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Hay & Forage Grower
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Rick Mooney, Editor, eHay Weekly, at
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For information on Hay & Forage Grower, contact:
Neil Tietz, Editor, ntietz@hayandforage.com
or
Fae Holin,
Managing Editor, fholin@hayandforage.com
For specific information from past issues of eHay Weekly and
Hay & Forage Grower, click on hayandforage.com, and use the search
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Judging by the email responses we received, Neil Tietz’s story,
“Bilked Hay Grower Turns To Credit Cards,” in last week’s edition
of
eHay Weekly struck a chord with many readers.
Representative of the comments were those from Oklahoma reader Thomas
Peeper, who relayed a story about a brother who got “ripped off” by
an out-of-state hay buyer several years ago. “The crook”, according
to Peepers, started out by buying a couple of semi loads of hay and
paying for it all. Later, the same buyer bought another load of small
squares. “After it was loaded, he pulled out his wallet and suddenly
exclaimed that he brought the wrong check with him. The check he brought
was one made out to another grower he was buying from and he left the
right check on his desk at home.”
Click
here to read the entire story.
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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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With poor haymaking weather dominating first-crop harvest in many
regions of the country this year, producers should be on the lookout for
mold. Along with dry matter and total digestible nutrient (TDN) losses,
mold can also cause spontaneous combustion and hay fires and produce
mycotoxins that can be harmful to animal health and limit production.
A team of extension forage specialists from around the country has
developed a fact sheet outlining measures producers can take to limit
mold-related problems. A link to the fact sheet is available on the
Hay & Forage Grower Web site at hayandforage.com/hay/0701-first-cut-hay-moldy/.
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Miles Kuhn of FFR Cooperative, Lafayette, IN, was named new
president of the American Forage and Grassland Council (AFGC) during its
June 21-23 annual meeting in Grand Rapids, MI.
Bob Hendershot, USDA-NRCS, Lancaster, OH, is new president-elect; Howard
Straub, Triple-H Farms, St. Johns, MI, senior vice president; and Ray
Smith, University of Kentucky, Lexington, secretary-treasurer.
AFGC’s most prestigious honor, the Medallion Award, was presented to
Hank Bendorf, Shawnee Mission, KS. The award recognizes outstanding
contributions in forages and grasslands and in AFGC in the areas of
research, teaching, production, extension or industrial development.
National Hay Show first-place finishers, by class, are:
Class I – Tropical or Semi-Tropical Perennial Grasses, Paul Arnold,
Arkansas;
Class II – Tropical or Semi-Tropical Annual Grasses, Joen Carbaugh,
Virginia;
Class III – Temperate Perennial Grasses, Jack Welch, Maryland;
Class IV – Temperate Annual Grasses, Carroll Charpentier, Louisiana;
Class VII – Second- and Later-Cutting Alfalfa, Steven Gingerich, Iowa;
Class VIII – Other Legumes, Carroll Charpentier, Louisiana;
Class IX – Legume-Grass Mixtures, Carroll Charpentier, Louisiana.
Forage spokesperson winners include: first place, Robert Shoemaker,
Virginia; second place, Clayton Geralds, Kentucky; and third place, Eric
Grim, Ohio.
Next year’s annual meeting will be held in Springfield, MO, on June
20-22. To learn more about AFGC, visit the organization’s Web site
at www.afgc.org.
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 Use
our site to search for forage production tips! Plus, read what other
growers are doing to stay profitable.
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Taking a few simple steps when harvesting and storing hay can go a
long way in reducing the possibility of fires and associated costs, says
Bob Schultheis, University of Missouri extension natural resources
engineer.
Schultheis says hay fires usually occur within six weeks of baling. The
most common cause is excessive moisture. "You can reduce fire and mold
risk by baling small square bales at 18-22% moisture content and large
round bales at 14-18% moisture content,” he says. “Higher moisture
levels increase microbial activity and also result in loss of dry matter
and usable protein, which can reduce the feeding value of the hay by as
much as one-third."
Heating in hay bales will occur to some extent in all forages over 15%
moisture, with a peak in temperature three to seven days after baling.
