Hay and Forage

Making the Most of Every Bale: How to Improve Hay Quality This Season

Mon, 11 May 2026 13:26:38 GMT

With hay season on the horizon, putting up quality product is crucial to ensure livestock are getting the most nutritious forages in their diets. In a recent episode of K-State Agriculture Today , Kansas State University Extension agronomists Tina Sullivan and Logan Simon discuss growth, harvest and maintenance to provide the highest-quality forage for your livestock.

Factors Affecting Quality

When thinking hay quality, a variety of factors can make or break the final product. Sullivan explains controllable factors include cutting time, cutting height, and fertility application and management. As most producers understand, what is uncontrollable are weather conditions like heat, cool periods and unexpected freezes, to name a few.

She says, “Some of these factors go into once the hay is cut — we can’t control if hay gets wet, but when it does, we lose hay quality.”

Reproductive Stages and What They Mean

At this point in the season in early May, fertility products should already be applied to hay patches. Sullivan explains that applying fertilizers at this point is not cost-effective, nor will producers see the return on investment in the amount of forage produced, no matter what type it is.

At this stage and given the weather Kansas has experienced, with recent warmth and rain pockets in parts of the state, forage is most likely greening and maturing faster than in previous years.

With this advanced maturity, it is crucial to be mindful of a quicker reproduction progression. “Once we are into heading stages, forage quality does significantly decline,” said Simon. This is because the plant is slowly transitioning all its resources from growing leaves and stems to the head and seeds.

With a more advanced schedule, as predicted this season, closer plant monitoring is required. Both agronomists explained that there is potential to cut the plants at a shorter height than expected to maintain the quality of forage.

This point applies to all grasses and legumes. Alfalfa, for example, is a legume that produces flowers, and when stages move faster to a bigger bloom, the quality has already been reduced.

From Swathing to Baling

When swathing time comes, Sullivan reminds producers that “plants are moving sugars at different times in the day,” so emphasis on harvest times is suggested. In highly humid environments especially, cutting time is best mid to late morning, only after the dew has dried. This helps with quicker drying products and contains nutrients at peak time.

Considering optimal raking conditions is the next priority. Hot, dry and windy days increase hay drying rates; the drier a product becomes, the greater the risk of breaking off leaf material.

“We are losing forage quality and increasing indigestible fiber,” Sullivan explains. Ensuring the swathing, raking and baling timeline is appropriate for the conditions is vital to the quality of hay produced.

Simon adds that the proteins in forage, especially legumes, come from the leaves. If those are broken off, you’re left with forage that has a high concentrate of indigestible nutrients or lignin.

He says, “It’s all about the concentration and ratios of these key nutritional factors,” when considering the hay season timeline.

Hay Storage

“The way we store our hay bales is going to affect the overall longevity of those proteins, fibers, structures and overall quality over time,” Sullivan explains.

Whether your hay is wrapped in plastic film or netting, stored indoors or outdoors, the environmental factors like water and temperature affect the longevity of a quality hay product.

Simon explains that 15% to 18% moisture is ideal before baling to ensure best storage, avoiding mold and heating concerns. Wet hay will spark microbial growth that, worst-case scenario, causes spontaneous combustion. For regions where wetter hay is a concern, wet wrapping is another storage alternative, acting as a fermenting rather than heating environment.

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Stop Haying to Improve Your Bottom Line

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:58:15 GMT

Haying season is a traditional summer activity for ranchers, but in today’s economy, doing the work yourself versus buying hay might be hurting your bottom line.

“When you look at the numbers honestly, you may find you’re better off not making hay at all,” says Carson Roberts, extension specialist for forage and agronomy at the University of Missouri.

Time, equipment, interest rates and inflation shift with each generation. With feed as a top cost for cow-calf producers, knowing the true cost of hay production is imperative to running the ranch like a business.

“It’s all about getting above the business and looking down at it — and numbers are a really good way to do that,” Roberts says. “Know your numbers, not someone else’s numbers.”

There’s a lot that goes into calculating hay production costs. The first place to start is by separating enterprises.

“You need to separate your haying operation from your cattle operation — those are two different enterprises,” Roberts says. “Even if you’re feeding it yourself, put a real dollar value on that hay.”

After that, take inventory.

“Brainstorm everything — walk around your farm and take a picture of anything that has to do with producing hay,” he says.

From fertilizing to spraying to harvesting, there are many pieces of equipment and tractors to account for.

“Usually, if hay isn’t profitable, it comes down to equipment costs,” Roberts says.

This is largely due to increased equipment and repair costs.

“Today it takes about 28 calves to buy a new baler — 50 years ago it took 14,” he says. “We’re looking at equipment inflation running about 10 times faster than cattle prices.”

Using loan-free, older equipment isn’t free, either.

“If you’re running older equipment and doing your own repairs, you’re subsidizing your hay enterprise with your mechanic skills,” Roberts says.

Those mechanic skills take time and labor, which are often overlooked costs for business owners.

“Your time is most valuable doing the thing that makes you the most money,” he says. “If you’re a good cattle producer, you’ll make your most money producing cattle — not producing hay.”

The profitability of hay production is also dependent on the scale of the operation. For larger operators, the numbers might pencil out.

“At a large enough scale, owning equipment might make sense — but most producers aren’t there,” Roberts says.

To accurately calculate the cost of hay production on your operation, lean on local extension services that already have budgets or spreadsheets built for producers.

Once the numbers are calculated, what’s next?

“If you’re going to get out of haying, sell the equipment — it frees up capital and keeps you from going back,” Roberts says.

Purchasing hay also creates more freedom to feed what you want, instead of feeding what you put up regardless of quality.

“You can inspect it, sample it and know exactly what you’re feeding,” he says. “If half the hay got rained on, you can go find the producer whose hay didn’t.”

Sampling hay is well worth the cost to understand exactly what you are feeding. Outside of buying hay, increasing days spent grazing can have the biggest impact on the bottom line.

“You can make almost twice as much money per acre grazing as you can haying,” Roberts says.

Grazing isn’t limited to summer pastures. It can include stockpiled forages, corn stalks or cover crops. Cattle are more efficient at harvesting forage than haying equipment — let them do the work.

Learn more about how to transition from producing hay to purchasing hay on the “Casual Cattle Conversations” podcast .

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Feeding at Dusk: How Does This Affect Calving Times?

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 13:10:05 GMT

It’s commonly said among producers that feeding in the afternoon or evening means cows will calve during the day, making it easier to manage. Finding what works best for your operation is crucial to a successful calving season.

Rumen Activity’s Role in Calving Time

To ensure females are adjusted to this cycle, UNL Beef’s Rick Rasby and Kaci McCarthy say producers should start feeding at dusk two to three weeks before calving season starts.

It’s unclear what truly prompts cows to calve, other than a hormonal connection. Rasby and McCarthy explain studies show rumen contractions increase in frequency after feeding and then lessen a few hours before a cow calves. Rumen pressure drops in the last two weeks of gestation and continues to decline during calving.

Therefore, it’s concluded calving can be triggered by low rumen pressure. So, in this instance, feeding at night increases the pressure, and then by daytime it has declined, meaning cows are more likely to calve.

Originally, Gus Konefal, a rancher in Mantioba, Canada, developed and reported observations of this method in the 1970s, and this method of feeding is named after him.

Results of the Konefal Feeding Method

South Dakota State University Extension cow-calf field specialist Adele Harty explains research supports the Konefal feeding method. A study from Iowa State University used this system, feeding one time per day at 4 p.m. starting two weeks before expected calving. Results showed 82% of cows calved between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., and 91% of calves were born between 5 a.m. and 11 p.m.

In this project, first-calf heifers were separated from the data set, resulting in 90% of them calving in this same time frame.

Further studies among 15 producers in Iowa and Missouri concluded feeding once a day between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. resulted in 85% of cows calving between 5 a.m. and midnight. Data provided by UNL Beef from Canadian and British studies shows 79% of cows calved during the day when fed later. Other field trials by cattlemen showed 74.5% of calves born between 5 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Combining results from 15 farms in Iowa, 85% of cows calved between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. when fed at dusk.

Points for Success

As a producer, you must do what works best for your operation. Harty provides some key points to consider when and if producers choose to implement the Konefal feeding system.

For this method to be most effective, it should be implemented one month prior to calving, but a shorter duration before the start of calving will have a similar effect.
Stay as close to the same feeding schedule and feed amount as possible every day. Deviating more than 15 minutes in the schedule or feeding too much will affect the results.
Still maintain regular night checks — implementing this system only means there is less calves born during the night.
It works best in a drylot setting where all feed is regulated and provided. Results may not be as effective in a grazing situation if grazing is unregulated.
Weather can temporarily change the effects, as with most systems.
Other research shows that if a first-calf heifer calves during the day, she will tend to calve during the day throughout her productive years.

Calving season is a stressful time for producers, often having longer hours. With the Konefal feeding system, producers can ensure more cows calve during the daylight hours, reducing workload and stress.

Your Next Read: 3 Nutritional Questions to Consider Prior to Calving

Three Ways To Be More Profitable Making Hay

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 13:07:39 GMT

Haymaking is a game of threes, says University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Carson Roberts. To be profitable, producers must manage three key factors:

Equipment expenses;
Quality;
Yield.

Haymaking grew in popularity in the 1970s with the introduction of the large round baler. Large bales improved efficiency and reduced the labor required to handle and store small square bales. But just because producers can make more hay, it doesn’t mean they should, he says.

Skyrocketing equipment costs are forcing producers to take a harder look at haymaking economics. Machinery prices have far outpaced calf sale prices. Since the 1970s, the cost of a baler has increased tenfold, while calf prices have only increased a little more than fivefold.

A producer must have an understanding of this inflation issue and how to better leverage equipment in order to have a profitable haying enterprise.

To manage this, a producer has a several options:

Reduce equipment to match the acreage;
Spread equipment costs across higher yields;
Spread equipment costs across more acres.

No. 2 has the greatest potential at increasing profitability, if the cost of increasing yield isn’t too high.

Fifty years ago, a 500-lb. calf sold for about $71/cwt., and a new round baler cost roughly $5,000, enough to support 14 calves per baler. Today, producers average 29 calves and a baler that costs around $58,000.

The typical cow-calf producer in Missouri manages 45 to 60 cows and makes hay on about 75 acres. In high-yield years, producers may spend around $60 per bale. In low-yield years, that cost can climb to $120 per bale due to fixed costs and overheads.

While haymaking is steeped in tradition and gives producers a sense of control over feed inventory, it is an expensive enterprise. Roberts encourages producers to consider the economics of selling equipment and transitioning hayfields into grazing opportunities.

Producer attitudes have also shifted over the past five decades. In the past, many producers focused on making as much hay as possible, regardless of quality.

“This is not always the best strategy,” Roberts says.

Early first cuttings contain fewer coarse stems and mature seedheads. They are typically leafier and more digestible, with significantly higher protein content than later cuttings.

For producers who continue to make hay, Roberts suggests improving profitability by managing in-field traffic. Feeding hay back onto hayfields when the ground is frozen allows nutrients to return to the soil. He also recommends rotating fields through a graze-graze-hay system.

Ultimately, haymaking requires careful management of machinery costs to remain profitable. Roberts urges producers to sell excess or unused equipment and match machinery size to acreage.

Moving away from haymaking can be uncomfortable, he says, especially for those who value the tradition and sense of control it provides. However, purchasing hay can also offer control over the quality fed to the herd.

