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Hay & Forage Grower
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by Fae Holin, Managing Editor, Hay & Forage
Grower
Cellulosic ethanol is being hailed as the biofuel that will cut
greenhouse gas emissions by 90%, reduce U.S. dependence of foreign oil
and won’t take prime ag land away from food production.
Yet the biofuel, made from grass, wood or other non-edible plant
material, is probably five years from commercial production despite U.S.
Department of Energy funding and university and private company
research.
At the same time, growers are wondering where they may fit in this new
market and how they can prepare for it. Pilot cellulosic ethanol
facilities are being built in a number of states, including Tennessee,
South Dakota, Louisiana, Kentucky and Florida.
Pilot plants are scheduled to begin production this year, starting with
readily available crop residues like corn cobs and stover. But there are
challenges, including finding an efficient way to convert plant
materials to produce cellulosic ethanol and creating government policies
that encourage biorefinery investments and growth as well as allow
biomass crop production on Conservation Reserve Program land.
One piece of the cellulosic ethanol puzzle that is in place is
switchgrass. Varieties bred as dedicated energy crops are now being
marketed commercially. Growers in Tennessee and Kentucky are learning to
raise switchgrass, deemed by the Department of Energy as a prime crop
that can provide good yields with low inputs on marginal land.
“Switchgrass has a lot of things going for it; it’s got a seed
that’s easy to plant,” says Ken Vogel, USDA-ARS forage breeder at
the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. “It’s easy for farmers to handle
and, for the first generation of energy crops, we’re furthest along on
this and we’ve got the most information on it.”
The perennial warm-season grass gives high yields for 10-15 years. Some
of Vogel’s switchgrass plots have yielded more than 10 tons/acre of
the 6’- to 8’-tall crop. Farm fields, however, aren’t expected to
yield more than 6-8 tons/acre, and a University of Nebraska switchgrass
cost-of-production study on 10 northern Great Plains farms brought
yields averaging 2-4 tons/acre over five years.
Switchgrass grows well in the Southeastern Coastal Plain’s sandy
soils, says Jim Frederick, agronomist at the Pee Dee Research Station at
Florence, SC. He got 6 tons/acre from two harvests of a two-year
switchgrass stand. It takes three years for switchgrass to produce top
yields, he adds.
Other crops being researched as possible energy crops include giant
miscanthus, alfalfa, sugar cane and energy cane, sorghums and other
perennial grasses. For a well-rounded report on cellulosic ethanol and
growing energy crops like switchgrass, watch for the March issue of
Hay & Forage Grower or visit hayandforage.com under "Most Recent
Issue".
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April 3 is the entry deadline for the American Forage & Grassland
Council’s National Hay Show, to be held in conjunction with its June
21-23 annual conference in Grand Rapids, MI.
The quality contest, open to AFGC direct and affiliate members, has nine
classes for various types of grasses and legumes. Awards will be
presented to the top three entries in each class, plus up to seven
Champions of Show will be awarded. Judging will be based on relative
feed value and relative forage quality scores, physical appearance and
crude protein.
Contest rules and regulations are at www.afgc.org/mc/page.
For more information, contact Tim Dietz, Michigan State University, at
517-355-2287 or dietzt@msu.edu.
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With nitrogen prices fluctuating between 60 and 90 cents per pound,
frost-seeding white clover into pastures now could be a good way for
farmers to add nitrogen and improve forage quality while reducing
expensive fertilizer inputs. So says Kent Messick, chief of field
services with the Agronomic Division of the North Carolina Department of
Agriculture and Consumer Services.
“Frost-seeding involves surface application of seed, which is worked
into the soil surface by winter rains and snow,” says Messick as
reported in Southeast Farm Press. “For the seed to be worked
into the soil, it needs to be done very soon, so the catch is to find
out if your pasture has the nutritional elements to make frost-seeding
effective.”
A recent soil test report will provide that information; there’s no
time to complete a new soil test, Messick says.
Soil pH is the most critical component – clover thrives at a pH of
6-6.5. There probably isn’t time for immediate lime applications on
fields with a pH of 5.5 or less, but if the pH is within the acceptable
range, consult with an agronomist about the need to add phosphorus or
potassium. Other factors to consider include the current pasture crop,
soil type, date of the soil report and any subsequent fertilizer
applications.
Success will depend mostly on moisture availability and good management
practices. For best results, select improved, intermediate- to
large-type ladino clovers, which are more productive than most native
white clovers.
Don’t let cattle graze until the clover is sufficiently established.
If a pasture hasn’t included clover for many years, Messick advises
inoculating the seed with Rhizobium bacteria. Several varieties are
available pre-inoculated. To manage grass competition, don’t apply
nitrogen fertilizer or manure to where you’re trying to establish
clover. For contact information, visit www.ncagr.gov/agronomi.
