According to Agriculture and Agrifood Canada, April 2019 brought above-average precipitation to most of the province. Southwestern Despite several thaws, forages seem to have overwintered better than expected in most of the region. See Check Alfalfa Stands This Spring and Make a Plan for scouting information. There are some reports of alfalfa heaving. The freeze/thaw […]
Dry summer conditions in some parts of the province have farmers thinking about available forage. There are several things that can be done to help ensure you have enough feed until next spring. Take inventory Knowing the amount of forage needed to get through the year is the first step to ensuring your farm has […]
Map shows average start dates for the critical fall harvest period of alfalfa. Note that the CFHP is the six weeks before the first killing frost. Southwestern: Regrowth on hay fields and pastures has been good in response to adequate rainfall. As of August 29, southwestern Ontario received above average rainfall for the month of […]
Map shows the percent of average rainfall received across Ontario in July, 2018 Lab analyses indicate that quality decline for first cut was very fast, and test results range from low to very high quality. Producers cutting based on calendar date rather than crop stage may have lower quality forages than expected. Pasture regrowth has […]
Hay Cutting Height is a Management Tool Challenging growing conditions in 2016 and 2017 have weakened mature hay fields and put pressure on stands established during those years. When forages have been stressed it is a good time to think about how management practices can affect persistence and vigour. Cutting height is one factor that […]
Southwestern: Reports indicate yield and quality of first cut hay was good. Regrowth has been slow in dry regions. Most alfalfa weevil damage occurred during the week of June 4th. Feeding on regrowth after first cut gives fields a greyish tinge when viewed from a distance. As of the 24th, rainfall across the region has […]
Scouting is an important part of growing quality forage. Just like other field crops, scouting alfalfa helps growers stay ahead of emerging problems, correctly time harvests, and make better decisions when planning future crops. Plant counts should be done spring and fall (Table 1). These can be done when the alfalfa is dormant. The spring […]
Southwestern: Most alfalfa stands overwintered well; however those on heavy soils and in low-lying areas may have suffered winter injury. New seedings and annual forage acres are expected to increase this year in response to weather conditions over 2016 and 2017. As of May 27th, alfalfa weevils had reached 1st instar. Scouting is advised to identify […]
Many fields across Ontario may be at risk of alfalfa winter kill this year. This post contains links to OMAFRA resources that can help you determine whether your fields were at risk, if damage occurred, and what to consider for next steps. Late cutting can increase risk Due to rain delays, some fields were cut during […]
Co-author: Horst Bohner, Soybean Specialist In 2017, wet growing conditions have made it difficult to put up high quality forages. A wet spring delayed planting in many regions, and the cool summer and an early frost may prevent some soybeans from reaching their full potential as an oilseed crop. These circumstances may encourage producers to […]
Forage production in 2016 was challenging as the cool spring delayed early growth and was followed by a hot, dry summer before rains returned in August. While hay inventories are below average, most of the hay harvested was high quality. This year has seen an increase use of cover crops for emergency forage and fall […]
With the dry weather this year and low forage yields across much of the province, many producers are looking for alternative forages. There is a lot of stressed corn that could be utilized as forage for livestock. The amount of moisture stress that the corn has been through can affect the quality of the silage […]
It’s springtime and we are anxious to get on the land and get our new forage seedings in the ground. There are a few common mistakes made that limit the success of new forage seedings and future yields and quality. 1. Not Seeding New Forage Stands Often Enough Many alfalfa-based stands are simply too old, […]
A successful forage establishment is a uniform, weed free stand that will grow quickly and vigorously to provide high yields during that first year, and for the life of the stand. The most critical factors include packing a firm seedbed and proper seed placement. Seedbed Preparation The goals of forage seedbed preparation are: to produce […]
Many of you are familiar with the forage variety performance brochure published annually by the Ontario Forage Crops Committee (OFCC). (www.goforages.ca) Due to recent changes to the Seeds Act, new support from producer organizations and seed companies will be needed for this third-party variety information to be available in the immediate future. Farmers want […]