“You can control the quality of the hay you purchase,” Roberts says. “But you cannot always control the quality of the hay you make.”

Your Next Reads:
10 Reasons You Should Quit Making Hay
Why Should I “Quit Making Hay?”
Instead of Making Hay: 4 Profitable Alternatives For Cattle Producers to Consider
Instead of Feeding Hay: 5 Profitable Winter Feed Alternatives for Your Cattle Herd

Winter Hay Supplies Getting Low? Consider Limit-Feeding Grain to Your Cows

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 13:33:20 GMT

During the winter when pastures are no longer a viable feed option, hay becomes the most common feedstuff fed to beef cows. Additionally, during drought conditions, pasture no longer exists as a viable feed option and cattle producers resort to feeding hay. Unfortunately, drought conditions can also make it very difficult to grow and harvest enough hay needed to feed the cow herd when pasture is unavailable.

U.S. hay production has declined the past couple years due to widespread drought across much of the country (Figure 1.). Decreased hay production has created a greater demand for hay and as a result the price of hay has increased. What other feed options do you have besides hay?

Figure 1. U.S. Hay production and the price received for hay sold.

(Michigan State University)

A viable option to replace ad libitum or free-choice hay may be to limit-feed or restrict-feed corn to your beef cows. For three straight winters, this option was tested by Steven Loerch with The Ohio State University beef cow herd until the cow herd finished calving. Diets were formulated to meet the nutritional requirements of 1,300-lb. gestating beef cows.

For limit-fed corn diets, cows were transitioned to the high-concentrate diet over the course of four days and received 1.7-2.6 lb. of hay per head per day, depending on the trial year, to maintain proper rumen health. Whole shelled corn was fed at 9.9 lb. per head per day and was increased when temperatures decreased and energy demands were greater for the cow.

A pelleted supplement was also fed to the limit-fed corn group to supply adequate protein via soybean meal and urea, and supply calcium, vitamins and Monensin. The quality of orchard grass hay round bales offered to the ad libitum hay group consisted of 9-10% crude protein and 68-75% neutral detergent fiber (NDF). Hay waste was assumed to be 10%, which is within the range commonly reported for feeding round bales in feeders.

Offering hay and supplying Monensin in the supplement, prevented cows from experiencing digestive upsets while being fed a high-concentrate diet. Feeding whole shelled corn also slows down the rate of diet fermentation in comparison with feeding processed (i.e., cracked, rolled, ground, steam-flaked) corn. Not surprisingly, cows that were limit-fed corn expressed behavioral signs of being hungry and boredom. Offering extra hay may be a potential solution, but results in a greater feed cost.

Overall, cows limit-fed corn consumed 52-58% less feed on a dry-matter basis and at a 40-49% reduced feed cost. Corn has more than twice the energy content and supplies a greater amount of energy per dollar compared with hay. Thus, resulting in a reduced feed intake and feed cost to supply similar amounts of energy. Monensin supplementation likely helped to reduce feed intake and feed costs as well. In two subsequent trials with beef heifers, Monensin supplementation was shown to reduce feed intake by 7.5% compared with no Monensin supplementation.

In these experiments, corn cost $2/bushel ($71/ton), hay cost $80/ton and the supplement cost $150/ton. With current market prices, assuming costs for corn = $4.75/bushel ($169/ton), hay = $200/ton, supplement = ~$450/ton, Table 1 illustrates how limit-feeding corn is still a cheaper option today than providing beef cows with free-choice hay.

Table 1. Cost comparison of limit-feeding corn versus free-choice hay offered to beef cows

Feed Ingredient	Limit-fed corn	Free-choice hay
Hay	2.2 lb. × $0.10/lb. = $0.22	29.5 lb. × $0.10/lb. = $2.95
Corn	12.5 lb. × $0.085/lb. = $1.06	-
Supplement	2.2 lb. × $0.225/lb. = $0.50	-
Total	$1.78/d	$2.95/d

The limit-feeding strategy resulted in greater variation in body weight change compared with cows offered free-choice hay, but differences were not consistent between the two different groups. Part of this can be explained by the changing energy demands caused by the fluctuating temperatures during the cold winters, hence why corn supplementation had to be increased at certain times during each of the three trials. Meanwhile, cows offered free-choice hay were able to consume more hay until they achieved gut fill, and then energy intake became limited as well.

On average, cows that were limit-fed corn produced calves that were heavier at birth compared with cows offered free-choice hay, with no reported difference in calving difficulty. Calves from cows limit-fed corn typically yielded heavier weaning weights as well. Conception rates were similar across treatments.

If the amount of body weight lost during winter is too great, it can negatively affect conception rates the following year, as was demonstrated in the third trial. Generally, early- and mid-gestation is the time to add body weight and condition back to cows after the calves have been weaned. During late-gestation and early lactation cows will be mobilizing energy toward the fetus and for milk production needed to feed their calf and not towards their own body weight gain.

The idea of restricted feeding came from previous work by Loerch with backgrounding systems for growing cattle before they were transitioned to a feedlot diet. This restricted-feeding concept has also been applied to feedlot cattle during the finishing phase as well.

— Jerad Jaborek, Michigan State University Extension

Your Next Reads:
3 Nutritional Questions to Consider Prior to Calving
Instead of Feeding Hay: 5 Profitable Winter Feed Alternatives for Your Cattle Herd
3 Rules When Figuring Winter Hay Supply Needs

3 Nutritional Questions to Consider Prior to Calving

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 13:42:08 GMT

Supplying adequate nutrition to the cow is critical during the 60 days prior to calving and immediately after calving.

“Beef cattle can turn high fiber forages and food by-product residuals into protein food at a very effective rate,” says John Comerford, Pennsylvania State University professor emiritus of animal science, in a recent extension article . “For the cow herd, there is seldom a period during the year when the cow cannot meet her nutritional needs with reasonable quality grass, hay or stored forages. The exception for these nutritional needs is for the 60 days prior to calving and immediately after calving.”

Why Is There a Nutritional Challenge Prior To and After Calving?

Comford explains there are three major reasons why cows are challenged prior to and right after calving:

The initiation of lactation
The return to a fertile reproductive state
The production of colostrum

He adds the cow’s age has an impact on these factors, and younger cows have more critical nutritional needs.

Lawton Stewart, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant dean for extension, and Uttam Saha, UGA Agricultural & Environmental Services Lab (AESL) program coordinator, explain there are three nutritional questions producers should consider as calving season approaches — depending on forage availability and quality.

Does restricting feed in the last trimester decrease calf birth weights?
Do you need more protein to go with hay?
Are you underestimating crude protein and overestimating energy?

Does Restricting Feed in the Last Trimester Decrease Calf Birth Weights?

Stewart and Saha say yes, feed restriction will decrease birth weights. The problem is that birth weight is not the only thing it will affect.

Recent research has focused on fetal programming . Fetal programming is the concept that maternal stimuli or insults during fetal development have long-term effects on the offspring.

One of the most critical aspects of fetal programming involves the adequate nutrition, or lack thereof, of the dam. Research has shown minimal impact on calf birth weights; however, the restricted nutrition during the last trimester decreased weaning weights, finishing weights and hot carcass weights.

Additionally, research from Nebraska indicates heifers from nutritionally restricted cows reached puberty 14 days later than those with proper nutrition.

Do You Need More Protein to Go with Your Hay?

Stewart and Saha say possibly, however, protein is only half of the equation.

Figure 1: The nutrient requirement of a mature brood cow through a 365-day calving interval.

(UGA)

From April 1 to Oct. 1 of 2025, 773 bermudagrass hay samples were submitted to the UGA lab. The mean crude protein (CP) and energy (TDN) value was 11.1% and 55.7%, respectively. The illustration above represents the CP and TDN requirements of a brood cow throughout the production year. As cows enter the final trimester, their CP requirement is exceeded by the average bermudagrass sample, but the energy requirement falls short. More importantly, as they calve, enter peak lactation and the breeding season, the CP requirement is met, but the TDN falls tremendously short.

Do Producers Underestimate Crude Protein and Overestimate Energy?

Stewart and Saha say there is a tendency for producers to underestimate crude protein and overestimate energy.

“The cheapest money you will ever spend in a beef cattle operation is a forage test, guaranteed,” Saha says.

He explains a great illustration of this happened recently during the UGA Master Cattlemen’s Program. As part of the program, a free forage test was offered to participants along with a survey to estimate what producers thought the quality of the hay was prior to testing. This survey showed 83% of producers were underestimating the protein of their hay compared to the actual. This would result in purchasing a protein supplement when not needed.

For energy, 50% overestimated the level, resulting in depriving needed energy during late gestation and early lactation. In addition to the previously discussed fetal programming issues, this could also cause delayed breeding.

Figure 2: Actual example of over estimating energy.

(UGA)

An example of overestimation of energy is illustrated the example above. The overestimation could likely result in breeding being delayed 42 days. The resulting loss in weaning weight could easily reach 80 lb., leading to an approximate $280 decrease in value per calf.

“Through forage testing, the producer would know to feed 4 lb./day of a supplement such as corn gluten feed. Based on a 25-cow herd, this could easily return $6,325 above cost. That is a no-brainer,” Saha explains.

Brood cow nutrition is a crucial part of a beef cattle operation. Between fetal programming and maintaining the proper calving interval, it is imperative for producers to pay close attention to the nutrients available in their forages, and if they meet the requirements of their herd.

Your Next Read:
Ensuring Quality and Nutrition: Three Easy Steps For Forage Analysis
9 Tips to Ensure Calving Season Success
Your Calving Prep Starts Here: The Essential Checklist

Grazing Milo Can Save $300 per Head

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 18:56:33 GMT

This is the third year that Green Ridge livestock producer John Chamberlin has worked with University of Missouri (MU) Extension agronomist Rusty Lee and livestock specialist Gene Schmitz to find how milo can reduce winter feed costs and improve herd health.

Milo is a drought-resistant forage that can be used as a winter livestock feed to save time and labor. It also improves carrying capacity and returns nutrients back to the soil, Lee says.

Composite forage tests of all plant parts of milo shows a TDN of 73%-75% and crude protein of 7%. That is adequate energy but requires protein supplementation, says MU Extension agronomist Rusty Lee. Allocating 12 pounds of grain per cow per day yields a possible carrying capacity of 420 cow days per acre.

(Linda Geist)

Saves Labor, Costs

By grazing the standing milo, producers eliminate grain harvest and transportation costs.

Strip grazing takes cattle to the feed rather than feed to the cattle, saving time and money, says Lee.

He has grown milo on his east-central Missouri diversified farm for more than 10 years.

Producers control daily feed allocation by creating strips with polywire electric fencing. This encourages cattle to utilize the fodder leaves and portions of the stalk in addition to the high-energy grain head of the plants.

Chamberlin says strip grazing saves him hours of feeding time daily for the approximately 400 head since it takes only 30 minutes a day to move the polywire instead of the hours it took to unroll hay and fill feed bunks.

MU Extension specialists Rusty Lee and Gene Schmitz tested downed milo for prussic acid or cyanide. Like other sorghum specie forages, prussic acid is present in milo after frost injury. To avoid this, delay grazing for about two weeks after frost to avoid nitrate poisoning in cows.

(Linda Geist)

Toxicity Still a Problem After Frost

Like other Sorghum species forages, temporary but toxic levels of prussic acid are present in milo after frost injury. To avoid this, delay grazing for about two weeks after frost to avoid cyanide poisoning in cows.

