Forages Archives - Department of Soil and Crop Sciences

Winter feeding program for beef cattle producers Aug. 16 in Overton

10Jul

By: Adam Russell
Contact: Vanessa Corriher-Olson, VACorriher@ag.tamu.edu
Michelle Sensing, 903-834-6191

A program on the reduction of winter feeding by stockpiling warm-season forage and/or planting cool-season pastures is scheduled for Aug. 16 in Overton.

The event is from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, 1710 N. Farm-to-Market Road 3053.

Stockpiled forage and cool season forages can help reduce winter feeding costs.

The cost is $60 per person if registered by Aug. 6 and $75 per person if registered by Aug. 14. Fees include lunch and all program materials.

Two Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units, one integrated pest management and one general, will be available.

The program will be presented by Drs. Vanessa Corriher-Olson, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service forage specialist, and Jason Banta, AgriLife Extension beef cattle specialist, both in Overton.

Corriher-Olson said the subject should be of great interest to beef producers following recent hay shortages.

“People were scrambling to secure hay this past winter,” she said. “Attending this event will help producers better prepare their operations and reduce feeding of hay next winter.”

Topics include:

Stockpiled forage management and utilization.
How many acres of stockpiled forage and winter pasture do you need?
Cool-season forages and variety selection.
Establishment and fertilization.
Monthly and seasonal forage production potential.
Appropriate mineral supplementation.
Estimated costs for various scenarios.

“We’ll be looking at the economics of these options,” Corriher-Olson said. “Whether they forgo that last harvest of Bermuda or Bahia grass as a stockpile option or plant cool-season grasses, planning ahead can help avoid unnecessary costs and benefit an operation’s bottom line.”

Register online at https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu; or call AgriLife Extension Conference Services at 979-845-2604. For more information on this program, contact Michelle Sensing at 903-834-6191.

New computer model helps predict wheat forage success

24Jan

Writer: Adam Russell

A new, pioneering forage wheat model could provide a valuable technique to researchers exploring the potential of biomass production for cool-season annual forage grasses, according to model developers.

Researchers at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Overton – Dr. Monte Rouquette, Texas A&M AgriLife Research plant physiologist, and Dr. Prem Woli, AgriLife Research crop modeler, recently published a paper in Agronomy Journal titled “Simulating Winter Wheat Forage Production in the Southern U.S. Using a Forage Wheat Model.”

It focuses on annual forage grass modeling with the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer, or DSSAT, suite of crop computer models. Research by Dr. Charles Long, AgriLife Research animal breeder and center director; Dr. Ray Smith, AgriLife Research plant breeder and Dr. Lloyd Nelson, AgriLife Research plant breeder and professor emeritus, all in Overton, also contributed to the publication.

“This model using DSSAT provides an application of decades of field data from Texas A&M AgriLife Research at Overton to be used to guide future decisions on forage wheat production,” Long said. “Simulating alternative outcomes for forage wheat production management options will ultimately aid producers in making decisions.”

DSSAT is a software application program that comprises dynamic crop growth simulation models for over 40 crops, according to the DSSAT website. The program is supported by a range of utilities and applications for weather, soil, genetics, crop management and observational experimental data. It also includes example data sets for all the crop models included in the suite.

A new DSSAT crop model created by Texas A&M AgriLife researchers will allow researchers around the world simulate biomass production to help producers make science-based decisions regarding winter wheat forage growth. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Dr. Jourdan Bell)

Crop simulation models, including the forage wheat model, simulate growth, development and biomass production as a function of the soil-plant-atmosphere dynamics and management.

The soil-plant-atmosphere system comprises environmental factors such as soil type, weather – temperatures, solar radiation, wind and precipitation – and production management variables including cultivars, planting/harvesting dates and inputs such as nitrogen fertilizer, Rouquette said.

Like other crop models, the forage wheat model may be used by researchers, educators or students to understand the mechanisms underlying forage wheat biomass production — or by growers or extension agents as a tool for optimizing forage wheat production, Woli said. Users can analyze “what-if” scenarios by manipulating the various factors that impact biomass production.

