Since my last article, How to Make Alfalfa Better, appeared, several seemingly compelling articles appeared in the “popular dairy press” about the necessity or at least the value of alfalfa to supply protein for relief of the high protein (soybean) prices. I want to break down these ideas on the basis of what we are doing at Forage Innovations. Let’s first look at what we think should be some Continue Reading
Foraging Ahead Articles
How to Make Alfalfa Better
Some of you might consider that this topic would not be addressed by Daniel and me. At Forage Innovations, we are not the biggest promotors of alfalfa, but when we do use more permanent rotations on farms, alfalfa becomes, many times the most viable option. As a matter of fact, to prove we know what we are talking about, in the 2021 World Dairy Expo Forage Analysis Superbowl, the Grand Continue Reading
Why Following Sorghum-Sudan with Corn is such a Good Idea
BMR Sorghum-Sudan (SxS) has been around for approximately 20 years. During this time, we began seeing its value as a quality forage for high-producing dairy cows and began moving it farther north from its typical homes of Texas and Kansas. One thing became completely clear, when especially corn, but any crop followed SxS, it seemed thenext crop did better! Could it just be the effects of ordinary Continue Reading
Grasses — The Roots of Regenerative Agriculture
by Larry Hawkins, PAS The benefits of alfalfa roots are well known and understood. This article will be about the benefits of the roots of both cool and warm season grasses. With the emergence of Regenerative Agriculture, grasses play an important and almost necessary role. We will look at grasses and their root systems and especially their ability to increase and improve organic matter I Continue Reading
Should You Be Planting BMR Corn?
by Daniel Olson, Founder of Forage Innovations One of the largest breakthroughs in corn silage quality has been the identification of the Brown MidRib gene in corn and the development of hybrids that carry the gene. BMR hybrids generally have better fiber digestibility and lower levels of UNDF (undigestible fiber) then their conventional counterparts. This can allow dairy farmers to feed more Continue Reading
Why We Like Floury Corn Hybrids
by Daniel Olson & Larry Hawkins, PAS The subject of floury corn versus vitreous corn for corn silage has been a controversial one in the past. However now with some of the detractors breeding floury genetics into their silage corn, there is a greater acceptance and less controversy. Somethings that need to be considered include both yield and cost, as major considerations, but another Continue Reading
Forage Shortage
by Larry Hawkins, PAS 2021 has a brought some good news, but a problem is looming for dairy farmers in some parts of the country. I am referring to forage shortages before new crop can be harvested and cured. If you see that you will be running out of corn silage before your usual March 2022 silo opening time, here are a few things to consider. How Corn Silage Changes During Continue Reading
12 Advantages for Farmers to Crop Plan for 2022 During 2021
By Larry Hawkins The No.1 Factor Outside of Production That Maximizes Profits is Planning Early. I once heard a story about a fellow who rose from the mailroom to CEO and when he was asked the key to his success, he said, “I just kept showing up!” I know this was a simplistic reply and that there was plenty of planning and goal setting involved too. It is no different than establishing a Continue Reading
Efficiency – Everybody wants it!
By Larry Hawkins, PAS It seems in these times everybody is talking about being more efficient. We want to spend less time and money getting things done. For many, the pandemic solved a big problem. Getting to work became a lot more efficient. Instead of spending 30 minutes or an hour fighting rush hour traffic and then another 15 or 20 minutes finding a parking spot, the commute Continue Reading