Chamberlin recently did in-field research to see if he could avoid this prussic acid poisoning window by mowing milo down prior to frost.

“The idea was to start the two-week clock for volatilization in an area that would then be usable once the remainder of the field was in the frost-induced grazing restriction,” Lee says.

He left mowed stalks on the ground to dry and waited for MU Extension specialists to test the downed milo for prussic acid or cyanide. Eight days after mowing, their tests still showed that prussic acid levels were still too high to safely turn cattle in to graze.

Lee and Schmitz say that while the head of the plant may be dead, the stalk continues to create regrowth that appears to contain cyanide. While palatable to livestock, it can be deadly.

MU Extension agronomist Rusty Lee, right, shows livestock producer John Chamberlin a simple test kit he carries with him to make testing for prussic acid quick and easy. After frost injury, temporary but toxic levels of prussic acid are present in milo, and livestock grazing should be avoided.

(Linda Geist)

Post-Frost Toxins

Risk is highest immediately after the first fall frost, primarily due to the stress-induced breakdown of cyanogenetic compounds into prussic acid or hydrogen cyanide, says MU Extension veterinary toxicologist Tim Evans.

When Sorghum species like milo are stressed by frost, they tend to accumulate a compound called dhurrin. When frost-damaged plant tissues break down in the rumen, the dhurrin quickly converts to the highly toxic prussic acid.

Prussic acid interferes with the body’s ability to use oxygen to generate cellular energy, with the oxygen remaining unused in the typically cherry red blood, leading to symptoms such as muscle twitching, staggering and even death. Ruminants are more susceptible to prussic acid poisoning than other animals because cud chewing and rumen bacteria help release the cyanide from plant tissue.

Additionally, frost can cause nitrate accumulation in some plants by hindering their ability to convert nitrates into proteins.

Despite the lack of success in reducing the two-week wait after frost to graze, Lee says MU Extension specialists continue to look for ways to move cows onto milo quicker.

High Production, High Utilization

Strip-grazing standing milo eliminates the costs associated with harvesting and transporting feed grains. This results in lower daily feed costs compared to the traditional winter hay feeding program. Lee estimates the milo utilization rate at 75%.

Composite forage tests of all plant parts consumed show total digestible nutrient values (TDN) of 73%-75% and crude protein of 7%. That is adequate energy but requires protein supplementation, Lee says. Various commodity feeds like soybean meal or high-quality hay can provide this.

An average milo yield of 120 bushels per acre is 6,720 lb. of grain. Taking into consideration the observed feeding losses of 25% as the cattle graze, that leaves 5,040 lb. per acre into the mouths of cows. Allocating 12 lb. of grain per cow per day yields a possible carrying capacity of 420 cow days per acre.

Savings of $300 per calf

Chamberlin says he gets 400 cow days per milo acre, letting him run more cows per acre. He estimates that he reduces the acres/cow ratio from 4 to 3, a significant savings of resources.

His figures point to milo saving him $300 per calf compared to hay. With a 400-head herd, that’s about $120,000 in savings, Lee says.

Chamberlin remains a firm supporter of grazing standing milo.

“I have nothing but praise for this. If you’re not already grazing standing milo, start.”

Breeding Rates Improve

Lee says milo provides a consistent, high-energy feed for breeding fall-calving cows or late spring-calving cows with calves at side when used with a protein supplement.

Calving rates improve when moving cows from fescue fields to milo as little as 30 days before breeding season, he says.

Lee recommends putting cows on milo two weeks after a killing freeze, typically Nov. 1. This works well with fall-calving program of bull turn-in between Thanksgiving and Dec. 1.

Nov. 1 to Valentine’s Day

Typically, a Nov. 1 start allows grazing all winter until planted acres are consumed. While it is possible to graze milo until spring pasture green-up, March winds and deteriorating stalk strength make it a good idea to conclude milo grazing by Valentine’s Day, Lee explains.

Available resources

Strip-Grazing Milo as a Low-Cost Winter Forage

Grain Sorghum Planning Budget

Your Next Read: Instead of Feeding Hay: 5 Profitable Winter Feed Alternatives for Your Cattle Herd

Cow-Calf Checklist: Now is the Time to Prepare for Winter

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 12:53:38 GMT

Each month, cow-calf producers are faced with management tasks related to seasonal and production goals. Jason Warner, Kansas State University Extension cow-calf specialist, summarizes the top 10 management practices producers should check off their to-do lists in December.

1. Take time to sample harvested forages prior to winter feeding.

Use forage tests to fine tune your supplementation program.
Forage tests are cheap relative to the value of the information.

2. Calculate forage needs off of herd numbers, weight and days.

Make sure adequate forages are available if grazing is limited.
Take inventory of all hay and silages.

3. Condition score cows to guide your nutrition program.

Targeted BCS at calving: 5 for mature cows, 6 for young cows.
Maintain BCS on fall calving females going through breeding.

4. If grazing crop residues following harvest, keep in mind:

The bottom 1/3 of the stalk is where nitrates accumulate.
Be aware of prussic acid in new regrowth of sorghum plants, and the time around frost is the greatest risk.

5. If you are a late-fall or early-winter calver ...

Have calving equipment cleaned and available to use as needed.
Consider teat and udder scoring females at calving, even if they’re commercial.

6. Plan your mineral needs for this coming fall and winter.

Record date and amount offered and calculate herd consumption.
If consumption is 2X or 3X the target, then your cost is too!

7. Heifers will be worth a lot this year, let’s manage as such!

For replacements, know your target weight at breeding.
For bred heifers, target to be at a BCS 6.0 at calving.

8. Herd bulls are easy to forget…don’t let them be forgotten!

Conduct a BSE on bulls used for upcoming fall service.
If bulls are BCS ≤ 5.0, consider supplementing to regain BCS going into winter.

9. As you think about this female market this year…

Consider the time needed to pay off replacement females at a given calf price.
Consider all the ways in which you can add females back in to the herd.

10. Winter is approaching soon, so take time now to prepare!

Clean lots and calving grounds as needed.
Have bedding and windbreaks ready to be used.

Ensuring Quality and Nutrition: Three Easy Steps For Forage Analysis

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 12:17:39 GMT

Testing forage and feed is one of the most valuable steps producers can take to make sure cattle are meeting their nutritional needs.

“By collecting good samples, choosing the right tests and understanding the results, you can save money, improve animal performance and avoid unexpected problems,” says Emma Briggs, Kansas State University beef production systems, in Hays, Kan.

Briggs shared these three steps for successful forage analysis in a recent KSU Beef Tips article .

1. Getting a Good Sample

The first step is making sure your sample represents what the cattle will eat.

“Always sample by ‘lot,’ meaning hay or forage that comes from the same field and cutting,” Brigg says. “Never mix bales from different cuttings or pastures into one sample. Also consider timing, sampling right before feeding shows the most accurate nutrient value since it includes any storage losses.”

Use a hay probe or core sampler when possible and collect at least 20 cores from different bales in a lot. For chopped silage or baleage, take samples from several locations and mix them.

Once collected, combine samples in a clean bucket, mix thoroughly, and seal in a heavy-duty plastic bag. For high-moisture feed, freeze the sample until it’s shipped to the lab.

2. Labeling and Shipping

Clear records are just as important as a good sample.

“Label each bag with your name, lot ID, harvest date and forage type (i.e. second-cutting orchardgrass, Field A),” Briggs explains. “On the lab paperwork, note any details about maturity, legume content or suspected issues like mold.”

Ship samples quickly, preferably early in the week. Use ice packs or freeze high-moisture feeds like silage to keep it from spoiling.

3. Choosing a Lab and Tests

Briggs says when looking for a place to send samples, look for an accredited lab certified by the National Forage Testing Association (NFTA). Most routine analyses are done with Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy (NIRS), which is fast and affordable, but the “gold standard” for feed analysis is wet chemistry and can be more accurate for some feed types.

“At minimum, request tests for dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF),” she explains. “These values allow the lab to also calculate energy, like TDN. Optional tests like nitrates, minerals or fiber digestibility are worth considering if you suspect specific issues or are feeding high-risk forages like sorghum or drought-stressed hay.”

Understanding the Results

Dry Matter (DM): Indicates how much actual feed remains after water is removed. Essential for balancing rations and preventing spoilage.

Crude Protein (CP): Estimates protein content but can include non-protein nitrogen (like nitrates). Heat-damaged hay might show inflated CP, so some labs also report available CP.

ADF and NDF: Fiber values that affect digestibility and intake. High ADF means lower energy; high NDF limits how much cattle will eat.

Energy (TDN, NE): Energy values calculated from fiber. As ADF increases, energy drops. Meeting cows’ energy needs is often the biggest feeding challenge.

Ash and Minerals: High ash often means dirt contamination, which dilutes feed value. Mineral panels can flag shortages or imbalances that might require supplementation.

Indexes (RFV, RFQ): Useful shorthand for comparing hay quality, though best applied only within similar forage types.

Putting Results to Work

“The real value of forage testing comes when you compare lab results to your cattle’s requirements,” Briggs explains. “For example, if a cow needs 1.4 lb. of protein daily but your hay only provides 0.9 lb., you know to add a protein supplement. Conversely, if your hay is richer than expected, you can save money by cutting back on purchased feed.”

Matching different forages to the right class of cattle is also smart management. Reserve your highest quality hay for lactating or growing animals, while dry mature cows might be able to get by on lower quality forage.

Avoiding Common Mistakes

Briggs says the biggest pitfalls are poor sampling (too few cores or mixing lots), mislabeling bags and misreading results (confusing “as-fed” with “dry matter” values).

“Don’t rely only on RFV or CP without considering energy, fiber and minerals,” she says. “And always ship samples quickly to avoid spoilage.”

Good sampling and testing take a little time but can help improve operation efficiency.

“By knowing exactly what nutrients your forage provides, you can fine-tune rations, avoid toxicity risks and stretch your feed dollars further,” Briggs says. “Forage analysis is a simple but powerful tool to boost both cattle performance and your bottom line.”

Seeding Cover Crops Aerially Can Boost Grazing Potential

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 11:15:00 GMT

Stored hay can be a livestock producer’s best insurance, says University of Missouri Extension plant science specialist Caleb O’Neal, who is also a cattle producer. It provides flexibility for cattlemen to rest pastures in the event of drought and is often the feed of choice for winter herd maintenance.

O’Neal’s goals for his own herd include being able to actively graze high-quality forage most of the year, but he relies on hay as a backup option “when grazing pickings are slim.”

High-quality hay can be made with favorable weather and good management.

“But in many cases, the hay that we as producers make is cut too late in the season and has poor feed value,” he says.

For a longer grazing season, many producers either manage their established forages differently or plant specific forage species that grow during times of the year that traditionally have limited forage availability. Many of these species are popular in cover crop seed mixtures.

Cover crops can provide an excellent opportunity for livestock producers to extend their grazing season, O’Neal says.

“Planting cover crops between cash crops like corn and soybeans is a widely adopted practice across the state, and while these annual cover crop species are frequently planted for the benefit they provide to the soil, their planting also opens the door to outstanding opportunities for graziers who are willing to think outside the box,” he says.

Many cover crops that are planted to maintain soil structure during the off-season can also provide unparalleled forage quality for livestock producers at a time of year that aligns very well with the forage base relied upon by most cattle producers in the state, he says.