Rouquette said around 30 growing seasons of winter wheat forage trial results data and 74 years of weather data from Overton and Henderson were used to calibrate and evaluate the DSSAT forage wheat model.

“We have a lot of history of small grain plantings for forage from Dr. Nelson’s variety trials here in Overton,” Rouquette said. “The field data ensure simulations are accurate and verifiable based on realistic conditions producers face season to season.”

The forage wheat model was used by the researchers to study winter wheat biomass responses to nitrogen, as influenced by two soil types. One was Lilbert, a sandy loam soil with more organic matter and water-holding capacity. Another was Darco, a sandy soil with low organic matter and water-holding capacity. Three planting dates were set between September and December and the ENSO – El Niño, La Niña and neutral – weather patterns, Woli said.

“By changing production factors, a model can simulate thousands of scenarios in minutes or hours compared to decades of field trials,” he said. “This is significant for forage production because it tells us what the variabilities mean in the form of biomass for livestock. It’s significant to researchers because until now we have only had the option of knowing what the outcome was under natural climate conditions each growing season.”

Of the various factors studied, Rouquette said nitrogen played the most important role in biomass production.

“If you’re not fertilizing in the Southern U.S., you’re not growing,” he said. “The ENSO was not a significant factor for winter wheat forage production in this region because wheat is drought tolerant and a cool-season forage that isn’t very susceptible to drought.”

For instance, the simulation results showed winter wheat biomass was optimized at 120 pounds of nitrogen fertilizer per acre on the Lilbert soil, whereas the Darco soil required 240 pounds of nitrogen per acre, Rouquette said.

Rouquette said the research was focused on modeling winter wheat forage production for various scenarios without consideration of whether management calibrations, such as nitrogen and irrigation, were cost-effective or prohibitive. However, he noted, forage modeling with market conditions and input cost calibrations also considered could be possible in the future to help guide producer decision-making from season to season.

Few options to salvage late-season hay amid wet weather

19Nov

Writer: Adam Russell, 903-834-6191, adam.russell@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Vanessa Corriher-Olson, 903-834-6191, vacorriher@ag.tamu.edu

Warm-season grasses are plentiful in hay producing areas, but the rain that helped improve growing conditions following an extended period of drought is hurting their chances for more round bales, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert.

Dr. Vanessa Corriher-Olson, AgriLife Extension forage specialist, Overton, said late-season rains created good growing conditions for warm-season grasses over the last 60 days following months of drought that left hay supplies low around the state.

She said while grasses might be abundant in pastures and hay meadows, producers are having difficulty harvesting between rains.

Puddles of water gather in low spots of a pasture west of Tyler. Rains have created soggy conditions for farmers trying to harvest warm-season grasses for hay before the first frost. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Adam Russell)

Corriher-Olson said many producers are counting on a final cutting, but weather conditions have been against them as the first freezing temperatures rapidly approach.

Producers would ideally make the final cutting now when the grass is green and before the first frost, which typically occurs Nov. 15 in East Texas, she said, but continuous rains over the last 60 days have allowed few opportunities for producers to harvest.

“Accessing the pastures with equipment was a problem, but even once the ground dried out enough to get in, producers had to consider if there was a window between rains where the hay could be cut, cured and baled before another rain,” she said. “It’s been difficult, and producers need the hay.”

Corriher-Olson said producing hay bales is heavily dependent on weather and there are risks associated with any decision when it comes to harvesting hay at this point in the season amid unfavorable weather conditions.

The best option is to move cattle onto the field for grazing if there is fencing and water is available.

“Livestock are much better harvesters than we are with machines,” she said. “But grazing isn’t an option for a lot of producers because many East Texas hay meadows don’t have fences or water.”

If hay is cut and remains on the ground when it rains, Corriher-Olson said it will begin to lose nutritive value due to leaching of non-structural carbohydrates. Rain can also shatter leaves off harvested forage and reduce both the crude protein and energy levels of the hay.

Harvesting hay after a frost is an option, she said. However, producers still need to be cautious of weather conditions.

