FEED & NUTRITION

Throughout the summer, many dairy consultants have seen farm teams challenged by aerobically unstable 2019 ensiled forages and high-moisture grains, which were grown under several levels of stress.

The 2020 corn production season has gotten off to a relatively “normal” start. Timely planting occurred – a welcome change compared to the previous three seasons, when colder and wetter conditions influenced planting progress.

Chopping silage

Starting with the final result in mind is a good approach when it comes to chopping silage. Chopping is only part of the equation, as farmers have storage and animal conversion to manage as well.

Challenging growing conditions have created potential shortages in silage stocks over the past few years, which has sparked interest in putting up alternative silage crops, some more creative than others.

We all know how important leaves are to forage quality. Leaves contain the bulk of the energy and protein and are more digestible than stems. This is especially true for alfalfa.

Sitting here at my new kitchen-countertop office location during the COVID-19 pandemic has given me an opportunity to reflect on our past research work and contemplate new directions to take based on what we have learned.