Many producers are familiar with the excellent forage that cereals like wheat and rye can provide in early spring. But, historically, it’s difficult to achieve a grazeable cover crop in the fall on the same ground you’re using for cash crops because the cash crop grows late into the season. By the time it is harvested, there is little time to get a cover crop established and growing strong enough to tolerate fall grazing.

However, modern technology like utility drones can help producers “double dip” by establishing cover crops earlier in the season and achieve both fall and spring grazing from the same piece of ground, says O’Neal.

Aerially seeded cover crops can be seeded earlier in the season–late August through September–while the cash crop of corn or beans is still standing in late maturity. Cover crop seeds flown over the cash crop canopy will work down to the soil and slowly emerge in the protected space provided by the standing crop of corn or beans.

“The magic happens when the cash crop is harvested and the dense canopy is removed, allowing sunlight to be captured by the already established young cover crop below,” says O’Neal.

The cover crop that has been seeded and growing for several weeks wastes no time in being productive. With adequate fall moisture, it will likely be ready to graze in late October through November.

Grazing cover crops in the fall lets livestock producers rest cool-season pastures to accumulate winter stockpile fescue, which holds forage quality well and can then be grazed in the dead of winter.

Common cover crop mixes for aerial seeding include small-seeded brassicas like turnips and radishes, but there are also few plants that can put on as much growth for fall grazing as a spring oat, O’Neal says. Forage species like this when paired together make for exceptional fall and early-winter grazing.

For fall and spring grazing from the cover crop mix, be sure to select the correct forage species to aerially seed. Most species of oats will winter-kill, so throwing a winter-hardy cereal like rye or triticale and a legume like crimson clover in the mix can help ensure there is high-quality forage available to graze in March and April the following year.

“Aerially seeding cover crops can be an excellent way to extend the grazing season and make the most of every acre. With land prices climbing faster than a cornstalk in June, maximizing the productivity of the ground we already have just makes sense,” O’Neal says.

“If we plan ahead, we can establish high-quality forage that not only supports the nutritional needs of our herds but also reduces our reliance on costly stored feed. When implemented correctly, grazing cover crops in the spring and fall is a win for the livestock, the land and our bottom line,” he says. “With the right forage species and adequate moisture, aerial seeding can help producers reduce feed costs, improve herd health and get more value from every acre.”

Your Next Read: From Best Buy Toy to Pro Spray Drone: A Father-Son Duo Takes Flight In Missouri Cattle Country

Starting Calves on Feed With the End in Mind

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 10:29:16 GMT

A new home, a new menu and new health challenges are what all calves face when being started on feed. In this article, we will focus on the second aspect — a new menu.

To start things off, on arrival it has been a long-standing practice of providing long-stem hay. Not a bad idea since it is a safe and seemingly therapeutic feed for cattle, but don’t use junk.

CRP hay (weeds), ditch hay, stuff that was rained on or made at a late maturity really does not help the cause for animals on arrival. Use your better forage, (note the word “forage” rather than roughage) and also note that the younger the calf, the more critical it is to use higher quality forage since we do want to provide nutrition rather than just something to chew on.

More than Hay

Now, taking this a step further, do not just limit these calves to only hay at arrival. We need to provide more substantial nutrition and generally young calves need and respond well to good protein nutrition.

With the abundance of higher protein feeds such as distillers grains, gluten feed and soybean meal in Iowa, these natural protein sources with minimal starch and high in digestible fiber become a very good addition to the arrival diet without much threat of digestive upset.

Supplements containing urea really are best to be withheld from arrival. Urea/NPN does take some further adjustment and an abundance of readily fermentable, nonstructural carbohydrate, which arrival diets do not and should not have.

Should we get concerned that withholding this NPN may also mean withholding mineral as is often the case where we might be using a liquid or dry supplement that contains NPN plus mineral and vitamins? My answer is “no.” The animals will be fine for a couple days without it. We may want to provide salt however, and if we strategically put the salt lick near the water source we may encourage a better, more effective rehydration after a long haul.

Next consider silage. If you are planning to feed silage or haylage later, start it now. Here I also need to qualify that we do not want to feed junk, or in the world of silage, if it is more like compost it is not good feed and should be left out. Good silage and haylage however make the arrival diet more enticing and can provide a higher level of nutrition than just hay.

From a rumen standpoint note that it takes around three days for the microflora of the rumen to start changing over to a new feed ingredient. So with an arrival diet we would be looking to feed it for about three to five days and using the time as an opportunity to adjust the animal in a gentle way to the feedstuffs they will be getting over the long haul, apart from the high energy starch, sugars or oils found in the final finishing diet in order that when we do add these high energy feeds we already have many of the ingredients already in place.

Learning How to Eat

The next aspect to consider is that we are also teaching these new arrivals how to eat. When bunk space is plentiful and all the calves in a pen come and eat together is preferred, but in reality, they may not or can not. This is especially the case with confinement buildings where maybe 1/3 of the calves can fit at the bunk at a given time. In these situations, we need to supply enough feed in order that all the calves can eat. But if we limit feed the diet, the aggressive calves will fill up and the rest will go hungry to some extent.

Arrival diet needs to allow the calves to eat to satiety without causing them to get sick. This generally means keeping the highly fermentable carbohydrates (starch, sugar) to a minimum initially. After the three to five days period of an “all you can eat buffet” that is composed of a digestible fiber and adequate protein, aggressive eaters tend to become satisfied and much less likely to over indulge while the more timid calves tend to learn to eat from a new bunk and become satisfied nutritionally.

At this point we have the calves set up to succeed. The normal finishing rations can be introduced and we can progress as normal.

— Garland Dahlke , IBC research scientist

3 Rules When Figuring Winter Hay Supply Needs

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 16:39:28 GMT

Some basic rules of thumb to follow when determining the hay supplies you will need to sustain your cow herd over the winter and into next spring:

Determine your average mature cow size. This can be done by weighing your 4 to 7 year old cows and calculating the average weight. From mature cow size, we can approximate the amount of forage dry matter cows will need to consume per year or per day. For example: a 1,000-lb. cow will consume about 26 lb. of forage dry matter per day. A 1,400-lb. cow will consume about 36.4 lb. of forage dry matter per day.
Determine your cow inventory.
Estimate the amount of time you expect to be feeding cows.

From this information calculate the total amount of hay needed.

For example: 100 cows weighing 1,400 lb. will consume about 3,640 lb. of hay per day. We should take into account that a certain amount of the hay fed will be wasted and there will be a certain amount of spoilage of each bale fed that won’t be consumed. With this in mind we will add another 10% to the daily total to bump it up to about 4,000 lb. (2 tons) per day.

Remember the amount of hay wasted or spoiled could be higher. If we are feeding hay carried over from last year, expect a higher percentage spoiled in each bale.

If we are expecting to feed hay from mid-October to mid-May, that is approximately 200 days of hay feeding. 4,000 lb. of hay needed per day x 200 days equals a total of 800,000 lb. (400 ton) of forage dry matter that cows will consume over this time. If we are feeding or buying large rounds with an average weight of 1,250 lb. that equates to 640 (800,000 divided by 1,250) big bales needed to sustain the 100 cows.

If possible, purchase hay by the ton. It leads to less error in securing the amount of hay you will need to purchase or have on inventory. If buying hay by the bale is your only option, make sure to weigh enough of the bales to have an accurate representation of bale weight. Also, take into account the amount of spoilage of each bale. One of the upsides of hay baled this summer is less spoilage.

Other factors such as weather, stage of gestation or lactating versus dry cows will obviously impact nutritional requirements of cows from day to day. Many Oklahoma producers are fortunate to have more standing forage than normal as we evaluate pastures right now. This may reduce hay needs and move back the starting date of hay feeding this year.

Your Next Read: Buy or Develop Heifers: 3 Crucial Considerations

New 2026 Balers and Hay Tools Launched By Case IH, John Deere, New Holland, And Vermeer

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 17:01:14 GMT

Case IH’s new RB6 series variable chamber round baler offers durability and less maintenance with triple seal bearings throughout the machine. This ensures contaminants stay out while lubricants stay in to maintain optimal operation.

The RB566 model includes several enhancement options:

(Matthew J. Grassi)

New double roller windguard increases compression and control for OSF pickups, allowing for increased capacity and ground speed.
The new Bale Weigh capability allows operators to monitor and record individual bale weight on an ongoing basis via in-cab monitoring. This capability weighs the bale in chamber without pausing the machine.
Pro 700 Plus display or Pro 1200 display compatibility.
FieldOps machine and telematics data via mobile and web apps have the ability to monitor individual bale data such as drop location, weight and moisture content.

“Another thing we’ve done is, on our pickup, we’ve went to a double roller windguard on the 566. Our customers who are bailing a lot of corn stalks, they’re dealing with some big windrows,” says Brian Williams, livestock product specialist, CNH Industrial. “And what this does is it pushes those windrows down and smashes them out and allows them to feed into the baler more fluidly so they can go faster.”

The RB6 series is manufactured in the U.S. in New Holland, Penn. , and order writing is open now. Orders signed this fall will begin shipping in March 2026.

John Deere intros V452M Round Baler with stepped-up automation features

(John Deere)

John Deere says its new V452M round baler provides enhanced productivity and precision ag tech integration for hay and forage operations.

The V452M headlines a newly updated lineup of VR and CR round baler models, introducing a new naming convention and advanced features purpose-built for heavy crop and silage conditions, while the current 1 Series round balers will continue to serve customer baling needs.

Expanding the versatility of John Deere’s round baler lineup, the VM, VR and CR lineup updates include variable-chamber and variable-wrapping combination models.

Key features of the V452M include:

Advanced Bale Chamber Technology: Three starting rolls and two belt drive rolls ensure consistent bale rotation.
Larger Bale Chamber: 4-by-5½ feet chamber width to maximize bale weight.
High-Density Silage Capability: Produces silage bales up to 11.7 pounds per cubic foot.

The full updated Model Year 2026 Deere baler lineup introduces several features to boost productivity (capabilities vary by model):

Industry-Leading Gate Cycle Time: As fast as three seconds for more bales per hour.
Moisture Sensors and Bale Scales: Seamlessly connect to the free John Deere Operations Center for near real-time bale documentation and yield insights.
G5 or G5e Monitor for in-cab adjustments and data-driven decisions.
High-Capacity Feeding System: A 7.2-foot-wide five-bar pickup handles heavy windrows with ease.
Baler Automation With New Unplug Assist automatically stops the tractor when the target bale size is reached and manages the gate cycle. When needed, Unplug Assist automatically stops the tractor and disengages the PTO when a plug is detected.

The VM, VR and CR balers will begin shipping in November 2025. For more information, contact your local John Deere dealer

New Holland rolls out Roll-Belt 1 Series Balers

(New Holland)

New for model year 2026, New Holland is introducing three updated Roll-Belt 1 Series models designed to work smarter, bale faster and ensure producers stay connected.

New Holland says feeding performance gets a boost with its Roll-Belt 451, 461 and 561 models. A newly designed single roller windguard now comes standard on all OSF (OverShot Feeder) pickup models. And a larger 8.4" roller — 60% larger in diameter than its predecessor — helps better compress the crop mat and improve feeding into the chamber.

For those baling larger windrows, a new dual roller windguard is available as an upgrade option on the 561 model. The front and rear rollers pivot independently, providing adaptive control in variable crop and ground conditions. Operators can also lock both rollers together when compressing loose or fluffy windrows.

