Forage Foundations

By Dr. Owen Mickley, Vita Plus dairy specialist
Last year many farmers planted alternative forage species and put up some "unfamiliar" feeds. When strategically incorporated into the feeding plan, alternative forages can provide us the opportunity to fill in the gaps without leaving milk on the table.

By Steve Murty, Vita Plus forage products specialist
Customers ask this question each year before planting season, and it may still be asked several times per year on the same acre. To answer this question, you need to examine the various components that make up the soil environment.

By Dr. Matt Akins, University of Wisconsin-Madison assistant scientist
Last year’s growing season was difficult for many forage growers, and several producers made the decision to try sorghum forages with varying success. If you are looking to continue growing sorghum forages this year, keep these tips in mind.

Stephanie Jens, Lallemand Animal Nutrition, and Dr. Michelle Chang-Der Bedrosian, Vita Plus
Safety is a value at Vita Plus, and we remind all our customers, staff, and industry partners to be safe during forage harvest and throughout the year. This video offers tips to follow when working around forage bunkers and piles.

By Andrew Heath, Legacy Seeds agronomist
Yield is the most important component of an alfalfa crop’s profitability equation, and proper management of insect pests will preserve yield potential for greater feed quality and stand longevity.

By Jon Rasmussen, Vita Plus dairy technology specialist
No matter what your fields look like, it is advantageous to know when the feed in storage will be used up, and frequent measurements and projections of your feed inventory will help reduce any anxiety you may have going into planting and harvest. 

The challenge many employers face is finding and retaining good employees. Coyne said the two factors driving employee retention are culture and engagement.

The responsibility to ensure your employees can legally work in the United States falls on your shoulders as their employer. Make sure you have the correct paperwork to continue operating your business.

"Everything we do is dangerous," Arnold said as she launched a discussion about safety on harvest crews and why accidents happen, followed by Jens speaking on the importance of preharvest safety meetings.

When he started his own custom harvesting business in 2007, Beauchamp admited, "I had no clue what I was doing." But he recognized a need for quality forage, and today KB Custom Ag Services employs 250 people and harvested 150,000 acres in three states last year.

Frustrating planting, growing and harvest conditions have encouraged more farms in the Midwest to look at alternative forage sources to feed their livestock. If grown and harvested correctly, these crops can have great nutritional value.

Hemp is now legal to grow in the U.S., and we continue to learn more about the plant each year. The tough, fibrous plant is traditionally hand-harvested, but Hughes explained how it can be harvested mechanically.

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.