The forage industry is the major agricultural enterprise in Pennsylvania and in the northeastern United States.
Forage crops constitute the major feed component in the diet of these animals, making forages the backbone of Pennsylvania's agriculture and rural economy.
Forages are environmentally friendly in that they can reduce soil erosion, pesticide usage, and fertilizer application.
Companion crops compete with forage seedlings for moisture, light and nutrients.
Because most forage seeds are small they do not contain sufficient food reserves in the seed to support growth from deep within the soil (Forage manual, Alberta Agriculture).
Forages may be seeded with a wide variety of equipment.
Understanding the relationship between corn grain and forage yield is important to dairymen and grain farmers who often contract with each other for corn silage production.
For a field that yields 150 bu/A, the grain equivalents range from 17.9 bu/T at 0% moisture to 6.3 bu/T at 70% moisture.
It is difficult to obtain data for both corn grain and forage yield as usually one or the other is harvested in a field or research plot situation.
Although harvested forages and grain supplements are used, and in drought conditions required, they typically cost 2 to 4 times more than grazed pasture.
A well managed pasture involves managing forages and livestock in such a way as to reduce runoff, increase nutrient cycling, and soil improvement.
A dense, thick, uniform sod of grass, or grass and clovers, will provide maximum production of forage and is optimum for controlling soil erosion, both by water and wind.
Forage tests are useful to evaluate production practices like fertilization, time of harvest, method of harvest, etc., that may influence forage quality.
Forages that are drought damaged, hailed, stunted, or harvested before maturity may contain high levels of nitrates.
Analysis of forages is important because their nutrient composition varies greatly.
The value of all hay alone produced in Arizona was $183 million in 2001(according to USDA figures), about twice value as much as cotton, while farmers themselves realize only a minor portion of the value of the produce crop.
Good to Premium Forage mix hay, retail accounts, 5.00-6.50 per bale FOB.
Antelope Valley, Mojave Desert: Premium Forage mix hay to retail accounts 7.25-9.00 per bale FOB.
Forages : the science of grassland agriculture / under the editorial authorship of Maurice E. Heat
The decline in N transfer in Years 3 and 4 was associated with a loss in sward legume content, reduced whole-plant dry matter accumulation in legume and grass, and large losses in root- plus-crown dry matter accumulation by grass in Year 4.
The objectives of these studies were to: (i) determine the compatibility of irrigated cicer milkvetch (CMV) with seven cool-season grasses each planted in alternate rows, and (ii) compare the influence of three planting patterns on the compatibility of irrigated CMV with each of four cool- season grasses.
The centerpiece of New York State agriculture is dairy farming, and the base for this industry is forage crops.
Forage crops are one of the few resources that can be converted to food while sustaining and restoring our soil, water and atmosphere.
As grain surpluses decline, we are faced with the real possibility that sooner or later it will not be feasible for livestock to be a primary consumer of grain crops.
By using a combination of these forages for both grazing and hay many Mississippi livestock producers are able to grow their needed feed with very few outside purchases.
Mississippi livestock producers are fortunate in being able to grow a large number of forage crops.
These include both warm and cool season species of legumes and grasses.
This resource looks at types of forage brassica; paddock selection and preparation; sowing; crop nutrition; crop protection from weeds, diseases, and pests; grazing management; and animal health issues that can arise from feeding on forage brassicas.
Authored by Brian Bell in November 1997, this factsheet was produced for and is published by OMAFRA (Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs).
The factsheet details the 4 steps neccessary to developing a successful feedstuff and forage analysis programme: Step one: choose the feeds to be tested; Step 2: collect the feed samples; Step 3: submit the feed samples; and Step 4: choose the nutrients to be analyzed.
Allen received the American Forage and Grassland Council Medallion Award for Outstanding Contributions to AFGC and the Forage Industry in 1999 and the Outstanding Research Award for the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and the Barnie E. Rushing Jr.
Paul maintains our forage equipment and New Deal Farm facilities and assists in every aspect of our program.
Texas Tech University, Dept. of Plant and Soil Science, P.O. Box 42122, Lubbock TX 79409-2122
Cool season grasses make most of their growth under cool environments and are the primary forage for ruminants in temperate regions.
It's a small number that quickly adds up to big savings for cattle producers-each day cattle remain on the pasture during the grazing season cuts feed costs by an estimated $0.50 per head.
A Grazing Club is a group of five (or more) producers who wish to work together to improve the management of their pastures.
Forage research activity at in agronomy includes post-harvest physiology of forage crops harvested as hay and silage, ingestive behavior of grazing cattle, breeding to improve forage crop yield, quality and other characteristics.
A new program directed at assessment of the potential for livestock production on reclaimed mined land in the Appalachian region of Kentucky was initiated in 1995.
A Partial List of Forage Research/Teaching Faculty at UK Mike Collins
Relatively few species are exhibiting an increase in abundance.
Catch per effort (number of fish/seine haul) of forage and game fish species captured in seine hauls at six locations in the upper St. Marys River and Waishkey Bay in 1996-2000.
Catch information is used to evaluate relative abundance and diversity of forage and game fish species in the upper St. Marys River System
The MFC is the combined forces of the the Michigan Hay and Grazing Council and the Michigan Grazing Lands Conservation Initative which work to advance the science of forage production.
If you are interested in the future of Michigan forage/grazing lands and the direction of MSU forage research and MSU Extension Programing, become a member of the Michigan Forage Council (MFC).
The purpose of this web site is to provide forage information on research and educational programs to those who are involved with the forage industry in Michigan.
A total of 15 scientists, plus support staff and graduate students, post-docs,and visiting scientists, emphasize a multidisciplinary approach to researching problems related to the production and utilization of forages by dairy cattle.
In addition, three staff scientists are located at two cluster locations (University of Minnesota, St. Paul and Cornell University, Ithaca).
Software has been updated on the NMR Database page.