“Each of these three models has a distinct fit. Take, for example, the Roll-Belt 561. In corn stalks, it truly shines,” says Alex Berwager, livestock and dairy business manager, New Holland. “We’re seeing a 16% improvement in feeding capacity thanks to the dual roller windguard, jumping from 43 to 50 tons per hour. That means less plugging from the controlled crop flow and greater productivity to tackle more when your time is short.”

Vermeer launches fleet of new baler and hay tools for 2026

(Vermeer)

Vermeer’s new model year 2026 baler and hay tool launch is led by the all-new ZR-2200 self-propelled baler.

The launch fleet also includes:

604 S series balers
605S Rancher baler
ZR-2200 self-propelled baler with the Z604S bale chamber
3 new models of carted wheel rakes.

“We’ve taken feedback from dealers and hay producers to build equipment that’s intuitive, durable and designed to deliver results,” said Shane Rourke, managing director of forage, Vermeer.

604S Premium Baler

(Vermeer)

The new 604 S series balers come in three models: Rancher, Signature and Premium (shown above).

Vermeer says the machines are built to help producers get more 6’x4' (1.8-m by 1.2-m) bales put up in a day.

The 604S Rancher is a reliable, straightforward option for value-focused producers who want durable components and convenient operation.
The 604S Signature features enhanced driveline capacity and rugged components, ideal for high-volume operations.
The 604S Premium pulls out all the stops with smart automation, comfort-focused features and productivity tools that help operators work faster, smarter and with less effort.

All three models share common components — including the camless wide pickup with a hydraulic pickup lift, a mechanical netwrap system and the Atlas Pro control system with in-cab density adjustments.

ZR-4S self-propelled baler.

(Vermeer)

Since the launch of the ZR5-1200 self-propelled baler in 2017, producers have consistently asked for a 4' (1.2-m) model that delivers the same level of automation, comfort and productivity.

Vermeer says it is answering that request with the new ZR-2200 self-propelled baler with the Z604S bale chamber (ZR-4S). The ZR-4S (pictured above) features zero-turn maneuverability, integrated automation and a premium cab packed with operator-focused features.

From auto tie and eject to real-time bale data and TempSense bearing temperature monitoring, the ZR-4S self-propelled baler is built to keep operators productive, informed and comfortable.

VRC Carted wheel rake

(Vermeer)

Three new carted wheel rakes — the VRC820, VRC1022 and VRC1224 — offer robust construction, updated hydraulics, and simple adjustments to help producers get the most out of every pass.

With raking widths ranging from 20' (6 m) to 24' (7.3 m), these rakes are designed for longevity and ease of use for operators of all sizes.

Full availability on these new hay tools is expected in Spring 2026.

Your Next Read: Less Work, Better Bales - John Deere Intros Weave Automation

Instead of Making Hay: 4 Profitable Alternatives For Cattle Producers to Consider

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 14:34:54 GMT

If you didn’t make hay, what could you do instead?

Carson Roberts, Missouri extension state forage specialist, says the consensus in the beef industry is making your own hay is the cheapest way to feed cattle through the winter.

“This couldn’t be further from the truth,” he explains. “Hay is expensive to make and expensive to feed.”

Encouraging producers to think outside the box, Roberts recently shared “ 10 Reasons You Should Quit Making Hay .” His point No. 6 suggests producers consider profitable alternatives instead of traditional hay production.

He recommends these four alternatives will often pay more per acre than producing hay:

1. Stockers

“Often, you’re lucky to break even on your hay enterprise — especially if you’re a small operation with a lot of overhead,” Roberts says. “With stockers, you’re looking at $766 per acre in gross revenue.”

He refers to research done by Eric Bailey, Missouri extension beef nutrition specialist, that found one acre can produce approximately 350 lb. of beef and with a $2.19 value of gain. If you add in the cost, it is about $200 more per acre than a hay crop.

He adds this approach can be nearly as profitable as crop production in some years. This year, crop production is not profitable at all, meaning that you would make approximately $200 more by running stockers than row crops, too.

2. Custom Grazing

“Custom grazing offers lots of flexibility with very little expense,” he explains.

Roberts says, on average, custom grazing rates are $1.75 to $2.50 per day per head.

“Let’s say a cow is consuming 30 lb. of forage per day. During that spring flush, you’re able to produce 1,000 to 3,000 lb. of grazable forage. Let’s be conservative and assume that we can harvest 1,500 lb. of forage. Divide that by 30, and you’ll see that you can graze 50 animals per acre for one day. At a rate of $1.75 you’re looking at $87 per acre or $116 per ton of forage during that 3-month spring flush.”

3. Grazing Home-Raised Cattle

He says this option is particularly effective for fall-calving herds using excess springtime forage when cattle can gain up to 3 lb. per day during spring flush, increasing their market value.

Home-raised stocker calves are a great low-hanging fruit. They are already adapted to your farm and management style. You can utilize the spring flush to put weight on weaned calves to sell them mid-summer.

4. Cull Cow Grazing

Roberts says cull cows may be the only class of animals that increases in per pound value as they get fatter. Traditionally, the cull cow market is at its annual peak during mid-summer, which is a perfect time to start destocking in preparation for stockpiling fescue.

He suggests purchasing or retaining thin cull cows in the spring and then grazing for a few months. You can then sell in July or August for a profit with a cheap cost of gain.

Roberts summarizes the goal of all these enterprises is to turn that cheap springtime grass into a high value product. These alternatives focus on maximizing land use, reducing feed costs and creating additional revenue streams beyond traditional hay production

“The key is matching cattle production cycles with forage availability,” he says.

He emphasizes these strategies are most applicable in the fescue belt but can be adapted to various regions across the U.S.

“You must have an open mind if you want to make a profit,” he adds. “Things are different now than they were 50 years ago. We can be far more profitable if we adapt.”

Your Next Read: 10 Reasons You Should Quit Making Hay

Drovers Round Up: Feedstuff Finder, Royal Scholars, Beef Center Hire and New Docility EPD

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 16:46:56 GMT

Free Feedstuff Finder Tool Helps Buyers and Sellers

U.S. farmers and ranchers have a free, easy-to-use tool from University of Missouri Extension to help them buy or sell hay and other feedstuffs.

Feedstuff Finder gives users a quick, simple way to calculate a delivered feedstuff cost from a seller so buyers can determine the true cost of their feedstuff. Users can apply filters to easily compare costs and sort out various feedstuffs.

Producers do not have to set up an account to use the free web-based tool. It was designed to help buyers find and cost calculate feedstuffs and provide a market for sellers.

Other features include:

Nutritional information to help determine value of feeds
Delivery cost calculations
Ability to source and price bulk grain byproduct feeds
Offers current market value for feedstuffs

American Royal Announces 2025 Royal Scholars

The 2025 class of Royal Scholars has been selected to represent the American Royal’s mission and advocate for the agriculture industry throughout the next year.

These 10 recipients, who are studying agriculture, food or natural resources, will each receive a $3,000 scholarship. They were selected from 166 candidates from 29 states, representing 40 colleges and universities.

The 2025 Royal Scholars are:

Dalton “Drew” Blanton of Plant City, Fla., majoring in Food and Resource Economics and minoring in Agricultural and Natural Resource Law at the University of Florida
Samantha Bonifas of Roseland, Neb., majoring in Agricultural Economics and minoring in Pre-Law at Kansas State University
Bailey Boyd of Turpin, Okla., majoring in Agricultural Education at Oklahoma State University
Rayleigh Carter of Marianna, Fla., majoring in Agribusiness and minoring in Energy Finance & Ethical Leadership at Oklahoma State University
Makenna Garrett of Bedford, Va., majoring in Plant and Soil Sciences and minoring in Environmental Economics and Politics and Policy and Agronomy at Oklahoma State University
Sarah Liepold of Arvada, Colo., majoring in Agricultural Business at the University of Wyoming
Mackenzie Malson of Parma, Idaho, majoring in Agriculture Economics and Global Food Systems Leadership and minoring in International Agriculture and Communications and Education for Agriculture at Kansas State University
Kamille Mirkin of Jerome, Idaho, majoring in Agricultural Economics and minoring in Ag Commodity Risk Management and Animal Veterinary Science at the University of Idaho
Elizabeth Schafer of Owaneco, Ill., majoring in Animal Science and minoring in Agriculture Communications at Kansas State University
Kylie Temple of Hermiston, Ore., majoring in Agribusiness and Applied Economics and minoring in Global Food System Leadership at Kansas State University

The 2025 Royal Scholars will represent the American Royal at events such as the American Royal Livestock Show, Youth Rodeo and Spring Field Trip, as well as attending business and industry visits around the Kansas City area.

Iowa Beef Center Director Names New Director

Aimee Wertz-Lutz is the new Iowa Beef Center director and Iowa State University extension feedlot specialist .

She brings both academic and industry experience to the position. Wertz-Lutz did her post-doctoral research in ruminant nutrition and nutritional physiology at Iowa State, followed by serving as a faculty member in the animal and range sciences department at South Dakota State University. She worked for ADM Animal Nutrition as a manager of ruminant nutrition research, then most recently as ruminant nutritionist for Devenish Nutrition (North America.)

Wertz Lutz says academically she asks ‘what if’ questions and seeks the answers that propel the industry forward. Her industry experience helps her assess what is the best technology available to date to address a problem then make a decision that balances the optimal path for production and economic soundness.

She says the beef industry needs to identify production factors that are fiscally sustainable, and resource and waste management practices that are efficient and sustainable.

“Generational sustainability will require a focus on the emerging generations of animal science students without an agricultural or farming background,” she adds.

As a nutritionist by training, Wertz-Lutz is drawn to impacts of nutrition from calf to packer.

American-International Charolais Association Introduces Docility EPD

The American-International Charolais Association launched a Docility EPD, which gives Charolais breeders and bull buyers a new tool to select for calmer, more manageable cattle.

AICA shares that docility is measurable and heritable. The new genetic tool aims to help with safer handling. It positively correlates with traits like yearling weight to improve performance and adds value to every step of the supply chain.

The Beef Improvement Federation recommends evaluating docility on a scale of 1-6 ranging from docile to very aggressive.

Learn more about this new genetic evaluation tool.

10 Reasons You Should Quit Making Hay

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 15:43:07 GMT

Hay is a major feed for beef production and other livestock industries in Missouri and across the U.S.

“Despite the vastness of the hay industry, making hay can be an indicator of an unprofitable cow-calf enterprise,” says University of Missouri Extension State Forage Specialist Carson Roberts. “Every measure to improve profit margins should be taken to capitalize on the record-breaking cattle prices.”

There is a consensus that making your own hay is the cheapest way to feed cattle through the winter, Roberts says. “This couldn’t be further from the truth. Hay is expensive to make, expensive to feed.”