“With cooler temperatures and cloudy days, curing hay can be even more challenging,” she said.

Extra forage can also be allowed to remain standing in the field for grazing, Corriher-Olson said. Maintaining some substantial Bermuda grass or Bahia grass stubble height could provide shade that could reduce volunteer ryegrass as well as other weed seed germination.

This might not provide 100 percent control, however competition can help reduce undesired plant growth, she said. Maintaining a higher stubble height can also be beneficial for the future growth of warm-season perennials. Higher stubble height means more substantial root structure to capture deeper soil moisture and nutrients.

“Cooler spring temperatures, drought, fall armyworms and late fall rains have added extra challenges for hay production, so late season utilization, whether harvesting, grazing or maintaining stubble, could impact forage production this year and next,” she said.

Producers, Homeowners battling armyworms

18Sep

Writer: Adam Russell, 903-834-6191, adam.russell@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Vanessa Corriher-Olson, 903-834-6191, vacorriher@ag.tamu.edu

Hay and forage producers and homeowners around the state are battling armyworms following rains and cooler weather, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service experts.

The fall armyworm is a common pest of Bermuda grass and many other crops in Texas, Dr. Vanessa Corriher-Olson, AgriLife Extension forage specialist, Overton, said. Given their appetite, numbers and ability to move, fall armyworms can consume entire fields or pastures in a few days.

“I highly, highly recommend producers scout their pastures,” she said. “We’ve been dry and recently received rain, and that combination is a sign that armyworms will follow. Nine out of 10 calls I’ve received in the last several days were regarding armyworms, so producers need to be diligent and protect their pastures.”

Corriher-Olson said limited forage and hay production this summer makes protecting hay fields and winter pasture seedlings critical.

Late summer rains are often followed by fall armyworm outbreaks in pastures and hay fields. Much of the regions around Texas have reported armyworm activity during the past few weeks. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo)Late summer rains are often followed by fall armyworm outbreaks in pastures and hay fields. Much of the regions around Texas have reported armyworm activity during the past few weeks. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo)

Armyworm caterpillars are picky eaters that prefer high-quality, fertilized forage typically found on fields maintained for hay production or pasture, she said. They are a common pest of Bermuda grass, sorghum, corn, wheat, rye grass and many other crops in north and central Texas.

Producers should scout each morning for armyworms, she said. Armyworms are night feeders that try to avoid daytime temperatures.

Armyworms are green, brown or black in color and can be identified by the white inverted Y on their head. They can grow up to 1 inch in length when mature. The pest got its name because they appear to march across hay fields, consuming the grass in their path.

Improved hay pastures with dense canopies and vigorous growth are often more susceptible to armyworm infestations than less fertilized fields, Corriher-Olson said. Irrigated fields are also susceptible to infestations, especially during drought conditions.

“Look for fall armyworms feeding in the crop canopy during the late evening and early morning and during cool, cloudy weather,” she said. ‘When fields are wet with dew, armyworms can stick on rubber boots while walking through the field.”

The key to managing fall armyworms is frequent inspection of fields to detect infestations, she said. Armyworm moths can lay up to 2,000 eggs that hatch in two to three days, according to a 2018 report by AgriLife Extension entomologist Dr. Allen Knutson, based in Dallas. There are four to five generations per year.

The threshold for insecticide spray treating a pasture is three or more armyworms per square foot, Corriher-Olson said. Armyworms in those numbers should be treated immediately because armyworm caterpillars consume 85 percent of their diet in the last two to three days of their larvae stage.

Corriher-Olson recommends insecticides labeled for armyworm control in pastures and hayfields. She said applicators should always follow all label instructions on pesticide use and restrictions.

For more information about armyworms, go to https://bit.ly/2xlWpDP.

“Armyworms have been a problem and will continue to be a problem,” she said. “Producers just need to make scouting, especially following any rain event, part of their routine. The key is to be ready to treat for armyworms as soon as they are present because they can cause serious damage in a short amount of time.”

