Forage Report – June 12, 2013

Forage harvest has been delayed by frequent and sometimes heavy rains, and limited to haylage and baleage. Making dry hay has been put on hold. Yields have been increasing with the calandar date, but nutrient quality is suffering with advancing maturity. There is still considerable first-cut acreage to be harvested. Second-cut regrowth looks excellent. With […]

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Forage Report – June 5, 2013

First-cut yields are quite variable, depending on location and management. Rains have delayed harvest for many, increasing yields but decreasing quality. In wetter areas, some haylage was rain-damaged and fields have been “rutted”.  Grasses are more advanced in maturity than alfalfa. With tight forage supplies, and high land and forage costs, reducing fermentation dry matter […]

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Silage Inoculants

Silage inoculants are forage additives containing lactic acid producing bacteria (LAB) and other anaerobic bacteria (such as Lactobacillus buchneri). These inoculants are used to manipulate and enhance fermentation in haylage (alfalfa, grass, cereal), corn silage and high moisture corn. The goals are faster, more efficient fermentation with reduced fermentation losses, improved forage quality and palatability, longer bunk […]

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Forage Report – May 30, 2013

First-cut dairy haylage is underway in southern Ontario as the weather allows. Yields are quite variable. With the cooler weather, grass maturity is more advanced relative to alfalfa.  Frost damage to alfalfa seems to be minimal. With some below average yields, low carryover inventories, and high hay prices, forage supplies will likely continue to be […]

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Wide Swath Haylage

Wide swath haylage to achieve “haylage-in-a-day” and improve forage quality is a management practice that more dairy farmers in Ontario are adopting. This is contrary to the more traditional practice of using the mower-conditioner to place the swath in a narrow windrow for a day or two of wilting, and then chop directly. Wide swath […]

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