Grazing winter annuals such rye, winter wheat, or triticale commonly begins in April. All three of these forages can be very high in quality and reduce the need for feeding expensive hay while allowing additional time for spring growth of our perennial summer pastures. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

Fertilizing cool-season grass pastures or hayfields is something producers do each year while accounting for forage needs, the value of the forage, and fertilizer costs. Very important to remember this year is precipitation and soil moisture status as that moisture is needed to realize the grass response to the fertilizer. Jerry Volesky, Nebraska Extension Range and Forage Systems Specialist.

Fresh spring growth is a welcome sight for producers looking for animal forage. However, lush spring growth may be the perfect condition for a case of grass tetany. While turn out may be a ways off, mitigating this risk starts now. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

Spring is a time when we might be considering seeding some grass for pasture, hay or just to establish permanent plant cover for wildlife habitat. In some cases, this may involve attempting to improve or renovate an existing stand or establishing grass on former cropland or a disturbed site. Jerry Volesky, Nebraska Extension Range and Forage Systems Specialist.

Spring has officially sprung and now is a good time to start thinking about the insects that will be emerging and subsequently feeding on alfalfa, particularly alfalfa weevil. Samantha Daniel, Nebraska Extension Crops and Water Educator.

Were you expecting more from last year’s alfalfa yields? Did your plants get enough time to winterize in the fall? Do you have concerns about stand winter kill? Evaluating your alfalfa stand in the spring is key to planning management and setting expectations for this year. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

Inter-seeding cool-season perennial grasses into older alfalfa stands has been a good option to increase the productivity of that field. If planning a new alfalfa seeding this year, using a grass and alfalfa mixture can also have some advantages. Jerry Volesky, Nebraska Extension Range and Forage Systems Specialist.

It's that time of year when the preliminary results for Nebraska Ag land and rental rates comes out. On average in 2025, the market value for all agricultural land in Nebraska was $3,935 per acre this is a 2% decrease from the previous year. Shannon Sand, Nebraska Ag Economics Extension Educator.

As temperatures begin to rise, don’t’ forget to take a bit of time to assess alfalfa stand health going into this year’s growing season. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

As we enter the final weeks of winter and look towards the 2025 growing season, this is a great time to review your insect scouting program to ensure accurate and timely management of insect pests in your pasture acres. Samantha Daniel, Nebraska Extension Crops and Water Educator.