Texas A&M releases new Ace cowpea

13Aug

Writer: Adam Russell, 903-834-6191, adam.russell@ag.tamu.edu

Contact: Dr. Gerald Smith, 903-834-6191, gerald.smith@ag.tamu.edu

A new forage cowpea variety – Ace – blends a number of desirable characteristics into into a well-rounded option for livestock, wildlife and improved soil health, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Research expert.

Ace is a small-seed cowpea cultivar developed for forage and hay production, as a cover crop and as a wildlife supplemental planting, said Dr. Gerald Smith, AgriLife Research plant breeder in Overton.

Ace cowpea is a new forage cultivar release by Texas A&M AgriLife Research. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Dr. Gerald Smith)

Cowpea is a warm-season, drought-tolerant legume. Diverse varieties are used as green vegetables for human consumption, for livestock forage and wildlife browse and as a nitrogen-fixing cover crop to improve soil health, Smith said.

The new cowpea variety was developed in the AgriLife Research Forage Legume Breeding Program at Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Centers in Overton and Vernon. It was released in May, certified by the Texas Department of Agriculture State Seed and Plant Board in June and is available from Turner Seed and Justin Seed.

AgriLife Research breeding produced a new variety with qualities including a small seed size, high biomass yields and an extended growing season. The variety’s biomass matures earlier with a first bloom in late August and seed maturity in northeast Texas by mid-October.

“It wasn’t bred to be an edible variety for humans, but it’s a great forage and browse cowpea, has good vegetation that grows throughout the season and can be utilized for hay or as a cover crop,” Smith said. “It can also be produced for seed here in Texas, which brings a value-added component to its potential.”

Smith said Ace is comparable to an older variety mix called Iron and Clay, which is widely used in Texas and the Southern U.S. as supplemental plantings for white-tailed deer. But Iron and Clay is a very late flowering variety and seed production is restricted in North Texas due to winter kill prior to seed maturation.

Ace cowpea is a good option for livestock forage and hay, wildlife browse or as a nitrogen-fixing cover crop. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Dr. Gerald Smith)

Forage biomass production of Ace on dryland acres in Overton was 2,539 and 4,200 pounds per acre in 2013 and 2016, respectively, Smith said. Forage biomass production at Vernon in 2015, 2016 and 2017 was 3,470, 5,302 and 6,015 pounds per acre, respectively.

Protein content of Ace forage at Vernon in 2015 and 2016 was 16.5 percent and 16.4 percent, respectively, he said.

Smith said Ace is clearly applicable to produce browse for deer, but researchers also will be studying its use to supplement quail and turkey.

“It’s useful in mixtures with other wildlife plants such as millet, sunflowers and sorghum,” he said. “Its seed size means producers get more seed per pound, and that lends well to lower seeding rates, which reduces costs.”

Smith said the new variety has also shown potential for annual reseeding.

Greenhouse studies from two years of seed production indicate about half of an Ace cowpea seed crop will germinate in the first month after seed maturity, and the other half will germinate slowly over about 60 or 70 days assuming moisture and temperature conditions are appropriate for germination.

The reseeding trait of Ace needs further field testing but could be a valuable tool in stand management, he said.

“That’s another selling point for this variety,” he said. “If allowed to reseed, we think at least half the seed crop of Ace would germinate. That in turn will mean cost savings for producers.”

Smith said Ace represents a valuable cultivar with various market applications that will be important to the Texas seed industry.

“It’s a really good, new and different forage cowpea,” Smith said. “We think its characteristics and potential make it stand out as an option for a wide range of agricultural activities.”

AgriLife Research and Forage Genetics International sign multi-year agreement

12Jul

Writer: Kay Ledbetter, 806-677-5608, skledbetter@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Bill Rooney, 979-845-2151, wlr@tamu.edu

COLLEGE STATION – A greater interest in forage sorghums from the beef and dairy industries has led to a multi-year agreement between Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Forage Genetics International LLC, or FGI, a subsidiary of Arden Hills, Minnesota-based Land O’Lakes Inc.

“FGI is excited to collaborate with Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Dr. Rooney,” said Shawn Barnett, FGI president in Arden Hills, Minnesota. “For more than 25 years, FGI has led the forage industry with innovative genetic discoveries, variety developments and cutting-edge alfalfa product introductions.

