Sheep and Goat Production

Sheep and Goat Production

Discussing current topics in Ontario sheep and goat production

All posts in Forage

An Introduction to Managed Grazing

Posted on Author Delma KennedyPosted in ForageLeave a Reply

Looking to improve pasture management this summer?  Alberta Lamb Producers has a good publication covering the basics of plant growth, seeding, renovation, grazing behavior, setting up a system and grazing issues. Click on the picture below to access the publication.  

Forage Report – June 4, 2014

Posted on Author Delma KennedyPosted in ForageLeave a Reply

This article was originally posted on Field Crop News . Written by Joel Bagg. First-cut dairy haylage is in full swing the first week of June, with some farms finished. Harvest has been delayed by slow forage crop growth, and also corn and soybean planting on some farms. Yields are quite variable, depending on location and management, but most are below normal. Alfalfa growth and maturity is considerably delayed, but grass is much more advanced relative to the alfalfa and most grasses have headed. Fall rye and winter tricale haylage is done. Some poor winter wheat fields are also being harvested as haylage. With tighter forage supplies, and high land and forage costs, reducing fermentation dry matter losses (shrink) and improving…

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Forage Report – May 22, 2014

Posted on Author Delma KennedyPosted in ForageLeave a Reply

This article was originally posted on Field Crop News. Written by Joel Bagg. Forage crop growth is delayed about 7 – 10 days behind normal. First-cut yield expectations are quite variable, with some winter injured, older, and fall harvested stands showing reduced yield potential. There is concern beginning to develop in some areas about producing adequate forage to meet livestock requirements. Grass stands have responded very well to early applied nitrogen with significantly more growth. Timing 1st Cut Dairy Haylage Dairy producers are monitoring alfalfa maturity and haylage harvest will be in full swing in many parts of the province the week of May 26th. Dairy producers generally target harvesting first-cut alfalfa haylage at an optimum 40% NDF to balance digestible…

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Forage Report – May 14, 2014

Posted on Author Delma KennedyPosted in ForageLeave a Reply

This article was originally posted on Field Crop News Written by Joel Bagg. Alfalfa winterkill and winter injury occurred across much of the province this spring. Many areas in lower risk western and central Ontario were hit hard with extensive damage. Winterkill is about 10% in the normally higher risk Ottawa Valley, well below what is a more typical 30% for that area. There were also scattered reports of alfalfa heaving. Cool spring weather delayed forage crop growth and development, but this is changing quickly with some warmer weather. Many fields that were fall cut are seeing delayed growth that will likely result in reduced 1st-cut yields. Spring carry-over forage inventories are generally adequate, with the exception of high quality…

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Frost-Damaged Corn Silage

Posted on Author Delma KennedyPosted in ForageLeave a Reply

This article was originally posted on Field Crop NewsWritten by Joel Bagg. Late planting dates, low Crop Heat Unit (CHU) accumulations, and early frost may result in situations where corn is killed by frost before it reaches the normal stage of maturity and moisture for silage. Some fields planted for grain may not mature adequately for optimum yield, moisture and quality. Farmers may be looking at salvaging these crops by harvesting or selling some of those fields for silage.  The key to making the most of frost-damaged corn silage is to harvest it at the correct moisture. Nutrient Quality Slightly immature, frost damaged corn that has dented can make good silage. Energy is partitioned differently in immature silage than in…

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Harvesting Corn Silage At the Right Moisture

Posted on Author Delma KennedyPosted in ForageLeave a Reply

This article was originally posted on Field Crop News Written by Joel Bagg. The importance of harvest moisture and maturity to corn silage quality and animal performance is often underestimated. Not only is it important to minimize fermentation dry matter and spoilage losses, it is difficult to compensate for poor forage quality in ration balancing and animal performance. Don’t get caught harvesting corn silage outside the range of optimum moisture and maturity. In areas that are extremely dry, optimum moisture may occur before optimum maturity. Focus on harvesting at the correct moisture. Importance of Correct Moisture Ensiling at the correct whole plant moisture and optimum stage of maturity is critical. Corn maturity is very dynamic. As corn matures from dent to…

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Should We Cut Hay In The Morning Or Afternoon?

Posted on Author Delma KennedyPosted in ForageLeave a Reply

This article was originally posted on Field Crop News. Written by Joel Bagg. Can nutrient quality and sugar content of hay be improved by cutting in the afternoon rather than in the morning? This is sometimes suggested, but seems to contradict the idea of cutting in the morning to make haylage-in-a-day. There has been a great deal of conflicting information about AM/PM cutting in the farm media that has created some controversy. The Case For Afternoon Cutting – Photosynthesis During the day, forage plants convert sunlight into sugars by photosynthesis. Sugars and starch are produced faster than they can be translocated to root and crown reserves, so at the end of a sunny day, the plant sugar content is at its maximum. During…

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Silage Inoculants

Posted on Author Delma KennedyPosted in Forage1 Reply

This article was originally posted on Field Crop News. Written by Joel Bagg. Silage inoculants are forage additives containing lactic acid producing bacteria (LAB) and other anaerobic bacteria (such as Lactobacillus buchneri). These inoculants are used to manipulate and enhance fermentation in haylage (alfalfa, grass, cereal), corn silage and high moisture corn. The goals are faster, more efficient fermentation with reduced fermentation losses, improved forage quality and palatability, longer bunk life, and improvements in animal performance. Silage inoculants have become much better and more sophisticated in the last 30 years and warrant a closer look. How They Work The most common LAB in commercial inoculants are Lactobacillus plantarum, Enterococcus faecium, various Pediococcus species and other Lactobacillus species. Species and specific strains of…

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Wide Swath Haylage

Posted on Author Delma KennedyPosted in ForageLeave a Reply

This article was originally posted on Field Crop News. Written by Joel Bagg. Wide swath haylage to achieve “haylage-in-a-day” and improve forage quality is a management practice that more dairy farmers in Ontario are adopting. This is contrary to the more traditional practice of using the mower-conditioner to place the swath in a narrow windrow for a day or two of wilting, and then chop directly. Wide swath haylage requires some innovation and significant changes in both equipment and management, but research indicates that improvements in forage quality can be quite impressive. Respiration Losses Rapid wilting after cutting is critical to minimize the often significant respiration losses of sugars in high quality haylage. This is especially true for higher yielding…

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Packing and Covering Bunker Silos

Posted on Author Delma KennedyPosted in ForageLeave a Reply

This article was originally posted on Field Crop News. Written by Joel Bagg. Bunker silos offer many advantages over tower silos for the storage of haylage and corn silage, but require careful management to minimize fermentation and spoilage losses. Along with proper harvest moisture, length-of-cut and the use of a research proven silage inoculant, additional attention must be applied to proper site selection, sizing, filling, packing, covering, rodent control and feed-out of horizontal silos. The invisible dry matter and quality losses as a result of poor packing and covering, in addition to the more visible spoilage losses are much more significant than we realize. With high production costs and forage values, these losses are expensive! Fill Rapidly Filling silos as rapidly as…

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