Roberts offers 10 key reasons why you should quit making hay:

Skyrocketing equipment costs. Inflation on machinery has outpaced cattle inflation over the past 50 years by a ratio of 10-to-1. In the 1970s, it only took 14 500-lb. weaned calves to purchase a new round baler. Today, even with record prices, it takes 41 of the same calves to pay for a new baler.
Overequipped farms. A farm’s size should reflect the amount of equipment owned. Nearly all farms in Missouri with fewer than 400 cows would be more profitable if they simply sold the haying equipment and bought hay, says Roberts.
Haying takes time. Your most valuable resource is time. Roberts says he sees too many producers spending their day doing $15 per hour work making hay when they should be doing $30-$100 per hour work such as marketing, education, finance, improving efficiency and improving pasture.
Variable forage quality. How often does the hay crop get rained on? How often does harvest get delayed, thus reducing forage quality? With purchased hay, you can use a hay test to have complete control over forage quality. “You can 100% control the quality of the hay you purchase. You cannot always control the quality of hay you make,” Roberts says.
Haying removes nutrients. In general, 1 ton of fescue hay will remove 32 lb. of nitrogen, 12 lb. of phosphorus and 45 lb. of potassium, plus a whole suite of micronutrients. This puts the fertilizer value of hay at right around $72 per ton, he says.
Profitable alternatives. If you didn’t make hay, what could you do instead? Custom grazing, stockers or adding value to home-raised cattle by grazing excess springtime forage will often pay more per acre than producing hay. Preliminary MU research estimates that a 2025 stocker enterprise can make $200 more per acre than a hay crop.
Labor shortages. “It’s hard to find good help nowadays,” Roberts says. “Even if you can find help, it can be very expensive. Most hardworking young people are interested in making money, and they expect to be compensated for their marketplace value.”
Oversupply of hay. The past two years have brought good spring rains and good-yielding hay crops. This, coupled with a record low number of cattle, means hay is cheaper than usual.
Soil degradation. Next to tillage, haying is the easiest way to degrade the soil. Carbon is an essential part of soil function, so removing all the aboveground carbon sends the soil in a downward spiral. Fertilizers can help, but they cannot replace the benefits of returning some of the biomass back to the soil.
Cheap winter feeding strategies. Viable alternatives like milo grazing and stockpiled fescue reduce winter feeding costs by more than half. Roberts says he often hears people say, “Reducing hay sounds great, but you can’t starve weight onto a cow.”
This sentiment is true, Roberts says. So why would you insist on feeding hay when stockpiled milo or tall fescue is often as good or better in forage quality than the average bale of fescue? Furthermore, these stockpiled forages can be produced for a fraction of the price.

Roberts says he regularly works with very profitable producers who do not make hay. “Not only is it possible, it is essential if you are serious about making money as a cow-calf producer.”

Drovers Beef Biz: New Solutions for Cattle Producers

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 19:14:16 GMT

What’s new in the cattle industry? Here’s a look at new products to help with the treatment of parasites and to elevate forage production.

Doramectin Topical Solution Launched by Bimeda US

A new topical solution for the treatment of internal and external parasites is available through Bimeda.

Doracide contains 0.5% doramectin (5mg/mL), the dose is 5 mL/110 lb. and is available in a 5-liter presentation.

The weatherproof formulation controls 33 types of internal and external parasites including gastrointestinal roundworms, lungworms, eyeworms, grubs, horn flies, mange mites and sucking lice in cattle. It is the only pour-on to provide 28 days of protection against some of the most damaging internal parasites. Doracide also offers the longest duration of protection against two species of cattle lice, 77 days for Biting Cattle Louse (Bovicola (Damalinia) bovis) and 42 days for Long-Nose Cattle Louse (Linognathus vituli).

New Self-propelled Forage Harvesters Introduced from John Deere

High quality forage output, more power, precision and uptime, were the focus for the new John Deere F8 and F9 Series self-propelled forage harvesters , according to the company. John Deere announced the machines are built from the ground up with customer input to elevate forage performance and farm productivity.

“We’ve combined our strongest hardware with our newest and smartest precision ag technology to create higher-quality forage,” says Bergen Nelson, John Deere go-to-market manager for harvesting equipment.

Deere says the new F9 Series comes in two engine options — John Deere 18X and Liebherr V12 24L — with five horsepower options ranging from 700PS to 1020PS; the F8 Series comes with the JD14X engine bringing six horsepower options, ranging from 425PS to 645PS.

It also says the new machines offer improved automation with a higher level of comprehensive technology offerings compared with previous models.

Your Next Read: Exploring Next-Generation Phenotyping that Drives Commercial Profitability

No, John Deere is Not Freezing Production or Stepping Away From its U.S. Factories

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 16:48:45 GMT

An online report last week claimed John Deere is shutting down ALL manufacturing in response to the ongoing tariff situation in the U.S.

But we looked into it, and we’re here to tell you: don’t take the bait — or, as the kids say, feed the trolls — because it’s simply not true.

An article authored by Kieran Schalkwyk and titled “John Deere Freezes U.S. Manufacturing in Unprecedented Shutdown” appeared on MSN.com and was aggregated by Google News feeds last week, claiming the manufacturer is “making a radical move that some might think is ‘un-American.’”

John Deere shared the following LinkedIn post Friday afternoon. You can also visit Deere.com for more information on the company’s U.S. manufacturing presence.

The MSN.com post has since been taken down and brings up an error page:

MSN.com screenshot

(MSN.com)

It’s somewhat bewildering timing for this particular misinformation ploy.

John Deere recently put out a blog post outlining its commitment to U.S. manufacturing. The statement says John Deere will invest $20 billion into its U.S. footprint over the next decade, which includes major expansion projects in Iowa, Missouri, North Carolina and Tennessee.

Today, the company has 60 manufacturing facilities in more than 16 U.S. states and employs over 30,000 American workers.

What is true is over the past 18 months, the company has been forced to lay off some employees , and it strategically slowed manufacturing at some production facilities in Iowa in response to depressed farmer demand for new tractors and combines.

Of course, John Deere is not alone navigating a treacherous global farm economy. Machinery rivals AGCO and CNH also made the tough choice to layoff factory workers over the past 12 months. CNH even completely shutdown its overseas machinery imports during the first few days of the tariff policy rollout, although that pause was only temporary.

In February, we updated our popular “Who Makes What Where” feature showing where major farm equipment is manufactured around the world.

Our analysis of John Deere’s global factory network shows that of the 60 John Deere machines relevant to U.S. farmers, 50 of them (83%) are manufactured here in North America. Of all the major farm equipment manufacturers we polled, John Deere has the largest U.S.-based manufacturing footprint other than Canadian-based Buhler Industries, which is 100% North America based.

So, it feels safe to say we can put this rumor to bed once and for all: No, John Deere is not shutting down its factories. Myth Busted. Shutdown the rumor mill.

Your Next Read - All The Details: Inside John Deere’s New F8 and F9 Forage Harvesters

Make Hay in May for Best Quality, Yield

Tue, 13 May 2025 11:45:35 GMT

May is when cool-season grasses transition from the vegetative stage to the reproductive stage. Many grasses such as tall fescue, orchard grass and Kentucky bluegrass are already flowering in parts of Missouri.

For yield and quality, May is the best time to harvest cool-season grasses, says University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Harley Naumann.

Cut before seeds develop for best results. “Once they go into the reproductive stage, the leaf-to-stem ratio decreases, fiber content increases, and there is an overall decline in nutritive value,” says Naumann.

In short, they become tougher and less nutritious.

Waiting too long is losing proposition

The longer you wait to mow beyond the transition stage, the poorer the quality of the hay. “Given the cost of making hay, waiting too long and producing a poor-quality product is a losing proposition,” Naumann says.

An early cut removes the reproductive tillers and encourages healthy regrowth headed into summer. When the cutting is too short, forages may not grow as well, and weeds may take hold when summer heat and dryness hit.

An early cut helps to reset pastures for fall regrowth and better-quality hay. If you wait, cool-season grasses go into summer slump with little growth in July and August.

Short Cuttings Mean Weeds, Toxicity Risk

Cut, but don’t cut too short, Naumann says. He recommends cutting about 3.5-4 inches for best quality. Cutting too short can stress the plant and allow weeds to encroach.

Cutting higher retains more leaf material for photosynthesis, causing plants to rely less on root reserves for regrowth. Plants depend on strong root systems, especially during dry periods.

“Overall, this leads to more vigorous plants that have a better chance of outcompeting undesirable weeds and therefore increases persistence,” Naumann explains.

Prolonged practice of cutting too short results in thin stands in the future.

Also, the lowest 2 inches of tall fescue is the least nutritious and contains the most endophytes, putting livestock at risk in toxic Kentucky 31 fescue fields. Additionally, equipment is more at risk of damage when it comes into contact with soil, gravel and rocks, which puts more grit and dirt into the hay.

Store Correctly to Prevent Losses

Once hay is harvested, proper storage is critical to protect your investment. Ideally, hay is stored off the ground or on a concrete slab and under cover. Producers can expect as much as 40% dry matter loss from hay stored in contact with the ground and uncovered, compared to 10% for hay stored inside or on a rack with a cover.

For more information, see MU Extension publication Making and Storing Hay .

Your Next Read: Marketing Options for Small Producers

Discover Equipment Trends: From Tractors to Hay Tool Innovation

Thu, 01 May 2025 17:00:58 GMT

As May arrives, bringing warmer weather throughout much of the country, two segments in the used equipment auction world are also heating up: lower horsepower utility tractors and unique antique tractors.

Machinery Pete says the utility tractor class (125 hp to 175 hp with a loader) has been fairly strong for the past two years now, and noted a recent sale that shows higher price upside coming into play for those machines.

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

A John Deere 6115M MFWD tractor (962 hours) with a H310 loader with grapple sold for a record $107,500 at an auction last week in Plano, Texas.

Another transaction that caught the eye of Pete and host Casey Seymour took place Tuesday evening at an Almond Vintage Power auction near Nicomas, Ill.

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

A 1911 Imperial 4070 tractor in beautiful condition sold for $955,500. Only three tractors in that year/model are known to exist.

“It’s a very extreme example, but it shows there’s no shortage of money in the market right now, whether it’s the right piece of land or a crazy collector’s item like that,” Pete says.

Seymour, who has over 20 years of experience in the used equipment space, then spent some time with Pete unpacking some of the best practices they’ve picked up over the years for visual marketing up-for-auction equipment.

“The more information you can put out there, the better opportunity you have to spark somebody’s interest,” Seymour says. “And it’s a way to set yourself apart, whether you’re an auction company or a dealership or even selling it privately, to show you’ve got nothing to hide.”

Hay Tool Technology Evolves
Kaylene Ballesteros, go-to market manager – hay and forage products, John Deere, talked about the company’s approach to technology and automation in hay equipment.

She says adding automation to hay tools is no different than the evolution from horses pulling steel plows to diesel tractors working the ground. The idea is the technology has to make hay producers lives easier and also bounce some ROI back into their operations.

Years ago, John Deere launched its baler automation technology, and it recently built onto that ecosystem with Weave Automation. The feature automates “the art of weaving back and forth over the row really carefully” to make sure you get a perfectly square shoulder bale every time.

“Now, the hitch of the baler does the weaving for you, based off bale size and threshold settings it will make sure that bale is a square shoulder bale,” Ballesteros adds. “So, they can sit in that cab with a little less to worry about or go to their kid’s basketball game and put somebody else in the seat. It takes the stress out of that situation, too.”

Is Demand for Used Combines and Utility Vehicles On the Rise?
Aaron Fintel, used equipment specialist, 21^st Century Equipment, says 2025 is still the year of the last-minute equipment purchase. He had a farmer call him just a few days ago, on the cusp of full bore planting season, looking for a used planter. Fintel is also predicting higher demand coming into play on used combines and utility tractors in the 100 hp to 175 hp segment.

“It’s almost like everybody heard how cheap they were and said ‘Well, I suppose we should probably look into one,’” he says of buying behavior in the used utility tractor segment.

Another insight Fintel shares is the current tariff situation and uncertainty in the economy is stifling buying activity among livestock producers. Cattle ranchers, unlike their corn and soy raising counterparts, are riding a wave of strong prices for beef and other proteins.