Dr. Bill Rooney, a Texas A&M AgriLife Research sorghum breeder in College Station, manages an active breeding program with evaluation sites throughout Texas and the U.S. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo)

“This collaboration opportunity further expands our efforts to deliver best-in-class forage solutions to our customers and relentlessly pursue advancement in the forage industry,” Barnett said.

Dr. Bill McCutchen, executive associate director of AgriLife Research in College Station, said, “We are appreciative of FGI’s interest in our sorghum breeding program and willingness to invest in future outcomes. Within the agreement, FGI will have an option to license intellectual property developed in the program.

“Not only does this collaboration strengthen our program and FGI’s potential product development, but it will help identify forage sorghum traits that will benefit producers and all of the industry in years to come,” McCutchen said.

Rooney, an AgriLife Research sorghum breeder in the Texas A&M University department of soil and crop sciences, manages an active breeding program with evaluation sites throughout Texas and the U.S. His primary research activities are in the development of grain, forage and bioenergy sorghum parental lines for the production of commercial hybrids.

As commercial interest in bioenergy crops has waned, Rooney, who is the Borlaug-Monsanto Chair for Plant Breeding and International Crop Improvement, has transitioned from bioenergy to forage breeding.

“We’ve been working on forage sorghums for 20-plus years,” he said. “The challenges in the forage industry are to improve quality while maintaining agronomic productivity.”

Given the right hybrid combinations, silage sorghum has yields and quality comparable to corn silage. Further, that productivity is accomplished using less water, Rooney said.

He said the funding from FGI will help expand his forage breeding program, which has a goal of developing sorghum seed and pollinator parents with desirable forage quality and yield.

field with grain sorghum and forage sorghum

A Texas A&M AgriLife Research forage sorghum variety trial. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo)

“Our program has concentrated on seed and pollinator parents with desirable characteristics such as good leaf to stem ratios, producing forage plants of different types and heights,” Rooney said.

Matt Sowder, FGI director of corn silage/forage sorghum in Arden Hills, Minnesota, said, “Texas A&M AgriLife Research represents world class research and aligns with what we want to deliver to our customers. Through this collaboration, FGI can continue our intense focus on technology and hybrid development. Our joint efforts will provide FGI customers with cutting-edge solutions to productivity in their forage operations.”

Rooney said he is continually looking to improve sorghum for whatever challenges may arise, such as sugarcane aphids, foliar diseases and other stress tolerances to improve overall productivity and quality.

He said initially all the breeding process under the new agreement will be conducted at the College Station area facilities.

Spring Ranch Management University benefits landowners

30Apr

Story and Photographs By: Beth Ann Luedeker
Contact: Dr. Larry Redmon – l-redmon@tamu.edu

Dr. Larry Redmon in front of RMU classroom

Dr. Larry Redmon, who developed and coordinates Ranch Management University, discussed forage management with the participants.

There was a full house for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s spring Ranch Management University, held April 2-6 in College Station.

Extension Specialist Jake Mowrer demonstrated soil horizons and discussed many aspects of soil health during the 5-day workshop.

The five-day workshop under the direction of Dr. Larry Redmon, Soil and Crop Sciences Associate Department Head for Extension, accepts only 50 participants and usually fills up quickly.

New Landowners, potential landowners, landowners looking for a refresher and at least one self-proclaimed “old school” cattleman gathered at the Animal Science complex near the Brazos River to hear Extension specialists discuss a wide variety of information. Presentations included land stewardship practices, wildlife management techniques, pond management strategies, horse and cattle management and much more.

Dr. Jennifer Zoller in Ranch Management University classroom

During her session on horse production, Dr. Jennifer Zoller introduced participants to the Texas Horse Health App – a free app for mobile devices which became available in January.

“My wife, son and I had a wonderful experience at RMU and we all learned ‘a whole bunch’, as we say in Texas” said Richard Hurst, whose family came down from Irving, TX for the workshop. “The information was timely and thorough in all areas. I have never encountered folks who are so willing to share information and support new ranchers.”

