That text message from a prospective hay buyer may not be what you were anticipating.Last week, the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) issued a news release warning about a scam being run against i

Stocks of all hay stored in the United States totaled 24.4 million tons, down from 25.1 million tons in May 2016, according to last week’s USDA Crop Production report. This is the first year-over-ye

Using spring-planted oats for pasture has great potential, but if not grazed correctly, the results may be disappointing.In recent years, oat pastures have become more popular. According to Bruce Ande

Killing an alfalfa stand during the fall is generally easier and yields better results; however, partial winterkill or a change in cropping plans sometimes necessitate the need for a spring farewell t

Lack of snow cover and drastic changes in temperature in parts of the country have turned alfalfa stands from green to brown.In South Dakota, damage has occurred in areas of fields where ice sheets fo

Photo: OMAFRAStockpiling cool- or warm-season grasses is a time-tested method to fill forage gaps in the summer or extend the grazing season into the winter.“Planting corn for stockpiled winter

It can be a challenge to establish native grasses in cultivated pastures, but they offer several benefits, including alternative summer forage, buffer strips to protect streams, and improved wildlife

It’s often the case that when cattle prices fall, producers look for cost-cutting measures. If you’ve got bermudagrass, cast your eyes somewhere other than nitrogen (N) fertilizer.That is the

April is one of the two preferred times to plant cool-season perennial forages. The other time is in late summer.“The relative success of spring versus summer seeding of forages is greatly affected

Mixtures of grass and alfalfa have always been variable by nature in terms of their composition. This variability is caused by environmental conditions at the time of seeding, the grass species select

In the southern Great Plains, forage is grown in the spring and fall, corresponding to the seasonal rainfall patterns. As a result, there are typically forage shortages in the winter and summer months

An early spring results in equally early alfalfa growth. It also offers added frost-damage risk before summer sets in for the long haul.University of Kentucky extension specialists explained in a rece

It is welcoming to watch pastures green up in the spring; however, the unique growth of the spring flush brings with it some potential problems for cattle. Grass tetany is a nutritional disease

Many parts of the country saw record temperatures in February and little measurable snow throughout the winter. Despite the unexpected warmth, submissions at the University of Kentucky Vet Diagnostic

“Early spring irrigation provides an opportunity to build a reserve water source for summer use,” says Bruce Anderson, University of Nebraska extension forage specialist. “This offers

The southeastern U.S. was affected by drought from July to December of last year. Periods of drought impact pasture productivity in the following season. How pastures are utilized following a drought

After a winter of snow, mud, feed supplements, and moving bales in subzero weather, opening the gate to spring pastures is a welcome transition for both cattleman and cow.Early spring pasture growth i

As far as U.S. alfalfa hay exports are concerned, China has been the big story. Shipments to that country have risen from 177,000 metric tons (MT) in 2011 to over 1 million MT in 2016.So what country

When the first green grass appears, it can be tempting to turn horses out to graze immediately. However, for the health of the horse and pasture, the grass needs to have time to grow before horses are

If winter annual small grains were not planted last fall for spring forage, opportunities are dwindling to produce additional forage for grazing or hay. One option that remains for quick developing fo