Hay

Most of us are aware that forage losses can accumulate in a hurry, particularly for hay. Adding up potential losses incurred during harvest, storage, and feeding, as much as 60% of forage dry matter can be lost between the field and the cow’s mouth. Title: Proper Storage Saves Forage; Author: Amanda Grev, Ph.D., Extension Specialist, Pasture & Forages.

Now is the time to scout pasture and hay fields for Japanese stiltgrass and take note of its locations. This invasive grass is typically seen in wooded areas, but unfortunately has been creeping into fields. Once the seed heads start to form in another month or two, you’ll want to have the mower ready.

When it comes to production of harvested forages like hay or baleage, stand decline is a common issue many producers face. Unfortunately, like most things there is no simple answer to eliminate issues with stand decline. Poor soil fertility, disease, temperature, moisture, and weed pressure are all things that can play a role in the longevity of a stand. While some of these things may be out of our control, one thing that producers do have full control over is cutting height. If you want to harvest higher quality forages, have better regrowth, and improve stand longevity, pay attention to your cutting height. Title: How Low Can You Go? The Cutting Height Debate; Author: Amanda Grev, Ph.D.

IPM scouting tips that appear in the Agronomy Newsletter.

With the first freeze of the fall just around the corner, remember that a frost can result in potential hazards for certain forages. When a plant freezes, changes occur in its metabolism and composition that can cause toxicity issues for livestock. A few issues to be on the lookout for are discussed in this article.

Although fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) is a native pest to North America and a chronic pest in the southeastern US, reports of fall armyworm activity and outbreaks are unusually high this year. There are numerous reports of heavy fall armyworm activity coming out of Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and other states. In Maryland, there have been cases reported across much of the state so far, including Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Charles, Calvert, Frederick, Howard, Montgomery, Prince George’s, St. Mary’s, and Washington counties. Weather conditions have allowed fall armyworm to flourish this year, so producers are encouraged to be on the lookout for potential problems.

It’s the time of year when our alfalfa fields are just waking from winter slumber, or at least we hope they are. We are hopeful that a combination of favorable moisture and thoughtful management will have fields greening up with a strong stand. Unwelcome are brownfields or something close to it. Fortunately, this doesn’t happen often. Yet, when it does, the decision of what’s to follow is painful but an easy one to make — time to put this field out of its misery and plant something else.

With August upon us, we may still be feeling the heat of the summer at the moment but whether or not we’re ready, cooler temperatures are just around the corner and it’s time to be thinking about winter feeding strategies. Using harvested forages for winter feed represents a substantial expense for livestock operations. For many grazing operations, stockpiling can be an effective strategy to extend forage resources further into the fall and winter season, reducing the costs associated with harvesting and storing feed and providing high-quality pasture for fall and winter grazing.

Cattle Tales Livestock is a quarterly newsletter published by the University of Maryland Extension that focuses on bringing timely, relevant information to Maryland's livestock producers. Topics in this issue (August 2021, Edition 2) are Stockpiling Pasture for Fall and Winter Grazing, Weaning Tips and Vaccination Programs for Beef Calves, Managing Bloat in Pastured Cattle, and Limit Feeding Growing Cattle.

This quarterly newsletter is focused on bringing timely, relevant information to Maryland's livestock producers