Watch full episodes of the Moving Iron Podcast and Machinery Pete TV for FREE on our new streaming platform, Farm Journal NOW.

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Considerations for Feeding Cattle Through Drought

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 13:25:53 GMT

Several regions across the country have experienced drought conditions in recent years, and the weather trend looks to continue in 2025. It’s important to take steps to plan ahead if pasture conditions deteriorate to the point of having to supplement or feed pairs in confinement.

Karla Wilke, a cow-calf and stocker management specialist for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, addressed the topic of preparing for drought situations in a recent UNL webinar.

“Feeding pairs is different than feeding pregnant non-lactating cows,” Wilke explains. “That’s something all of us are pretty familiar with because most of us in the wintertime have to supplement our dry, pregnant cows, but what we’re talking about now is feeding them at a time that they would normally be getting all their nutrient needs met out on grass.”

Wilke says there are three big concerns to address when feeding cattle in confinement that would typically be out on pasture.

Meet the energy demands of lactation, which are tremendously more than during gestation
Make sure cows have a decent body condition status for rebreeding
Account for the dry-matter intake of the calf

“We often think of the cow supporting the calf, which she does, but in addition to nursing the cow, that calf out on pasture is starting to eat green grass, and if we don’t have them out there then that calf’s intake is not going to be accounted for there,” Wilke explains.

The gray bars indicate total digestible nutrients while the red bars are crude protein.

(Karla Wilke, UNL)

Once that cow goes into lactation, her nutrient needs are quite a bit higher than they were in the winter before that calf was born. A grazing cow on green pasture can meet her needs for early lactation, whereas a cow eating meadow hay and distillers without going out on grass will use up energy reserves and lose fat deposition and body score, Wilke says.

Research dating back as far as 1986 and as recently as 2021 has shown cows in a body condition score less than a 5 on a 1 to 9 scale do not breed back.

“If that’s what their body condition score is at calving, they do not breed back as well as the cows that are in a 5 or greater at calving,” Wilke adds. “We have to meet those needs nutritionally in what we feed them.”

Feeding options when pastures are unavailable:

• Mixer wagon and total mixed ration

• Sacrifice pasture or an area of a pasture to use as feeding ground

• Use hay, crop residue, fallow ground and pivot corners plus supplement

“The important thing to remember is that the feeding space during feeding time needs to be about 2' per cow and one for the baby calf or the young calf,” Wilke says. “The positive thing of being able to do this on crop ground, or somewhere like that, is it does allow you to spread that out enough that we don’t have a lot of issues with boss cows. The downside is waste that you might encounter on the ground.”

Wilke advises to take into consideration that the nursing calf will eat about 1% to 1.5% of its body weight in forage dry-matter intake.

“As he grows, he eats more pounds of feed, so we need to account for that when we’re putting together a diet for the pairs,” she explains. “Research has also shown creep feeding had a greater return over feeding with pairs and early weaning. If creep feeding isn’t an option, a growing period still provided an advantage.”

An example ration of ground residue, wet distiller grains, triticale, silage, corn silage, and some mineral would meet the nutrient demands of the pair. Additional things to consider: yardage charge for having to feed daily, hidden costs of trucking cattle to other pastures, wear and tear on vehicles.

(Karla Wilke)

If you don’t have a mixer or can’t afford someone to grind, Wilke says there are ways to be creative with feeding.

“I’ve had people tip bales on end and soak them with molasses to get the cows to eat the poorer quality hay without having to run it through a grinder, and then they would feed supplemental cake with it,” Wilke says.

Rolling out wheat straw bales and feeding distillers grains in a bunk is another option.

Wilke reminds producers to be mindful that minerals and vitamins for confinement are different than for cattle on grass. Distillers are high in sulfur, which is an antagonist to copper.

“Mineral should have a highly available source of copper in either copper sulfate or copper chloride,” she says “Lactating cows in confinement also need a pretty healthy dose of magnesium in the mineral. If those cows are going through a drought and they’ve already been through a long winter, they are not going to get vitamin A out of the grass.”

Be aware that commercially available mineral packages are usually intended to be fed when cattle are grazing so they might not have an appropriate amount or availability of certain minerals or vitamins. In addition to mineral, lick tubs are used to provide a source of nitrogen for bacteria so cattle can do a better job of digesting poorer quality available feed.

“Once that cow goes into lactation, she has to have energy, and there’s no way that just eating on that lick tub is enough,” Wilke explains. “She can’t just take on more of that poor-quality forage because she ate some nitrogen from that lick tub. You’ve got a limitation there now that you’ve got to provide something else that provides energy for her.”

Preparing during the good years
Sam Schmitt, a fifth-generation rancher from Gordon, Neb., runs a Hereford based cow herd and yearlings in the Sandhills. The family’s philosophy has always been to take half and leave half when it comes to grazing pastures. He’s preparing for another hot, dry summer and wants to make sure his cows are able to breed back. He’ll be using available pasture and supplementing as conditions allow.

“We’re calving now, and cows are getting 2% body weight of hay a day,” he says. “It’s mostly millet and alfalfa with some oats. They’re calving up, and calves seem to be growing, but I want to make sure we have the mineral package and supplement to keep them going.”

In addition to pairs, the Schmitts run a yearling operation, marketing in July or August depending on when they reach 850 lb. to 950 lb.

“Traditionally, we feed oats and supplement DDGs or a pellet to our calves,” Schmitt says. “They’ll go out to pasture, and we’ll watch to make sure they keep growing. We’re purposely understocked now to make sure we have enough grass. If they look like they’re a little lackluster, we will add a Rumensin mineral.”

The Schmitts have enough farm ground to produce the majority of their feed with the exception of protein base from either cake or a pellet or distillers grains.

Yearlings waiting to move pastures at L — S Ranch in the Nebraska Sandhills.

(Sam Schmitt)

“We’ve responsibly stocked long enough that if we have a drought this year and next year, as long as we can keep our hay count up and can afford to supplement things, then we’ll be alright,” Schmitt says. “We’ve kept to the philosophy of 10 acres per cow, and we don’t stretch it out unless we have a really good year. We’ve also tried to keep an extra year’s worth of hay each year.”

This isn’t the first drought the family has weathered in the 100 years they have been ranching.

“We had a similar drought in 2012. Everybody was shipping cattle left and right, and they just didn’t have any place for them, and so they had to go to somebody who’d pay for them,” he says. “But we didn’t suffer those costs.”

Schmitt says these are the years you prepare for.

“One thing my elders have always been very serious about is drought,” he adds. “This is drought prone country. You’re in the Great Plains, and this is what happens, and this is why our grass always comes back after a drought.”

Your next read: Cow Herd Mineral Program: Key to Overall Nutrition

Used Hay Tool Demand Is Booming As Online Auctions Connect Buyers and Sellers Worldwide

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 21:17:40 GMT

The used hay tool market – that includes windrowers, square and round balers, mowers, rakes and tedders – has shown strength with some nice upside. That’s because the cost of brand-new hay and forage implements remain on the high side, so more farmers are looking to buy used.

“It’s amazing what a new round baler costs these days, when you sit down with the dealer and start looking at pricing,” says Casey Seymour, who was practically bonked over the head with a case of sticker shock looking at new hay machines for a client this week. Seymour has over 20 years of experience in the used equipment market

“I was completely shocked,” he adds.

For Machinery Pete that recalled a two day stretch recently when two New Holland RB560 round balers sold back-to-back and set the all-time record for used baler prices.

“One went for about $56,500, the other was right around that $55,000 neighborhood,” Pete says. “Once you start getting up into $50,000 people will say ‘Yeah, well, what’s a new one cost?’ so that high price on new keeps demand strong on the really nice, good condition used machines.”

It doesn’t seem to matter whether we’re talking balers, pickup trucks, or a dozen eggs down at the local supermarket – the cost of everything is higher today than one year ago.

Another factor keeping auction pricing strong is how interconnected buyers and sellers are today with online auctions being so commonplace. Farmers aren’t just shopping locally for used equipment anymore. If it’s a deal, farmers can track it down and bid on it from practically anywhere in the world and then get it back to the farm.

“Now I’m going to click the button and buy it, and you guys are going to ship it whether that’s to Florida or Romania or wherever. We’re going so fast now, and the world is becoming a small place,” says Machinery Pete.

Diving Into The Mid-Atlantic Market
Used equipment manager Kevin Vandervort with Maryland-based dealer Hoober Inc., talke d about how the market is moving in his neck of the woods. Vandervort covers a sales territory that stretches from the New York-Canada border all the way south to North Carolina.

It’s an interesting market because of how diverse the cropping operations are throughout the Mid-Atlantic. You have everything from dairy, beef and poultry producers to large specialty vegetable and fruit growers all up and down the East Coast, and then there’s a ton of peanuts, corn, and soybeans mixing in on the row crop side. That crop mix makes for a busy used equipment market demand-wise with a lot of different machines moving around from dealer to farmer, and vice-versa.

“Last year we didn’t have that last two weeks of the year rush that we usually have,” says Vandervort. “And then the dealers were not as busy because everyone had time to look at everything. It kind of reminds me of pre-COVID, we didn’t carry a bunch of last year’s business into this year. And now a lot of dealers are playing catch-up to the (sales) budget.”

Vandervort says his area is in good shape when it comes to used sprayer inventory and availability of retrofit technology kits, and the same goes for planters and hay tools, too.

The equipment segment that is not faring so well in his region right now – and it can be chalked up to last summer’s extensive drought conditions and many large farms not getting a big crop out of the ground – is row crop tractors.

“Our new sales were soft last year,” Vandervort says. “And it was a direct result of that drought. You’re not going to get people to spend money when they don’t have it.”

Commodities Update
Ag Financial’s Rich Posson shared an update on the commodities markets. Posson is bullish on the European markets while thinking the U.S. and many other markets around the world are in a “minor long-term bear market.”

“I’m looking out to 2026, 2027 to be optimistic, but right now I just think the U.S. economy is dragging,” he says. “It’s lagging and the rest of the world is moving forward. And the U.S. is moving backwards.”

Posson says when it comes to corn and soybean futures specifically, he’s in wait-and-see mode for the time being. It would take a large catastrophe like another summer drought or some other major climate event to lower supply and drive demand and prices higher.

“I have a feeling corn is going to flounder around and trade both ways into April,” he adds. “And then we deal with planting in May and we watch the weather. I’m telling myself, the nice up move, if it comes, we may have to wait until June or July. But I would like to think it’s going to start to move up slowly.”

Bonus Segment
As farmers explore retrofit options for planters , sprayers, and other equipment, John Deere’s Kyle Barry and Clint Chaffer joined Seymour to talk about the latest Precision Upgrades kits Deere is offering for both tractors and combines.

For tractors, farmers are adding on Deere’s Ethernet implement connectivity kit to enable faster data transfer and connectivity from the planter to a SeedStar monitor in the cab. And Deere’s Next Generation Perception Autonomy kits can unlock driverless operation on 8RX and 9RX tractors. Deere also has a Precision Upgrades kit to automate its tillage tools.

RELATED: John Deere Introducing Next Generation Perception Autonomy Kits

In combines, the program is offering a new concave system for the X9 combine and a kit that allows the farmer to control the unloading auger right from the cab for S700 combines.

So kick your feet up, grab your favorite beverage and lock in for a wide-ranging, jam-packed episode of The Moving Iron Podcast.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE FULL EPISODE OVER ON YOUTUBE.

