Hay

As things are greening up this spring, you may notice a few not-so-friendly plants popping up around your fields, especially given the milder weather this past winter. If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to scout your pastures and hayfields in search of winter annual and biennial weeds. When it comes to weed control, timing of herbicide application critical and it is important to spray when weeds are most susceptible to achieve maximum effectiveness.

The Maryland Milk Moos (December 21, 2022, Vol. 3, Issue 4) is a quarterly newsletter published by the University of Maryland Extension that is focused on dairy topics related to Nutrition and Production, Herd Management, and Forage Production.

Winter Hay Feeding Strategies

Orchardgrass is a popular pasture and hay forage species and it requires relatively high fertility levels, especially in a hay system where nutrients are being exported from the field. To test and demonstrate the importance of potash (potassium) fertility in orchargrass plantings, we established a replicated trial at the Western Maryland Research and Education Center.

Most of us are aware that forage losses can accumulate in a hurry, particularly for hay. Adding up potential losses incurred during harvest, storage, and feeding, as much as 60% of forage dry matter can be lost between the field and the cow’s mouth. Title: Proper Storage Saves Forage; Author: Amanda Grev, Ph.D., Extension Specialist, Pasture & Forages.

When it comes to production of harvested forages like hay or baleage, stand decline is a common issue many producers face. Unfortunately, like most things there is no simple answer to eliminate issues with stand decline. Poor soil fertility, disease, temperature, moisture, and weed pressure are all things that can play a role in the longevity of a stand. While some of these things may be out of our control, one thing that producers do have full control over is cutting height. If you want to harvest higher quality forages, have better regrowth, and improve stand longevity, pay attention to your cutting height. Title: How Low Can You Go? The Cutting Height Debate; Author: Amanda Grev, Ph.D.

IPM scouting tips that appear in the Agronomy Newsletter.

With the first freeze of the fall just around the corner, remember that a frost can result in potential hazards for certain forages. When a plant freezes, changes occur in its metabolism and composition that can cause toxicity issues for livestock. A few issues to be on the lookout for are discussed in this article.

It’s the time of year when our alfalfa fields are just waking from winter slumber, or at least we hope they are. We are hopeful that a combination of favorable moisture and thoughtful management will have fields greening up with a strong stand. Unwelcome are brownfields or something close to it. Fortunately, this doesn’t happen often. Yet, when it does, the decision of what’s to follow is painful but an easy one to make — time to put this field out of its misery and plant something else.

With August upon us, we may still be feeling the heat of the summer at the moment but whether or not we’re ready, cooler temperatures are just around the corner and it’s time to be thinking about winter feeding strategies. Using harvested forages for winter feed represents a substantial expense for livestock operations. For many grazing operations, stockpiling can be an effective strategy to extend forage resources further into the fall and winter season, reducing the costs associated with harvesting and storing feed and providing high-quality pasture for fall and winter grazing.