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Hay & Forage Grower
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or
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For specific information from past issues of eHay Weekly and
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by Neil Tietz, Editor, Hay & Forage
Grower
Freshly cut alfalfa will be turned into dry hay in a processing plant
set to begin operating in Romulus, NY. Top Quality Hay Processors, LLC
(TQHP), will buy standing alfalfa from nearby growers and mow it with a
modified windrower that conveys it into dump wagons or directly into
trucks. At the plant, the green forage will become high-quality hay in
four hours, says Jeff Warren, a TQHP partner.
The material will be dried in a 184’-long natural gas-powered dryer
after moving through a series of conveyors that will lay it in a uniform
mat for efficient drying, says Warren. The patent-pending drying
process hasn’t been operated on a commercial scale, but Warren says
the steps have been thoroughly tested. He’s confident it will dry hay
quickly and economically, and so is Jim Ochterski, a Cornell University
ag economic development specialist who’s been working with the new
company.
“Preliminary tests on small-scale batches have been extremely
promising, and I, along with a lot of farmers in the area, expect that
it will work,” says Ochterski.
For more on the new drying method, watch for the August issue of Hay
& Forage Grower.
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Calvin Trostle, extension agronomist at Texas A&M-Lubbock, says
he’s surprised at how many alfalfa growers in his part of the country
attempt spring seeding. “I would estimate that 80% of West Texas
alfalfa growers who have seeded some alfalfa in spring swear they would
never do it again,” says Trostle. “Yes, a few growers have success,
but they tend to be experienced growers.”
Advantages of seeding in fall include minimal insect pressure, less
competition from weeds and diminished odds that blowing sand will wipe
out seedlings, says Trostle. He also notes spring seedings typically
yield less for a similar amount of irrigation water. “Oklahoma
research suggests spring-seeded alfalfa there never quite catches up in
yield to fall-seeded stands, though that has never been evaluated in the
High Plains,” he says.
Bottom line, according to Trostle: “Don’t gamble your establishment
costs in a spring alfalfa seeding. Instead, invest them in a fall
seeding.”
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Using GPS “light-bar” technology on equipment when applying
fertilizer can lead to significant input cost savings, says Kent
Shannon, natural resource engineering specialist with University of
Missouri Extension. Shannon recently completed a cost analysis of nine
central Missouri forage fields where light bars were used in an effort
to reduce overlaps and skips during fertilizer applications. His bottom
line: “With basic light bars costing from $1,000 to $3,000, it
doesn’t take a very long time to recover the investment and start
realizing fertilizer and fuel savings.”
For a more detailed discussion of light-bar benefits and Shannon’s
study, go to extension.missouri.edu/.
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Minnesota Valley Alfalfa Producers (MNVAP), Priam, MN, will pay
more than $70,000 to settle alleged air-emission violations, according
to officials from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. The agency
says MNVAP, a processor of high-quality alfalfa products, installed
alfalfa processing equipment two years ago without amending its 2004
permit for air emissions. When the agency started receiving complaints
about dust from nearby property owners, it asked the alfalfa company to
stop running the equipment until the amended permits were obtained. The
agency says the company continued running the equipment despite a
cease-and-desist order.
Along with paying the penalty, MNVAP will be required to submit a
statement that it will not operate pelleting equipment until a permit is
in place, cease operations during certain windy conditions, repair wind
monitoring equipment, conduct site cleaning to prevent dust and
particles from accumulating and blowing around and submit a detailed
house-keeping schedule to the agency.
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Whether you’re looking for proven
performance in a package that offers exceptional value or a tractor that
gives you the latest electronic conveniences and push button simplicity,
the new T6000 Series tractors from New Holland are built for you. T6000
tractors are a natural choice for haying operations and heavy loader
work. To learn more, see your local New Holland dealer or call
1-888-290-7377. www.newholland.com/na
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University of Wisconsin-Extension is updating a Web site aimed at
connecting livestock producers who have surplus feed (including hay) to
sell with other producers looking to buy inputs. Visit the site at farmertofarmer.uwex.edu.
Listing on the Farmer to Farmer Hay, Corn & Forage List is free for
buyers and sellers.
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Lawmakers in California are working on legislation that would make
it more difficult for thieves to sell stolen metal to recyclers.
