Latest News From Pasture-Forage

Another way to manage old world bluestem using glyphosate is by doing a one-time application of 2-3 pounds per acre once the plant begins early heading.

Grass tetany is difficult to detect early, so make sure cows have sufficient supplementation.

Evaluate your recent winter-feeding season. Stockpiling grass in the fall reduces farm expenses. Strip graze to effectively use stockpiled pastures.

An ionophore is a feed additive used in beef cattle rations to improve feed efficiency and animal gains.

Small grains planted last fall are greening up and may be ready to graze soon. This spring, let’s make sure these pastures are productive and safe.

Take forage quality as well as quantity into account when deciding when to harvest.

A new K-State publication provides vital information on plants that, if consumed, could harm cattle and other livestock.

Recently, over 8,000 acres of native range burned in the Nebraska Sandhills. These types of disasters often leave producers in a forage shortage for the summer. 

Monitoring helps determine how much forage has been consumed.

Winter feed stores are dwindling and the urge to get cows to grass is escalating.

It’s not rocket science—controlling parasites is critical to herd health.

Efforts are underway by industry groups to assist those livestock producers who are in need of help after the devastating Anderson Creek Fire.

Grazing time is coming back with spring’s arrival on cool season perennial pastures around the southeast, but before dispatching the cattle to the pasture, producers should make some preparations. 

The South Dakota State University Extension wants to teach landowners ways to properly plan for and conduct a prescribed fire.

Main concerns about alfalfa production during this time of the year are the potential for winter injury and winter kill.

While homes, structures and livestock can be lost, landowners who rely on grasslands, shrublands and forests as an enterprise are left trying to figure out how to recover the vegetation and habitat.

Whether you’re looking for a permanent fencing solution or want something portable for your grazing system, there are many cost and management benefits to utilizing electric fence.

Native bluestem pasture in Kansas has fallen in price the last two years for many producers renting grass, but the rates are still significantly higher than six years ago.

Student’s questions reflect consumer concerns over beef production systems. Question 6: In your experience, do you think a cow prefers consuming grass or corn?

There are a few different options for portable fencing systems; the most typical are polywire or a polywire braid. According to our sources, it is best to always stick with a polywire braid since weaved material conducts electricity better, and it is more resilient to pressure.

Student’s questions reflect consumer concerns over beef production systems.

Student’s questions reflect consumer concerns over beef production systems.

Warm weather is coming and that means cattle producers grazing wheat in the Southern Plains have a decision to make: should they stay or should they go?

Student’s questions reflect consumer concerns over beef production systems. Question 2: In your professional opinion, who is responsible for the trend to feed cattle corn?

The No. 1 failure in the installment of an electric fence system is not properly grounding the energizer. “If you want to get the most out of your charger, then you must install a grounding system—and install it right,” Steve Freeman says.

Mapping the long-term reaction of woody plants to brush-control techniques can help landowners prioritize management practices to maximize the effectiveness of costly brush reduction, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Research study.

Whether you’re looking for a permanent fencing solution or want something portable for your grazing system, there are many cost and management benefits to utilizing electric fence. 

As single digit and below zero temperatures arrive, be happy if you received snow recently. Sure, snow created some problems, but snow is good – for alfalfa.

While there are many positives to incorporating forage cover crops into existing forage systems, differences in production, nutritional value, and animal gain exist.

While there are many positives to incorporating forage cover crops into existing forage systems, differences in production, nutritional value, and animal gain exist. 

Hungry cattle help researchers discover drought-resistant wheat variety

The basic concept of stockpiled forages is to utilize forage varieties with high digestibility such as Tifton 85 Bermudagrass or limpograss, that maintain their quality even when mature. 

Because native grasses produce large amounts of forage and strong gains at a low cost, they can be a good tool for heifer development.

Cover crops don’t just improve the performance of crop fields; they also make excellent forage for cattle.

Grassland soil microbe communities show seasonal responses, deserve more research.

Cattle will select the grain and best quality forage first when initially turned into a field.

Many farmers are now becoming more interested in cover crops due to their soil conservation and water quality benefits, and livestock producers may find them attractive as food for grazing animals. But farmers need to exercise caution when it comes to herbicide selection if they intend to graze or harvest the cover crop.

Fall and winter grazing on warm-season grasses is the least detrimental time to graze these species.

Science has helped advance grazing and forage over the past century.

University of Missouri Extension and Missouri State University will host a seminar on "Livestock Forage Use and Poisonous Plants" beginning at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 15 at the MSU Fruit Experiment Station, 9740 Red Spring Road, Mt Grove, Mo.

Genetics play a role in how cattle will ultimately perform.

A central Nebraska farm is tapping into a growing national interest in cover crops, which were popular in organic circles but a rarity among mainstream row-crop producers.  

The short answer is a lot! 

Cover crop grazing, like crop residue grazing, is complicated by the cropland owner’s desire to manage the land in such a way as to maximize crop profitability. 

Prepare your land for winter grazing by closely grazing or mowing down the existing pasture in the fall, prior to planting. 

It is common place now to see maturing broomsedge in our pasture and hayfields.

Integrating crop and livestock enterprises provides a competitive advantage to farmers and ranchers, said Warren Rusche, SDSU Extension Cow-Calf Field Specialist. 

Fall is the ideal time for livestock producers to walk their pastures and assess what may need to be improved before next year's grazing season, a Purdue Extension forage specialist says.

Cyanide poisoning is the culprit after a frost on forages like sorghum, sorghum-sudangrass or sudangrass.

Integrating crop and livestock enterprises represents an incredible competitive advantage for farmers and ranchers.