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4 Stewardship Strategies To Improve Grazing

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 20:35:04 GMT

2024 Environmental Stewardship Award Program winners Joe Carpenter and Barb Downey share these tips for improving grazing.

Bale grazing. They have found bale grazing bromegrass fields helps improve soil health, increase organic matter and reduce fertilizer costs. They estimate it saves them $1 per head per day.

The process includes leaving bales then allowing regrowth to occur as well as in some instances interseeding red clover or alfalfa. Portable electric fencing is used to create paddocks around the bales, allowing them to easily adjust grazing areas. Typically giving cows two days of feed. A key to their success is using twine-wrapped bales. They also emphasize the importance of using the bale grazing on crop ground or brome ground. This system does not work with fescue or native grass.

See what bale grazing looks like on the Downey Ranch in this gallery.

Using bale grazing to improve soil health.

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Bale grazing

Barb Downey

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Angus cattle graze on hay bales in open pastures.

Barb Downey

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Barb Downey

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Barb Downey

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Barb Downey

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Barb Downey

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Barb Downey

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Barb Downey

Virtual fencing with grazing collars. In 2024, the couple did a test run with grazing collars. They are planning to implement virtual fencing using grazing collars on their entire cow herd this summer. This technology will allow them to more easily subdivide and rotationally graze large pastures without the expense of permanent fencing and the investment in water sources. Downey predicts this could increase their stocking rates by 25% to 50% while improving pasture health.

Rotational grazing. On their native grass pastures, they move cattle every five days to allow for plant regrowth and rest periods.

Monitor and adjust. Carpenter emphasizes the importance of closely monitoring the pastures. He explains they are not afraid to experiment and make changes to improve grazing efficiency.

Read more: Stewards of the Land and Angus Cattle

Stewards of the Land and Angus Cattle

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 16:30:51 GMT

Located in the heart of the Kansas Flint Hills, Downey Ranch is committed to stewardship with the mindset of always trying to do better. Owners Barb Downey and Joe Carpenter have incorporated numerous grazing management techniques to enhance rangeland health, minimize the need for harvested forages and meet the nutritional needs of their cattle with little supplemental feed.

For their efforts Downey and Carpenter were recognized as the 2024 Environmental Stewardship Award Program national winners during the recent CattleCon in San Antonio.

The couple is willing to try new, unconventional practices in a safe-to-fail manner.

“Don’t be afraid to try new things,” Downey explains. “Don’t be afraid to look stupid. Don’t be afraid to be unconventional.”

Working with the couple day-to-day on the ranch are key team members Luke Thomas and John Steinfort.

“We absolutely could not do this without the input and efforts from our entire team,” Downey adds.

Love for the Land
In addition to rotational grazing, they have a winter bale grazing program. The couple uses prescribed burning to enhance the mix of grass species in their pastures as well as control woody encroachment.

“If our grasslands, our cattle and our ranch are thriving, then our family thrives and that is the foundation for everything we have built,” Downey says. “The land is sometimes hard for a rancher to talk about because it is part of you, it’s who you are, your soul. We’ve given our lives to it so our kids can continue on.”

In the Beginning
Downey Ranch was started in 1986 by Downey and her dad, Joe. In 1995, Carpenter joined Downey, and they manage the ranch full-time. Three years ago, the couple bought out Downey’s siblings.

Today, the 550-head cow herd is comprised of registered and commercial Angus cows. The ranch is in transition, gradually displacing commercial cows with registered Angus females.

Although they are transitioning to be 100% seedstock, they maintain a commercial mentality, emphasizing hardiness, moderate size and reproductive efficiency.

“We are and will always have the heart of commercial operators,” she says. “Our registered cows are managed like commercials. We want cows that can forage and don’t need a lot of inputs.”

Their goal is to sell 250 bulls per year via a private treaty sale an auction format. Downey explains the two sale formats provide flexibility for buyers to purchase bulls in the way that works best for them.

Collecting and using performance data is an ongoing priority to drive genetic improvement of their herd.

The Next Generation
The couple has two daughters, Anna, a firefighter; and Laura, a vet student at Kansas State University who plans to return to the ranch and practice after finishing school.

When considering buying the ranch, Carpenter says it was a family decision discussing the future and generational transition.

The family is not afraid to experiment, viewing setbacks as opportunities to improve rather than reasons to avoid innovation.

“We focus on improving what we already have,” Carpenter says. “It’s easier to maintain a healthy native prairie than try to restore a degraded one. Manage what you have well.”

Through cutting-edge technology, grazing management and a willingness to adapt, the family is positioning their ranch for long-term economic and environmental sustainability.

Beyond Barbed Wire: A Look At Virtual Fencing

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 21:34:00 GMT

The concept of virtual fencing technology has been around for decades but continues to evolve. Virtual fencing uses behavior modification based on audio and electrical cues from a collar device to keep cattle within a virtual boundary using GPS. The collar can be controlled by a phone, tablet or computer using cellular data.

The advantages of virtual fencing include:

Less logistically challenging
Less labor intensive
Greater management flexibility
Gives data on how, when and where cattle graze, allowing for better resource management
Cattle location tracking
Cost effective in certain situations

Learn how these four cattle producers and families are using virtual fencing on their operations.

eShepherd: Decrease Labor Costs and Increase Stocking Rates
Virtual fencing offers Wild Olive Cattle Company flexibility in grazing the dry, brushy country of their south Texas ranch.

Halter: Solar Charged Collars Aid Rancher Response to Summer Challenges
Before the summer heat sets in, Brent Hackley can move cattle from the comfort of his home using virtual fencing technology.

Nofence: Maximize Multi-Species Grazing and Small Paddock Advantage
Virtual fencing provides options for Mark Mueller’s small pastures and not-so-great physical fences.

Vence: Innovative Grazing Solutions Post-Wildfire
After wildfires scorched about half of their BLM allotment in summer 2024, the Thompson family was still able to winter graze thanks to virtual fencing.

(FJ/UA)

When considering virtual fencing, ask yourself these questions:

What are my objectives and goals with using this technology?
Am I going to use the technology year-around or for limited seasons?
Am I going to use the technology on private land and/or public lands?
Is it worth it to my operation to purchase VF technology?
Do I have good cell coverage or not?
Do I want to change batteries or not?

Your Next Read: Making Virtual Fence More Accessible to Ranchers

More to Manure Than Meets the Eye

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:59 GMT

by Sarah Fuller

Over the last three decades, South Texas cattle producer Bob McCan has discovered more about his rangeland and pasture conditions from analyzing manure than any academic paper or ranch consultation could provide.

McCan is one of many producers nationwide who rely on Texas A&M AgriLife Research’s Grazingland Animal Nutrition Lab, GAN Lab, to transform manure analysis into actionable insights. By providing precise data on forage quality and livestock nutritional demands, the lab empowers producers to make informed decisions that improve efficiency, enhance land stewardship and reduce costs.

“We’re able to see the level of nutrition our cattle are getting throughout the year and tailor our supplemental programs — whether that be vitamin and mineral packages or additional feeding,” McCan says. “This helps us to better forecast management needs and optimize efficiency on the ranch.”

Considering adequate nutrition affects everything from fertility and gestation to general health and livestock yields, the importance of these insights cannot be overstated.

Where science meets stewardship
This ability to connect science to practical stewardship has been a cornerstone of the GAN Lab since its inception, says Doug Tolleson, Ph.D., director of the lab and AgriLife Research associate professor in the Texas A&M Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management, Sonora.

At the heart of the GAN Lab’s mission is dietary diagnostic analysis of manure using near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy, NIRS.

“NIRS works similarly to how our eyes perceive color,” Tolleson explains. “Just as we see all the pretty colors of bluebonnets because they reflect certain light wavelengths, NIRS detects and analyzes specific wavelengths absorbed and reflected by materials in manure samples.”

By shining near-infrared light energy on dried manure samples and applying calibrated equations, GAN Lab scientists can identify key nutritional markers such as protein and total digestible nutrients.

This information is then processed through the lab’s Nutritional Balance Analyzer software, NUTBAL, which accounts for environmental factors and livestock profiles to determine if dietary needs are being met.

“From the fecal sample, we know exactly the quality of the animal’s diet and if it’s fulfilling their nutritional requirements,” says Barbara Rodrigues, Ph.D., research scientist and GAN Lab manager. “We then provide producers with these findings as well as suggested supplements and resources if the nutritional needs are not being met.”

With a typical turnaround time of two or three business days, producers can swiftly address deficiencies, preventing health declines and improving herd condition.

Real-world results on livestock conditions and financial savings
The lab’s impact extends beyond identifying nutritional gaps – it can also uncover cost-saving opportunities when forage conditions are meeting or surpassing an animal’s needs.

“The analysis helped us realize that we were exceeding the nutritional requirements of our sheep herd and spending extra money on supplemental feeding when they were doing just fine on pasture,” says Erika Campbell, a commercial livestock producer in West Texas. “The nutritional monitoring results help us fine tune our supplementation strategies, maintain animal health and condition, and prevent excess spending on feed.”

Over time, the lab’s aggregated data allows producers to track trends and pinpoint how specific land management decisions, such as grazing rotation or prescribed fire, are affecting forage production to make proactive management decisions.

International impact across species
Unlike other labs using NIRS for manure analysis, the GAN Lab is one of the only commercial laboratories in the U.S. using the technology to offer producers a prediction of animal diet quality, giving it a unique position in the industry.

Beyond the U.S., the lab has supported international producers through projects such as the East Africa Livestock Early Warning System and the Mali Livestock and Pastoralist Initiative. Tolleson said the lab has collaborated with laboratories around the world and has even helped many new labs set up their instruments.

Aside from livestock production, the techniques used by the lab can have a positive impact on wildlife management as well. To date, the lab has conducted NIRS analyses on species ranging from giant pandas to elephants.

A vision for the future
Tolleson and Rodrigues hope to continue to increase the number of producers using the lab’s services while also exploring more innovative applications for NIRS to be applied across agriculture and land management.

“Our goal is to continue to do what we’ve done well, find out where we can improve and ultimately provide better quality information to help people manage the nutrition of their animals,” Tolleson says.

By bridging science, technology and practice, the GAN Lab continues to equip producers with the tools they need to optimize livestock performance, safeguard natural resources and increase profitability across Texas and beyond.

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Less Work, Better Bales: John Deere Intros Weave Automation

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 13:49:48 GMT

John Deere has launched weave automation for select round balers, according to a press release issued by the company.

Deere says this new feature helps streamline the baling process. The operator simply places the windrow between the front tires of the tractor and lets the baler do the work.

Today, round balers have gate and speed automation, which automates stopping the tractor when the bale is full sized - wrapping and ejecting the bale. The addition of weave automation allows less reliance on the operator skill to make a uniformed bale.

“Weave automation allows the baler to align with the tractor’s movements to effectively cover windrows of varying shapes and sizes,” said Kaylene Ballesteros, John Deere go-to-market manager for hay & forage equipment.

A New Process
The weaving hitch system allows a +38-degree swing from left to right, allowing for enhanced feed system and bale feeding capabilities. Not only does the automation streamline operation, it also enhances feed quality by minimizing contamination of debris introduced by driving over windrows.

Deere also says the added maneuverability of the baler allows the machine to position bales in a way that reduces the risk of rolling on uneven terrain or hillsides, increasing operator safety, productivity and efficiency.

To learn more about the John Deere Round Baler weave automation, stop by John Deere Booth 2025 at NCBA’s CattleCon, contact your local John Deere dealer or visit deere.com.

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