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Progressive Forage

November 1, 2024

Edition: 11

Digital edition

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News & business

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Farm bill expires amid congressional partisanship

With Congress now in recess until after the Nov. 5 election, U.S. agricultural producers now face uncertainty regarding government food and agriculture programs.
October 2, 2024
Tyrell Marchant

Farmers and ranchers across the country are expressing frustration – but very little surprise – at Congress’ continued inability to make any progress on a new farm bill. The omnibus legislation, which historically has received strong bipartisan support, expired on Sept. 30 after receiving a one-year extension in 2023.


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Forage Market Insights: Early frost in the hay market

October 23, 2024
Joy Hendrix

While harvest slows down and cooler temperatures take over, the hay market is also showing some frosty edges. As they 2023 growing season comes to an end, we have a better idea of hay stores and what we have to deal with going into the winter months. Take a closer look at what prices and conditions are in each region in the Progressive Forage Forage Market Insights column as of Oct. 9, 2024.


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Management

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The mindset of margin management

Culture, labor and feed costs, risk management and revenue management are key considerations when managing margins on a dairy farm.
September 26, 2024
Brad Guse

Whether we’re at the high point of a cycle or in the depths of a downturn, the best managers regularly manage their margins. They understand that margin management is an “always” mindset, one that builds stronger positions during the good times so they can get through the bad.


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Business cash flow: Navigating high interest rates and inflation

Maintaining trust and open communication with lenders is key to navigating economic roller coasters, along with reducing unnecessary expenditures and focusing on having sufficient working capital.
September 16, 2024
Ryan Reeves

The current business climate of high interest rates and ongoing inflation is challenging. It requires business owners to be proactive and strategic with cash management, debt management and requires an overall increased focus on every aspect of the business.


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Topic articles

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Protecting the hay you have harvested

October 21, 2024
Dan Undersander

With hay prices ranging from $95 per ton for Grade 1 (125 to 150 relative feed quality [RFQ]) round bales to $190 per ton for Prime (greater than 151 RFQ) large square bales, hay is a valuable commodity on farms. We already have the labor and expense into producing the hay, but storage and feeding have a great deal to do with how much of harvested hay is actually consumed by animals.


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How do moisture and composition affect feedstuff costs?

Nutrient composition and dry matter content should be taken into account when evaluating the value of different feeds.
October 8, 2024
Jason M. Warner

While understanding the impact of feedstuff dry matter is critical for making informed management decisions, we also must consider how differences in nutrient composition, in addition to dry matter, influence feedstuff cost scenarios.


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All those tiny bubbles: A look at bloat in livestock

Legume bloat in livestock occurs when fermentation gases form stable foam in the rumen, preventing gas release. This buildup causes rumen expansion, respiratory distress and can lead to death.
September 17, 2024
Woody Lane

 
Everyone knows a livestock producer who’s lost animals to bloat. Because of the risk, some folks flatly refuse to graze their stock on dense stands of clover or alfalfa. Others kind of shrug, saying they’ve rarely lost animals and don’t worry about it much. So … what gives?


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Winter supplementation: More than just protein

October 17, 2024
Rebecca Kern-Lunbery

During the winter months when fresh forage on pastures is unavailable to most cow-calf producers, they typically turn to feeding one low-quality forage with a protein supplement. In Nebraska and other states where corn is a commonly grown commodity crop, many producers use grazing cornstalks as their low-quality forage source.


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Make manure manageable again

Conservation agriculture practices build the soil back and provide a way to maximize manure as a resource.
October 7, 2024
Matthew Oehmichen

Manure is a gift and a curse for dairy farmers. It becomes the dark cloud for dairy operations, being the source of time constraints, nutrient runoff and financial strains. Finding methods and approaches that bring consistency and flexibility to applications is often hard to find. That was, until conservation agriculture.


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Benefits of integrating crops and livestock

How can livestock production utilize crop acres? Many producers are finding that cattle, cash crop and cover crop enterprises enhance one another and improve the land long-term.
October 16, 2024
Denise Schwab

Livestock enterprises can use crop acres seeded to cover crops and crop residue to stretch the grazing season and save on feed costs. Crop operations benefit from the nutrient value added through livestock manure and to help with pest management.


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New report shows mycotoxins are on the rise in common feed ingredients

Understanding the risks, staying vigilant and implementing proper feed management practices with appropriate additives significantly reduce the impact of mycotoxins on your operation.
September 16, 2024
Aldo Rossi

Cows that consume feed contaminated with mycotoxins – which include natural toxins made by various species of molds – may suffer a host of various metabolic disruptions that lead to a loss of milk production, hormonal imbalance and reduced reproductive performance. 


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Departments

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Tales of a Hay Hauler: Every day a day of Thanksgiving

October 24, 2024
Brad Nelson

“Rudolph,” the white truck with the red fiberglass hood, and I were northbound on U.S. Highway 93 between Ely, Nevada, and Twin Falls, Idaho, running bareback, or bobtail, after dropping a pair of van trailers at Kennon’s new hay ranch by Nyala, Nevada. It was quite the move from central Washington state.


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The big little things

October 31, 2024
Joy Hendrix

The optimist in me wants to emphasize what a glorious time of year the holidays can be. Thanksgiving evokes a profound sense of nostalgia, a time when the warmth of family and tradition comes together in a celebration of gratitude. The aroma of roasted turkey and savory stuffing fills the air, transporting us to childhood kitchens where laughter and stories were shared.


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