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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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The bad news, which most growers already have figured out, is that
most ag producers will have money problems over the next three years.
The good news? Many are “moderately equipped” to handle the
financial stress, according to 2,300 ag professionals surveyed across
the country.
With help and added knowledge, producers have the capacity to adapt to
the new market environment, says Jason Johnson, Texas AgriLife Extension
Service economist and associate director of the Southern Region Risk
Management Education Center at Stephenville, TX.
Respondents were also asked to identify the major factors contributing
to farm financial stress. The top three were price/input cost margins,
price volatility and negative cash flows.
Johnson’s report is called “The Financial Condition and Sources of
Financial Risk for Agriculture in 2009.” To read a synopsis of that
report, visit hayandforage.com.
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Results from teff variety trials conducted by the University of
Kentucky in 2008 are now available online. Go to www.uky.edu/Ag/Forage/ForageVarietyTrials2.htm.
Proceedings from the Midwest Forage Association Symposium in
Wisconsin Dells, WI, at the end of January – and the five University
of Minnesota Extension Forage Days held at various locations throughout
the state last month – are available. For prices and ordering
information, visit www.midwestforage.org/.
Variations in yield and crop value can make determining a fair
rental agreement on hay land an extremely complicated issue. University
of Minnesota extension educator Jim Stordahl offers his thoughts on
factors to consider when setting up hay land share rental agreements in
the February 2009 edition of Minnesota Extension’s “Forage
Quarterly” newsletter. Go to www.extension.umn.edu/forages/february_2009.pdf.
“Native Prairie Hay Meadows: A Landowner’s Management Guide”
is a 32-page booklet produced by the Kansas Biological Survey at the
University of Kansas. The publication can be downloaded at www.kbs.ku.edu/assets/HayMeadowGuide.htm.
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Idaho
Hay movement has come to a grinding halt in Idaho in recent weeks,
reports Os Rigby, hay buyer for Standlee Hay Co., Eden. The crash in
dairy prices plays a big role. “It’s been really quiet,” says
Rigby. “Some growers are trying to hold on for the big prices we saw
last year. But dairy farmers don’t have the money to buy anything
right now. As a result, there’s a lot of hay out in the field that
hasn’t been sold.”
With so little hay moving, it’s difficult to get an accurate read on
where prices are headed, says Rigby. “I know of some growers who have
been asking $160-180/ton for dairy-quality hay, but they haven’t been
able to move it.” Last summer and early fall, he adds, hay of the same
quality was fetching anywhere from $200 to $250/ton.
Low milk prices will likely continue to put downward pressure on alfalfa
hay prices. “It’s hard to say where it’s all headed,” he says.
“But if nobody’s got any money, who’s going to buy the product?”
Growers should expect dairy producers to be more choosey about the hay
they’re buying during the year ahead, Rigby says. “You’ll want to
do everything you can to keep dirt, pop cans, wire and other debris out
of the hay. If potential buyers are driving by and see the hay in your
stack has a lot of stems or weeds in it, they won’t pull into your
driveway. They’ll keep right on going to the next place.”
In the face of tightening profit margins, dairy producers could also be
less likely to lock in a year’s supply of hay during the growing
season. “You’ll probably see more buying on an as-needed basis,”
says Rigby. Among other things, he says, that will make doing a good job
of storing hay all the more important this year. “People are going to
want quality for the money they spend this year. If your hay has to
stand in the stackyard through the season, you’ll have to protect it.
Doing a good job of tarping may be even more important when prices are
low.”
To contact Rigby, call 208-280-0979 or email origby@standlee.hay.com.
Kentucky
With in-state supplies relatively abundant, prices for most hay types
have dropped off sharply – 30-50% from year-ago levels, says
University of Kentucky extension hay marketing specialist Tom Keene.
“There are some people who don’t have quite enough hay who will have
to look at bringing it in,” notes Keene. “But a lot of people are
also looking at pretty good supplies in their barns and realizing
we’re only 30-45 days away from new grass. We’ve also heard people
saying they probably won’t be getting on pastures quite as quickly for
grazing this spring. They want to let pastures recover a little bit from
the drought conditions we’ve had in the last couple of years.”
The slump in the general economy has also played a big role in pushing
hay prices downward, says Keene. “It’s affecting everyone from dairy
producers to horse owners. People just don’t have the money to buy
high-priced hay. On the flip side, many hay growers feel like they just
can’t go much lower on the prices they’re getting now because of the
high production costs they were forced to deal with last growing
season.”
Keene does see at least one silver lining to the current economic
downturn and lingering effects of recent droughts. “A lot of people
are being more diligent when looking at the bottom line,” he says.
“We’re seeing a lot more hay testing, soil sampling, etc. As bad as
things are right now, when we come out the other side, we’ll be better
managers, better businessmen and better farmers.”
