Pasture and Forage Minute

As areas of the state begin to dry or continue to suffer from drought conditions, grasshoppers will move into crops from field edges. Alfalfa and grasses seeded late this summer can be especially susceptible to grasshopper feeding damage. Samantha Daniel, Nebraska Extension Crops and Water Educator.

Alfalfa can be successfully seeded in the Fall or Spring depending on moisture conditions, weed populations, and timing. Todd Whitney, Nebraska Extension Forage Agronomist.

Are you thinking about seeding a winter annual cereal grain to have some forage next spring? The possible choices are wheat, rye, or triticale; but which of these small grains should you seed this fall? Jerry Volesky, Nebraska Extension Range and Forage Systems Specialist.

High value silage depends on maintaining chop quality throughout harvest. Do you know how to reliably monitor your silage quality? Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

Silage is a cornerstone feed for Nebraska livestock producers, and its price is a critical factor in operation profitability. Determining a fair market value for silage involves several considerations. Shannon Sand, Nebraska Ag Economics Extension Educator.

Following corn silage harvest, your ground can lay bare for seven to nine months. Instead, let’s plant some crops to grow and cover it until next season. Jerry Volesky, Nebraska Extension Range and Forage Systems Specialist.

In previous years, portions of eastern Nebraska have seen unprecedented numbers of fall armyworm caterpillars feeding on alfalfa, brome regrowth in pastures, and newly seeded small grain crops such as wheat, triticale, and rye. Samantha Daniel, Nebraska Extension Crops and Water Educator.

Silage harvest for fully irrigated full-season corn usually begins 45 days or 800 GDD’s after the tassel / silking growth stage. However, growing conditions and the season length of the plant itself can make predictions based on the calendar fuzzy at best. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

August always seems to be a time when certain weeds can become quite noticeable in pastures. There can be a variety of common annual weeds like sunflowers, lambs quarters, or kochia. Jerry Volesky, Nebraska Extension Range and Forage Systems Specialist.

Improper silage storage and fermentation can result in losses up to 20% prior to feeding. Plan your storage now to keep excessive storage losses from happening to you. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.