Diurnal Cycling in Forage Quality

United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service Northwest Irrigation & Soils Research Laboratory Revised March 1999   Diurnal Cycling in Forage Quality by H.F. (Hank) Mayland and Glenn E. Shewmaker* Sundown (PM) Versus Sunup (AM) Cutting of Forages On 5th August 1996, Mayland was interpreting soluble-carbohydrate data measured in the ‘Grazing Preference Study’ noted above and reconciling them […]

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Effect of Wheel Traffic on Alfalfa

Effect of Wheel Traffic on Alfalfa Yield by Dan Undersander1 In response to farmer concerns about the effect of wheel traffic on alfalfa yields, we began a study to look at these effects. Studies were established at the UW Arlington Research Station and ABI Research Station (Napier, IA) during the spring of 2000. In a second […]

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Alfalfa Cutting Height to Maximize Forage Yield and Quality

Alfalfa Cutting Height to Maximize Forage Yield and Quality by Robert W. Wiersma – Marshfield Agricultural Research Station and Ron Wiederholt – UWEX Clark County Extension University of Wisconsin Current recommendations regarding cutting height of alfalfa are designed to maximize yield while maintaining high quality forages and stand longevity. Forage growers frequently cut forages at a height of 3-inches […]

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Wisconsin Forage Council AM/PM Forage Harvest Study

Wisconsin Forage Council AM/PM Forage Harvest Study by Jerry Clark1 and Randy Knapp2 Situation Recent studies done at USDA Agricultural Research Stations in Idaho indicate that pm harvested hay had greater concentrations of mono- and disaccharides (sugars), greater total nonstructural carbohydrates, and tended to have lower concentrations of both neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber.  In […]

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Equipment Sharing and Other Joint Ventures

Equipment Sharing and Other Joint Ventures by Gary Frank, UW Extension University of Wisconsin–Madison General Two types of business arrangements: Sole proprietorships Joint ventures – two or more parties contribute to or engage in a business Advantages of joint ventures: Combine knowledge and management abilities Combine assets and financial resources Economies of size Time off Ease inter […]

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Wisconsin Alfalfa Yield and Persistence (WAYP) Program, 2016 Summary Report

Wisconsin Alfalfa Yield and Persistence (WAYP) Program 2016 Summary Report Program Objectives To verify the yield and quality of alfalfa harvested from production fields over the life of the stand beginning with the first production year (year after seeding). To quantify decreases in stand productivity of alfalfa fields as they age. 2016 Overview: This summary […]

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Contract Feed Production Arrangements

Contract Feed Production Arrangements by Joe Stellato, Crops and Soils Agent Shawano County UW-Extension Introduction Economic necessity and a desire to manage risk are causing many Wisconsin farm operators to rethink their ways of doing business. All farm operators can reduce business risk by minimizing their investment in capital assets that do not produce a high rate […]

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Comparing Forage Dry-down Rates Using a Super Conditioner in Wisconsin

Comparing Forage Dry-down Rates Using a Super Conditioner in Wisconsin by Matt Hanson1 Introduction Producing quality dry hay is an ongoing challenge that producers face each year.  Some producers attempt to take the bad weather out of the dry haymaking process by building on-farm hay driers, using hay preservatives at harvest or making additional passes over […]

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Corn Shredlage for Dairy Cows

Corn Shredlage for Dairy Cows by Luiz Ferraretto and Randy Shaver Introduction Garnering much recent interest by dairy producers and their nutritionists has been a new method of harvesting whole-plant corn for silage. The resultant product has been called corn shredlage by the developer of the process (Shredlage™, LLC; http://www.shredlage.com/) and the manufacturer of the new […]

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