Latest News From Pasture-Forage

In Monroe County, Mo., the Pembertons see several benefits of rotational grazing, such as pasture rest, regrowth and soil conservation. They perform biannual soil testing and add lime to their pastures as needed.

Fall-born replacement heifers are at a critical nutrition point—they need to gain about 1.5 lb. per day from weaning until breeding. But warm-season pastures are starting to decline. Adding supplemental protein is key.

Dilution of fescue pastures by interseeding novel fescue is one way to solve the problem of toxic summer pastures.

Stockpiling forages and feeding small grains crops year-round can help cattle producers offset the higher costs of hay.

The Kansas Department of Agriculture is considering a quarantine that ranchers say could have a dramatic effect on their ability to raise and harvest hay to feed livestock.

Meteorologist Mike Hoffman looks at another soggy forecast and cooler conditions.

Most of cattle country has had abundant to excessive moisture this year—as evident from my travels from Oklahoma to Montana.

Early and correct identification of pasture weeds is the first step in maintaining a healthy pasture.

If good fences make good neighbors, then good thistle control makes an excellent neighbor according to Tim Schnakenberg, agronomy specialist with University of Missouri Extension.

“Foot rot” is a common cause of lameness in beef cattle on pastures. 

Adding a summer annual forage to available acreage can help fill forage needs, add grazing flexibility, and provide a drought tolerant forage.

These programs are not meant to take the place of on-the-ground monitoring and management, but they provide tools for the rancher tool kit to assist in the adaptive management of rangelands.

The horn fly spends most of its time on cattle, mainly on the animal’s backs, sides and when temperatures are very warm, on the belly region.

After a long winter, don’t think the spring and summer will be without challenges of their own. Here’s six impact areas you need to be ready for, as they might affect your profitability this year.  

It is imperative that the landlord and tenant talk about any remedies to the lease prior to the start of the grazing season.

With above average moisture around much of the country during the winter and spring, grazing conditions have improved compared to the same time last year.

Adding different forages to existing grass stands can help reduce the amount of hay needed during the winter by expanding the grazing season during the late fall, winter and early spring.

Missouri’s prairies are disappearing and the loss is hurting the state’s ecosystem, according to a conservation expert.

Cattle grazing on lush green pastures tell the tale of why southwestern Missouri producers are warming up to warm-season grasses.

Conditions were significantly different in April, 2018 with 34.85 percent of the state in extreme (D3) and exceptional (D4) drought conditions and just 41.72 percent of the state with no drought conditions.

Hopefully, the first round of hay harvest only a few weeks away. Two free “Beef Tips” videos from Purdue Extension could help beef producers maximize the quality and quantity of their forage crops.

Weeds can reduce the quantity and the stand life of desirable forage plants in pastures and hayfields.

YANKTON, S.D. (AP) — Many teenagers would spend spring break catching up on sleep or spending time with friends. Howe

Flooding in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa continues to impact cattlemen, right in the middle of calving season. Additional moisture this week, will aggravate the situation even more, meteorologists say.

Last year's extreme weather conditions created a forage shortage. As a result, many pastures were overgrazed.

The excess rain during fall, coupled with having fed hay for the last several months has caused areas in many pastures to be destroyed, with very little grass left. 

USDA released a slew of delayed crop data last week which provide an update to feed and forage market conditions for livestock markets.

Success grass-fed beef production is dependent on several factors. 

Winter is here and that often means feeding hay and lower quality forages. How can cattle increase their forage utilization and even thrive in the colder months ahead?

New computer model from Texas A&M uses decades of data to help producers predict wheat forage success.

Supplementation is important for pairs grazing cornstalk residue.

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

Rain reduces corn stalk quality several ways.

Test forage, study nutrient needs, and sort cattle to get through the next four months.

At, and after calving time next January, February, and March “grass tetany” could occur in a few situations.

Weedy grass drastically reduces forage production in Western pastures.

Grazing on harvested corn fields provides a fall and winter management option for cattle owners and an income opportunity for landowners.

Ammoniation can transform baled corn residue into forage that meets the energy and protein needs of a dry cow without supplementation.

This interactive, online tool helps farmers and cattle producers connect and develop mutually beneficial agreements to use crop residue and forage cover crops for grazing.

Odd fall weather and fescue pasture growth set up potential poisonous pastures causing fescue foot in cow herds.

Many producers learned an unfortunate lesson last year, and have increased their hay storage amounts this year to avoid similar issues next spring.

Corn residue can serve many purposes on cow/calf operations in the Upper Midwest. From grazing to bedding; however, it may be one of the most underutilized resources we can access to produce beef.

There's an old saying about warm-season grass: "First year it sleeps. Second year it creeps. Third year it leaps."

He feeds his herd of 35 cattle without starting his tractor in cold months.

Sunshine also helped kick-start feeder markets, at least for stocker calves.

Sunshine finally appeared late last week raising hopes that Oklahoma will dry out and get summer crop harvest and wheat pasture grazing back on track.

Winter wheat pasture availability is helping to keep demand high for select stocker cattle weights.

With fall grazing upon us, some areas of the Midwest and Central Plains have been blessed with plenty of precipitation this year and other areas are still experiencing drought conditions.

Although no animals have even been placed yet onto Southern Plains wheat pastures, as indicated in the prior article, conditions currently are quite favorable

The best way to utilize cornstalks is to graze them.