To contact Keene, call 859-257-3144 or email tom.keene@uky.edu.
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I read all the information in the newsletter I just received (Feb.
24 eHay Weekly). I appreciate some good tips on getting soil
samples to send in. On the gentleman from Tennessee about unwanted
horses, I know that the total cause is many things. It’s no different
than why people sometimes get a dog or cat and then abandon it as if it
were an unfeeling piece of furniture they are tired of.
On the other hand, hay prices in our area have doubled in recent years.
That has hurt very much. If it continues, there will be more unwanted
livestock. People who have them for enjoyment or for their kids’ use
only have so much disposable income. If hay continues to be this high,
many of them will have to retire from owning livestock.
In fact, at this point owning commercial cattle is not profitable if you
have to feed 2 tons per aum (animal unit month) of hay to get through
the winter. The industry may find a loss of buyers due to the fact that
livestock depopulation in areas like ours has increased dramatically.
There needs to be some kind of balance.
Liz Turner
The Dalles, OR
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Regional forage training meetings, geared to help forage-based
livestock producers develop strategies for dealing with the current
economic crisis, kick off later this week and will continue through
mid-April at seven locations in Georgia and South Carolina (see March
5-April 23 calendar item below).
The meeting series, called “Strategies for Tight Budgets and Minimal
Risk,” was organized by University of Georgia and Clemson University
extension specialists. To see a flyer and agenda, go to www.georgiaforages.com.
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March 3-5 -- Intensive Alfalfa Training Seminar, Best
Western Ramkota Hotel & Conference Center, Sioux Falls, SD. Cost: $400.
Contact Laurie at 800-851-8810 (ext. 5712) or 651-765-5712 or email ljlehman@landolakes.com.
March 5 -- Illinois Forage Institute, Del Curley Conference
Center/Agri-King, Inc., Fulton. Phone 815-772-4075 or visit web.extension.uiuc.edu/rockfordcenter/ag.html.
March 5-7 -- U.S. Custom Harvesters Inc. Convention, Capitol
Plaza Hotel & Expo Center, Topeka, KS. Phone 620-664-6297 or visit uschi.com/events.php.
March 5-April 23 -- Georgia-South Carolina Regional Forage Training.
Dates and locations: March 5 – Thomaston, GA; March 9
– Chester, SC; March 10 – Florence, SC; March 12 –
Abbeville, SC; March 17 – Dalton, GA; March 23 –
Ocilla, GA; April 23 – Carnesville, GA. Go to www.georgiaforages.com.
March 6-7 -- Appalachian Grazing Conference, Morgantown, WV.
Phone 304-293-6131, ext. 4231, or email becky.casteel@mail.wvu.edu.
March 6-7 -- Joint Maryland Cattlemen's Convention/Central Maryland
Hay & Pasture Conference, Four Points Sheraton, Hagerstown. Contact
Scott Barao at 410-795-5309 or sbarao@marylandcattle.org,
or Les Vough at 301-405-1322 or vough@umd.edu.
March 12 -- Forage Technology Conference, Michigan State
University Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center. Contact Richard Leep at
616-915-6353 or leep@msu.edu.
March 17 -- Northeast Pennsylvania Grazing Conference,
Tri-County Church, DuBois. Call 814-375-1372, ext. 4.
March 24-26 -- Overton Grazing Workshop, Texas AgriLife Research
and Extension Center, Overton. Go to overton.tamu.edu/grazingschool.htm
or call Jennifer Lloyd at 903-834-6191. (Workshop repeated March
31-April 2.)
March 31-April 1 -- Fencing For Controlled Grazing Systems, a
hands-on fencing school conducted by the Virginia Forage and Grassland
Council and Virginia Cooperative Extension. March 31 – Days
Inn, Raphine, VA; April 1 – Southern Piedmont AREC, Blackstone,
VA. Contact Gordon Groover at 540-231-5850 or xgrover@vt.edu.
April 17-19 -- Midwest Horse Fair, Alliant Energy Center,
Madison, WI. Go to midwesthorsefair.com/.
April 21 -- Georgia 2009 Hay Production School, Stuckey
Auditorium, University of Georgia Griffin Campus. Go to www.georgiaforages.com.
June 21-23 -- American Forage & Grassland Council Annual
Conference, Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, Grand Rapids, MI. Call
800-944-2342 or email info@afgc.org.
Sept. 17-19 -- National Hay Association Convention, Cadillac
Jack’s Gaming Resort, Deadwood, SD. Contact Don Kieffer at
800-707-0014 or visit www.nationalhay.org.
Sept. 29-Oct. 3 -- World Dairy Expo, Alliant Energy Center,
Madison, WI. Visit www.worlddairyexpo.com.
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