FEED & NUTRITION

Spring is the time when many farmers and ranchers think about pest management, especially weed and insect management.

Each year I consult with several different producers regarding mineral issues in their feed. Some common things I hear are: “They just aren’t thrifty,” “They aren’t gaining like they should,” or, “We had more open cows than I was expecting.”

Nitrogen fertilizer management is highly impacted by changes and variability in climatic conditions.

Weather patterns in central and northern Wisconsin were especially challenging to alfalfa stands during the winter and spring of 2018-19. Several winter rain events on already-saturated soils, lack of snow cover during the coldest part of winter and ice conditions in much of the Upper Midwest produced difficult conditions for alfalfa survival.

All you need to know about the 2019 forage crop is in the silage pile. Under the plastic on many dairy farms, the current forage supplies may be the outcome of last year’s havoc-filled spring and fall.

The 2019 crop year was a challenging one. Planting and harvesting conditions were tough across most of the country. Hay supplies are tight, and supplies of premium hay are very short.