Publication 30: Guide to Forage Production is a comprehensive guide to forage agronomy. It has information on establishment, fertility, weed management and weather stress for many species grown as forage in Ontario. It also covers harvest and storage of forage crops and understanding a laboratory forage analysis. To download a free PDF version or order a […]
Ontario Hay Listings is a free classifieds service provided by the Ontario Forage Council. Producers looking to buy or sell hay or straw are encouraged to post an ad. Bt-resistant corn rootworm is a serious pest of continuous corn and is a major threat to the silage corn supply. Work with your agronomist and nutritionist […]
Caution! Members of the sorghum family – sorghum, sudangrass, and hybrid sorghum-sudangrass – contain dhurrin, a glucoside that breaks down to release hydrocyanic acid, also known as prussic acid (hydrogen cyanide, HCN). A sudden disruption of growth such as frost, drought or cutting, causes prussic acid to be released inside the plant at a more […]
Ontario Hay Listings is a free classifieds service provided by the Ontario Forage Council. Producers looking to buy or sell hay or straw are encouraged to post an ad. Bt-resistant Corn Rootworm Corn rootworm is a serious pest of continuous corn. Root feeding reduces yield and increases the risk of lodging and “goose-necking” which can […]
Ontario Hay Listings is a free classifieds service provided by the Ontario Forage Council. Producers looking to buy or sell hay or straw are encouraged to post an ad. The optimal time to summer seed alfalfa mixes depends on the length of the growing season: More than 3100 CHU: August 10-20 2700 – 3100 CHU: August […]
The relationship between alfalfa breeding efforts and yield potential is complicated. While most literature on annual grain crops shows yield improvements with the release of new varieties over time, a literature search on alfalfa yield will show improvement, stagnation, and declines, depending on the paper. One of the latest attempts to discern what is really […]
South and West According to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: Bruce, Grey, Dufferin, Simcoe, Niagara, Elgin, and parts of Lambton and Middlesex received average or above average precipitation for June. The rest of the region had below-average rainfall. Above-average levels of winterkill reduced yields in affected fields. Although some dairy producers cut on their preferred calendar […]
Description Blister beetles are very rare in Ontario but have been occasionally found in alfalfa fields north of Lake Erie. They are more common in arid climates, such as the U.S. Midwest, and are often associated with grasshopper infestations. The three most common species are the black blister beetle (Epicauta pensylvanica), the ash grey blister […]
Weather A derecho hit Ontario and Quebec along the Windsor-Québec City corridor on May 21st. High winds caused widespread power outages in central and eastern Ontario. Damage included downed/uprooted trees, snapped hydro poles, and several collapsed barns. Resources are available to help producers cope with stress and find mental health support. South and West According to […]
This article was originally written by Joel Bagg in 2012. It was edited May 25, 2022 by Christine O’Reilly to reflect current insecticide options to control potato leafhopper and the cessation of third-party alfalfa variety trials in Ontario. Potato leafhopper (PLH) is the most damaging alfalfa insect pest in Ontario in most years. While the […]
This article was originally written by Joel Bagg in 2013. It was edited May 25th, 2022 by Christine O’Reilly to reflect current insecticide options to control alfalfa weevil. Alfalfa weevil can be an issue in Ontario, particularly in south-western parts of the province. While outbreaks tend to be isolated, they can be severe and dramatically […]
Key Points: Forage and pasture plants are more tolerant of saturated soil conditions in early spring when they are growing slowly. Excess water increases the risk of root and crown diseases. Dig up plants to check for disease after the water has subsided. Flood water may leave behind silt that can smother a crop, raise […]
This is the right time of year to see adult alfalfa snout beetle (ASB) emerging and leaving the alfalfa/hay fields that they overwintered in and spent the last two years in. They can also be found feeding on clovers, dandelions, dogwood, wild carrot and strawberries. Alfalfa snout beetle adults can’t fly. So they are easy […]
Fall 2021/Winter 2022 Fall of 2021 was warm and open. Many regions of the province saw heavier fall growth in hay fields and pastures than normal because of the late killing frost. While this does not pose any issues for alfalfa, excessive top growth can cause smothering in grass/clover stands. Average to above-average precipitation between […]
In a year with higher than average rainfall, it can be a challenge to find a long enough window of dry weather to make high quality horse hay. These conditions sometimes prompt equestrians to investigate alternative sources of forage. How are forage crops preserved? Understanding how forage crops are preserved is the first step in […]