Participants had the opportunity to get their hands dirty and learn how to hand-texture soils.

Most of the week is spent in a classroom setting, but there are also daily demonstrations and hands-on activities.

As he watched the cattle handling demonstration, one participant said, “I have been doing this a long time. My wife says I’m old school and that’s why she dragged me here.”

He examined the Ral-Gro® gun, something he had not used before, and asked several questions before he continued.

“They have a lot of good information, and I have learned several new things this week,” he said.

Then he smiled and added, “It’s also been nice to see that I’ve been doing some things right.”

Ranch Management University takes place twice each year. Spring RMU typically occurs in April, with the Fall RMU taking place in October. While it is geared toward newer landowners, the presentations are beneficial for all landowners or future landowners.

People interested attending the workshop may contact Dr. Larry Redmon, l-redmon@tamu.edu or Linda Francis, l-francis@tamu.edu.

Weather delayed cool-season forage planting

6Nov

Writer: Adam Russell, 903-834-6191, russell@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Vanessa Corriher-Olson, 903-834-6191, vacorriher@ag.tamu.edu
Dr. Monte Rouquette, 903-834-6191, monte.rouquette@ag.tamu.edu

OVERTON – Warm temperatures and dry conditions have pushed planting of cool-season forage plantings past the normal, prime window for many East Texas producers, according to Texas A&M AgriLife experts.

Producer Joel Kirby, of Overton, prepares to reload his planter with Maton rye and Nelson ryegrass seed. Kirby planted his cool-season annual seed before a recent rain event. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo Adam Russell)

Dr. Vanessa Corriher-Olson, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service forage specialist, Overton, said producers ideally wanted to plant winter pastures between late-September and mid-October. But roller coaster temperatures and dry conditions have pushed many producers to plant late or consider not planting at all.

“The long-term forecast is calling for a warmer, drier winter, and if we do get significant dry spells, forages, especially in ryegrass, will be in trouble,” she said. “The investment of time, land preparation, fertilizer and the cost of seed, which in the case of ryegrass is more expensive this year, will influence whether or not producers take the risk.”

Corriher-Olson said there is also concern about widespread armyworm infestations and the additional cost of treating pastures to keep the pest at bay.

Pushing the planting date to later dates extends the timetable of forage availability later and later, she said, which could be problematic for producers who rely on winter pastures for grazing.

Dr. Monte Rouquette, AgriLife Research plant physiologist, Overton, said the decision to plant and what cool-season annual strategies producers should incorporate, be it ryegrass, clover or small grains, depends on the grazing needs of their herd.

Producers who were delayed and planted by mid-November should assume it may be late- December to mid-January for small-grain grazing, and could be late February or March before cows can access ryegrass pastures.

“Producers who planted a couple weeks ago following rain should be in good shape for winter grazing in late-December and January after the most recent rain event,” he said. “But that’s if they fertilize with Nitrogen according to soil tests, and temperatures are conducive to growth and we get timely rains. If cool-season annual forages aren’t planted by mid-to-late November, then producers might want to consider other options such as hay and protein supplementation.”

At this point, Rouquette said producers hoping to provide winter grazing should consider planting small grains, specifically cereal grain rye, because they are tolerant of acidic soils and cold weather. They grow aggressively, he said, and are the most reliable for winter grazing compared to ryegrass or clovers.

Rye typically takes 45 days to provide adequate forage for a cow herd, he said, but that is dependent on weather. Cold temperatures and a lack of rain could push development of the pasture toward 65 days.

“If you have fall-calving cows, replacement heifers or stockers that need to be carried through the winter, small grains are probably the best option,” he said. “But they need to be planted now and hope for good growing conditions.”

Forage sorghum silage tour Sept. 13 near Bushland

5Sep

Writer: Kay Ledbetter, 806-677-5608, skledbetter@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Jourdan Bell, 806-677-5600, Jourdan.bell@ag.tamu.edu

BUSHLAND – The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Texas A&M AgriLife Research will jointly host a forage sorghum silage tour near Bushland on Sept. 13.

