Coping with Hail Damage to Forage Crops and Pastures
Category: Forages
How do I manage alfalfa weevil?
Alfalfa weevil is a major alfalfa pest in Ontario. Larvae feeding on alfalfa leaves can reduce both yield and forage quality. The simple answer As alfalfa gets taller it can tolerate more weevils before action is necessary to protect forage yield and quality. Action thresholds for managing alfalfa weevil are as follows: Stem Height Number […]
How do I manage potato leafhopper in alfalfa?
Potato leafhopper is a major alfalfa pest in Ontario. Yield losses may reach 50%, and crude protein content can drop 2-3% from heavy infestations. Potato leafhopper feeding decreases stand vigour, slows regrowth and increases winterkill. The simple answer As alfalfa gets taller it can tolerate more potato leafhoppers before action is necessary to protect forage […]
Frost Seeding Forages FAQ
Frost seeding is a popular way to renovate an existing forage stand and is most effective in fields where patches of bare soil at least the size of a loonie are visible. With spring around the corner, many producers have questions about how to best use this technique to improve their hay fields and pastures. […]
Forage Summary 2024
Winter Conditions 2023/2024 Much of the province had below-average precipitation over the winter, including the Ottawa Valley, the northern and western shores of Lake Huron, and Rainy River District. Temperatures across Ontario were milder than normal, which resulted in reduced snow cover in many areas. Hay and Haylage Above-average levels of alfalfa winterkill occurred in […]
The Impact of Forage Processing on Beef Cow Performance and Efficiency
By: Dr. Katie Wood, Associate Professor, Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph and Madeline McLennan, M.Sc. Student, Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph This article was originally published in the October 2024 edition of Virtual Beef. Although forage choppers and bale processors are not new technologies, there is a surprizing lack of data in how they can […]
Pest Alert – Blister Beetles Still Active in Some Hay and Pasture Fields
By Christine O’Reilly, Forage & Grazing Specialist and Tracey Baute, Entomologist, Field Crops Warm fall temperatures have many pests still active and hungry, looking for food resources before overwintering or being killed off by a hard frost. We are aware of at least one significant sighting of blister beetles clustering on the lawn of a […]
Frost Injury in Sorghum Species
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 […]
Crop Report – Week of September 16, 2024
Trendy Triticale By Christine O’Reilly, OMAFA Forage & Grazing Specialist Annual crops have played a larger role in forage production systems in recent years. Annuals often excel at filling production gaps for perennials, such as the summer slump, early spring, or late fall. Despite costing more per tonne of dry matter to grow, their ability […]
Fall Rest Period for Alfalfa
Key Points When is the fall rest period? The fall rest period (sometimes called “critical fall harvest period”) for alfalfa is 450 growing degree days, base 5°C — or approximately 6-weeks — before the average date of the first killing frost (-4°C for several hours), when alfalfa stops growing. Not cutting during this period allows […]
Preventing and Extinguishing Hay Fires
Key Points: What Causes Fires? The process of forage heating up and then burning is typically called spontaneous combustion. Spontaneous combustion for hay usually occurs within the first two months of storage. Unusual growing conditions, such as an early harvest window or immature crop, can complicate the drying process and increase the risk of fire. […]
Potato Leafhopper In Alfalfa
This article was originally written by Joel Bagg in 2012. It was edited June 27, 2023 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 […]
Silo Gas
This article was posted by Joel Bagg (retired OMAFRA Forage Specialist) on September 9, 2012. It was updated on May 31, 2024 by Christine O’Reilly to fix broken links to external resources. Farmers exposed to silo gas (nitrogen dioxide, NO2) are at risk of severe respiratory distress, permanent damage to lungs, and even sudden death. It […]
Alfalfa Weevil
This article was originally written by Joel Bagg in 2013. It was edited May 1st, 2023 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 […]
Is it too early for nitrogen?
A warmer than normal winter coupled with dry weather through February has led to surprisingly good field conditions in much of southern Ontario. While it looks like it could be an early spring, we know that the weather can change rapidly this time of year. Some are questioning whether it makes sense to take advantage […]