equipment repairs are the last thing you want to deal with when a crop is ready to harvest.  Supply chain issues we often face today add to the frustration.  This applies to inoculant applicators like any other equipment.  A little time invested now can save headaches next spring.