“No matter what your goals are in your operation, with 78 different varieties in these trials, there are valuable results and information for everyone,” said Dr. Jourdan Bell, AgriLife Extension agronomist, Amarillo. “Bushland has received 9.5 inches of rain since July 26, so the plots look fantastic.”

The program will begin at 8:30 a.m. and end around 11:30 a.m.

Dr. Jourdan Bell, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agronomist, visits with attendees of the 2016 forage sorghum silage tour. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Kay Ledbetter)

To get to the forage sorghum silage plots from Amarillo, follow the signs west from the elevator at Bushland.

Bell will lead the hybrid discussions, as well as discuss agronomic management and nutritional characteristics of forage sorghums. Dr. Ed Bynum, AgriLife Extension entomologist in Amarillo, will outline management guidelines for sugarcane aphids in forage sorghums.

New this year will be a presentation by Lizabeth Gresham, AgriLife Extension family and consumer sciences agent for Potter County, linking agriculture and health, as well as promoting grain sorghum in the human diet.

Two Texas Department of Agriculture private pesticide applicator continuing education units will be offered – one integrated pest management and one general.

For additional information or exact directions, contact Bell at 806-341-8925 or Jourdan.bell@ag.tamu.edu the week of the event.

Reducing hay costs discussed at O.D.Butler Forage Field Day

14Jul

Dr. Larry Redmon, Associate Department Head and Extension Program Leader for Soil and Crop Sciences, discussed impacts on hay quality at the recent O.D. Butler Forage Field Day at the Camp Cooley Ranch in Franklin, Texas.

“The longer you can keep your cattle grazing in the winter, the more cost effective your operation is going to be,” stated Redmon. “Hay is a very expensive way to overwinter cattle.”

Dr. Redmon explains damage to hay exposed to the weather.

Dr. Larry Redmon explains the amount of waste incurred in round bales when stored unprotected outside. This six foot bale has a six inch damage layer, which equals 30% of the forage in the bale.

He explained that in years with adequate rainfall, many producers could get their cattle through the winter with very little hay by using management tools such as stockpiled forages, winter annuals, and appropriate stocking rates.

“Hay should be a tactical solution to a short term problem,” Redmon stated.

He went on to explain that producers should always have an emergency supply of hay in the barn for times of drought or extreme temperatures when grazing is not an option.

The key words, according to Redmon, are “in the barn”. If a barn is not possible, then a hay tarp should be used. Hay should be stacked in a pyramid, with air channels to deter condensation. He stressed that as long as the barn is built where there will be no standing water, it does not need sides or a floor – just a roof. A pole barn with adequate drainage is all that is required.

Building a barn requires a financial investment, but Redmon stresses that it is a good investment to make. One which will save a producer a lot of money in the long run.

“We have been convinced by marketing that since the invention of round bales we no longer need to store hay in the barn,” Redmon stated. “But research has proven the value of protecting hay, even round bales.”

He went on to explain that when field-cured hay is placed in the barn, it will equilibrate at about 15% moisture and stabilize – with no further deterioration. The crude protein and digestible energy levels will remain the same as they were at the time of baling.

The same cannot be said for hay stored in the field. Those bales will suffer loss of nutrients as well as lost from waste. Rainwater soaks into the bales decreasing dry matter and nutritional value. Net wrap will reduce the amount of damage by about 10%, but loss and waste will still occur.

“A good storage facility will save you money,” Redmon said. “A hay barn will pay for itself in four to six years.”

Dr. Redmon explains the benefits of feeding hay in hay rings.

Dr. Redmon shows producers different styles of hay rings and explains the cost savings which can be realize through their use.

According to Redmon, additional savings can be realized by reducing the amount of uneaten hay. Feeding hay in a hay ring will reduce waste. Those with an enclosed bottom will reduce the amount wasted substantially more.

Unrolling a bale to feed is also an economic option, provided you only roll out what they will consume in one day. This “banquet table” can eliminate the boss cow syndrome and prevent the muddy wallows which may form around the hay rings.