According to a report on the California Farm Bureau Federation Web site,
the state’s farmers and ranchers, along with other business owners,
have become major targets of metal thieves. Many have faced thousands of
dollars in losses due to damaged irrigation pumps and loss of other
metals used on the farm. As an example, the report recounts the
experience of a central California farmer who last year discovered the
copper wiring from his irrigation pump had been stolen. The producer had
the pump repaired. But before he could turn the pump back on the next
day, the metal was stolen again. The farmer estimates the incident cost
him $2,500, while the thieves probably netted $60 when they sold the
metal as scrap.
The bill under consideration in the state Senate seeks to disrupt the
pattern of quick cash for metal thieves by requiring recyclers to hold
payments for three days. The bill will also require photographs and
thumbprints to be taken of individual sellers. Photographs of the
materials being recycled will also be required and increased penalties
will be assessed against recyclers found violating the new requirements.
Additionally, restitution for materials stolen, as well as for any
collateral damage caused during the theft, will be required of anyone
convicted of metal theft.
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A drop in West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices this
summer is a major factor behind lower prices for both gasoline and
diesel fuel in recent weeks, according to the Energy Information
Administration (EIA). In its August short-term energy outlook, released
last week, EIA reports the WTI price went from a high of $145/barrel in
early July to less than $120/barrel in early August. Last year, the WTI
price averaged $72/barrel. EIA now projects the annual average gasoline
price will be $3.65/gal. in 2008 and $3.82/gal. in 2009.
In 2007, the average price was $2.81. A month ago, EIA was estimating
average regular-grade gasoline prices of $3.84/gal. and $4.06/gal. for
2008 and 2009, respectively. The agency also lowered its estimate for
average annual diesel fuel prices to $4.18/gal. in 2008 and $4.27/gal.
in 2009. Last year, the average retail price for diesel fuel was
$2.88/gal.
To see the full outlook report, go to www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/steo/pub/contents.html.
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Texas
Some regions of the state benefited from rains in the aftermath of
Hurricane Dolly earlier in the month. “Up until about a week or so
ago, we were getting pretty dry,” reports Jason Banta, extension beef
specialist with Texas A&M-Overton. “People were starting to wonder if
they’d be able to take another cutting this year. But then we got the
rain. Now people are thinking they might be able to get at least one
more cutting, maybe two.”
Dolly brought little in the way of relief to other parts of the state,
though. “Many areas in the north, central and west got very little
rain and remain under drought conditions,” says Sarah Muhr, hay market
reporter for USDA-Texas Department of Agriculture Market News in
Amarillo. “It’s also still very dry southwest of San Antonio.
Pasture conditions are poor and some livestock producers have already
started to feed hay.”
According to last week’s USDA Crop Progress report, nearly 60% of
pastures and rangelands in Texas are in poor or very poor condition. In
another report issued last week, USDA forecast moisture deficiencies
will reduce average hay yield in Texas by 1.2 tons/acre this year.
Even so, Muhr says, producers are struggling to sell carryover stocks of
Coastal bermudagrass in many areas. She tracks the supply glut to an
extremely wet 2007 growing season. “We had a tremendous amount of
rain last year and people put up a lot of hay,” she says. “The
problem is that a lot the hay was poor quality.”
On the flip side, Muhr reports demand for dairy-quality alfalfa hay has
been brisk. “People are selling it as fast as they can make it,” she
says. The big question is what happens later in the season. “There
might be a supply problem,” she says. “Many growers plowed up their
alfalfa fields this year to plant grain crops. Things could tighten up.
On the other hand, some producers might be sitting on supplies waiting
for even better prices.”
The Texas Department of Agriculture has set up a hay and grazing hotline
to link buyers and sellers. Call 877-429-1998 or visit the
department’s Web site at www.tda.state.tx.us (click on Hay Hotline
under Most Popular Links). To contact Banta, phone 903-834-6191. Muhr
can be reached at 806-372-6361.
Minnesota
The hay harvesting picture in central Minnesota is improving as the
season moves along, says Dan Martens, University of Minnesota extension
educator for Stearns, Morrison and Benton counties. “Rainy, cool
weather held back harvest on a lot of first crop,” says Martens. “It
was good for yields. But a lot of hay was 20 points lower in relative
feed value than we would normally like to see.”
Quality was better with second-crop harvest in most areas. “We did
have some areas with lighter soils where they didn’t have the moisture
and that impacted yields a little bit,” says Martens.
Alfalfa weevils also knocked back yields some during second-crop
harvest. “We saw higher numbers over a larger area than we’ve seen
in quite some time,” says Martens. “Typically in this area, we see
alfalfa weevils in the last week of May or the first week of June while
we’re harvesting first crop. This year, with the early cool weather,
they developed more slowly and persisted clear up to the middle of
July.”
