Forage

Dairy farms in particular recognize the value of winter forages like triticale as a high-yielding and high-quality forage crop for livestock. The yield potential for winter forages is largely based on planting date and fall nitrogen availability; these two critical factors determine the number of fall tillers, which set the yield potential for the following spring. Winter forages like triticale can also serve as a good source of protein, potentially making them a more economical alternative to other feed ingredients such as soybean meal for meeting ration protein needs.

A list of meetings for Row Crop and Forage producers.

A study at the Central Maryland Research and Education Center examined the impact of grazing management on pregnant dairy heifers. A total of 166 Holstein heifers were split into two groups: one group received a total mixed ration (TMR), while the other was rotationally grazed on various pastures. Initial results showed that although final body weight and hip height were similar, TMR-fed heifers had better body condition scores and average daily gains. Grazed heifers experienced initial weight loss during an adaptation period and took longer to regain their weight. Long-term performance will be evaluated during their first lactation to assess effects on milk production and health. This page will be updated annually with the results.

Agronomy News, Volume 16, Issue 1-April 2025

This webpage is the production archives of the Women In Agriculture webinars.

Warm-season annuals can serve as a means to provide forage for livestock during the summer months when the growth of cool-season perennials is slowed. In many cases, regrowth can allow for more than one grazing or harvest to be obtained from these forages. Under certain conditions, there is potential for prussic acid accumulation in some of these warm-season annual species.

A fall armyworm outbreak is occurring throughout Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio. This week, we received a report of armyworm damage to sod from Maryland’s Eastern Shore as well as residential lawns in Lewes, Delaware. This appears to be one of the most significant armyworm flights in many years. Scout turf, sod, pasture grasses, any late sweet corn that has not yet headed, and when the time comes, small grain and cover crops. Females lay egg masses containing between 50 and 200 eggs, meaning damage can be localized and intense and that it does not take many moths to infest a field. It is important to catch an infestation as early as possible. Larvae consume 80% of their total intake during the last three days of larval development. Often, it is during this period or just after larvae have finished that damage is noticed, occurring seemingly overnight as if an army had stripped the field. It takes about 14-19 days for larvae to mature.

Discover essential strategies to navigate the challenges of drought management! This article provides valuable insights that can help you sustain your pastures and optimize your hayfields during dry conditions. Learn how to extend your forage supply, promote faster recovery, and safeguard your operations for a more resilient future. Don’t miss these practical tips—your livestock and land will thank you! Dive in to explore actionable solutions that can make a real difference!

Agronomy News, August 2024, Volume 15, Issue 4. Inside this issue: Fall Forage: Playing Catch-Up, New Wildlife Management Classes & Community, Wildlife Management Webinars, Small Grain Variety Trials, Soybean Research Field Day, Reporting Tar Spot, Podworms in Soybeans, Ag Technology Conference, Summer Grazing Management, Grain Market Outlook, USDA Notice to Beneficiaries, Weather Outlook, and Regional Crop Reports.

Fall Forage: Playing Catch-Up