Forage Foundations

"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.

By Pat Hoffman, Vita Plus dairy technical specialist, and Dr. Michelle Chang-Der Bedrosian, Vita Plus forage products and dairy technical specialist
Frost has settled in across most of the Midwest. Freezing temperatures will affect silage fermentations and, if you find yourself in this situation, here are some management tips.

By Dr. Michelle Chang-Der Bedrosian, Vita Plus forage products and dairy technical specialist
Sudangrass and other grasses come with a potentially deadly challenge in the form of prussic acid. This problem is further complicated after a frost, but proper management can help minimize detrimental effects.

By Pat Hoffman, Vita Plus dairy technical specialist
Starch digestibilities are expected to be lower than ideal in many situations this year, and many producers are wondering what they can do to compensate for low starch levels. It helps to first understand how starch is protected in the kernel.

By Dr. Michelle Chang-Der Bedrosian, Vita Plus forage products and dairy technical specialist
Every dairy producer wants to get more milk from homegrown forages and spend less on purchased feeds. Here are 10 things you can do to improve forage quality and, hopefully, milk production.

By Steve Murty, Vita Plus forage products specialist
As harvest season wraps up, producers will soon be swarmed with yield data from countless sources. This trial data can be overwhelming, so we broke it down to make it more manageable and to help you make the best decision for your production.

By Dr. Michelle Der Bedrosian, Vita Plus forage products and dairy technical specialist
Forage inventories are running low on many farms, and many producers are considering chopping corn silage early and feeding it right away. While this strategy has some benefits, immature corn can have some drawbacks if it is not harvested and fed correctly.

By Steve Murty, Vita Plus forage products specialist
This growing season, many producers had to plant new forages they weren't accustomed to growing or harvesting. These summer annuals can be harvested for silage, wet baled, or used for grazing, but they also come with an unfamiliar challenge.

By Nathan Hrnicek, Vita Plus forage consultant
With the unique challenges of this growing season and forage inventory shortages on many farms, some producers are already considering a late alfalfa harvest. Keep these tips in mind if you are considering - or have already decided to take - a late cutting.