Martens says it’s still too early to get an accurate read on the
overall demand and price situation. “We’ll have a better handle on
it once the quality-tested hay auctions in Sauk Centre get going in
mid-September,” he says.
To contact Martens, e-mail marte011@umn.edu.
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Forage tours will be a featured attraction at the 2008
Agronomy/Soils Field Day to be held at the University of Wisconsin’s
Arlington Agricultural Research Station on Wednesday, Aug. 27. Topics on
the tours will include alfalfa yield and quality, responses to early
harvest, switchgrass improvements for biomass production, and farming
for nitrogen by intercropping clover and corn. Tours will start at 8:30
a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Tours on soils and corn and soybeans will
be held at the same time. Over the lunch hour, Natalia de Leon Gatti,
agronomist with the UW-Madison’s Great Lakes Bioenergy Research
Center, will speak about improving cellulosic biomass production.
The Arlington research station is 15 miles north of Madison. For more
information, contact the UW-Madison agronomy department at 608-262-1390,
or the soil science department at 608-262-0485.
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Aug. 20 -- Beef And Forage Day, Grand Rapids, MN. Contact
Ryan Walker at 888-241-0719.
Aug. 20-21 -- University Of Georgia Extension Grazing School,
Bulloch County Center for Agriculture, Statesboro. Visit www.caes.uga.edu/.
Aug. 28 -- Hay & Farm Field Day, WW Ranch, Jacksonville, FL.
Phone 386-362-6447.
Aug. 29 -- Corn Silage Plot Tour, Dan Dryer Farm, Ottertail
City, MN. Phone Doug Holen at 888-241-0843.
Sept. 3 -- Southeast Pennsylvania Crops Conferences’ Hay
Baling/Handling Meeting, Heidel Hollow Farm, Germansville. For a
brochure, visit montgomery.extension.psu.edu.
Sept. 4 -- Kentucky Forage & Grassland Council Field Day,
Christian County. Learn more at www.uky.edu/Ag/Forage/.
Sept. 10 -- Institute For Ag Professionals Forage Day, UMore
Park, Rosemount, MN. Contact Dave Nicolai at 612-625-2778.
Sept. 17-20 -- National Hay Association Convention, Oak Brook
Hills Marriott, Oak Brook, IL. Contact Don Kieffer at 800-707-0014, or
visit www.nationalhay.org.
Sept. 30-Oct. 4 -- World Dairy Expo, Alliant Energy Center,
Madison, WI. Visit www.worlddairyexpo.com.
Oct. 14-16 -- Southeastern Hay Contest, Sunbelt Agriculture
Exposition, Moultrie, GA. Guidelines and entry forms are available at
www.aces.edu/animalforage/documents/.
Oct. 23 -- Kentucky Grazing Conference, Fayette County extension
office, Lexington. Learn more at www.uky.edu/Ag/Forage/.
Oct. 31-Nov. 2 -- Virginia Equine Extravaganza, Richmond
Raceway, Richmond. Learn more at www.equineextravaganza.com.
Nov. 6-7 -- 2008 BEEF Quality Summit, sponsored by
BEEF magazine, Antlers Hilton Hotel, Colorado Springs, CO. Visit
beefconference.com/.
Nov. 13-16 -- Massachusetts Equine Affaire, Eastern States
Exposition Center, West Springfield. Visit www.equineaffaire.com.
Dec. 2-4 -- California Alfalfa & Forage Symposium, Town &
Country Resort and Hotel, San Diego. Learn more at alfalfa.ucdavis.edu/2008AlfalfaConference/.
Dec. 5-6 -- 2008 Missouri Livestock Symposium, Kirksville.
Programs for horse, beef cattle, sheep, meat goat and forage producers,
and trade show. Details at missourilivestock.com, or call Bruce Lane at
660-665-9866 or Garry Mathes at 660-341-6625.
Jan. 15-16, 2009 -- Southwest Hay And Forage Conference,
Ruidoso, NM. Contact Gina Sterrett at 575-626-5677 or Justin Boswell at
575-840-9908.
Jan. 21-22, 2009 -- Heart Of America Grazing Conference,
Columbus, IN. Contact Jason Tower at 812-678-4427 or towerj@purdue.edu.
June 21-23, 2009 -- American Forage & Grassland Council Annual
Conference, Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, Grand Rapids, MI. Call
800-944-2342 or email info@afgc.org.Calendar.
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