"It takes 15-60 days for the hay temperature to decline to non-damaging
levels, depending on outdoor humidity, density of the bales and amount
of rain the bales soak up. The longer it takes for the hay temperature
to decline, the more damage is done to the hay."
New hay stacked in the field or placed in a barn should be checked at
least twice a day for abnormal heating. Schultheis recommends using a
garden-composting thermometer. If you’re storing hay inside, be sure
the barn roof and plumbing do not leak and that surface water cannot run
into the barn.
If the hay temperature reaches 130 degrees Fahrenheit, move the hay to
allow increased air circulation and cooling. If the temperature climbs
above 150-175 degrees, call the fire department and be prepared to
inject water to cool hot spots before moving the hay. "Don't open the
barn door if the hay is smoking. The added oxygen can cause the hay to
burst into flame," says Schultheis.
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10 Number of Missouri counties
receiving at least 10” of rain during the four-week period ending June
26, according to the Weekly Hay Market Demand and Price Report for
the Upper Midwest, compiled by Ken Barnett, University of Wisconsin
Extension. All but six counties in the state received at least 4” of
rain during the same period. The excessive rainfall, says Barnett,
“has made farming a struggle.” To see the report in full, go to www.uwex.edu/ces/forage/pubs/hay_market_report.htm.
$90 Average per-ton price of alfalfa hay in
Wisconsin as of mid-June, according to a report issued by the state
agriculture department last week. That’s up $5/ton from mid-May. At
$65/ton, the price for other hay was $5 lower than in mid-May.
125 Acres of miscanthus giganteus planted
by Midwestern Biofuels, LLC, at a Kentucky site this year. Company
president Jeff Lowe and vice president Brandon Minix say this year’s
planting of the perennial grass will produce enough rhizomes next year
to allow the company to plant 2,500 acres. Eventually, the harvested
grass will be used to supplement coal in power plants. As part of its
pilot project, the company plans to supply plants to farmers in exchange
for the farmers selling the harvested plant back to them. For more on
the project and Midwestern Biofuels, contact Jeff Lowe at jlowe@mwbiofuels.com.
1.9 million Acres of hay, grain and other
crops covered in the Montana State Hail Insurance program last year.
More than 2,200 hail insurance policies were issued. Montana is the only
state operating a state hail insurance program. Montana producers who
want more information about the program can contact the state ag
department’s hail specialist by phone at 406-444-2402 or by email at
agr@mt.gov.
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Georgia
Growers of perennial peanut hay in and around Worth County are steadily
building a market for their product. “Over the last couple of years,
it has really been catching on with horse people in the Ocala, FL,
area,” says Worth County extension coordinator Rusty Harris. “They
like it for good digestibility, low lignin content and a protein level
of around 16%. It can substitute for high-cost, high-energy feeds in
rations.”
Low transportation costs have also been a factor. Harris notes Worth
County is only 300 miles or so north of Ocala. “For them, it’s a lot
less costly to ship in perennial peanut hay from here than it is to ship
in alfalfa from Western or Northern states,” he says.
Currently, 50-60 lb bales are fetching $6.50 at the farm gate.
Typically, county growers take two or three cuttings of perennial peanut
hay per year. This year’s first-crop harvest is just wrapping up.
“The weather turned hot and dry starting a few weeks ago. But most of
the perennial peanut is grown under irrigation, so it came through in
pretty good shape.”
On the other hand, first-crop yields for bermudagrass hay in the county
have been on the short side. “We had a cool, wet spring and that held
back growth some,” says Harris. “Now that it has turned hot, we
should be able to make up some lost ground on cuttings later in the
season. But we will need to get some timely rains.”
As first-crop harvest winds down, he reports, small square bales of
bermudagrass hay are bringing $4.50. “That’s about where the price
has been for the last two years or so,” he says.
To contact Harris, phone 229-776-8216 or email hmharris@uga.edu.
Idaho
Sunshine finally returned to Idaho at the end of June. But nearly
continuous rain during the month wreaked havoc with first-crop hay
harvest in most of the state.
“We were 2-3” above normal on precipitation for the month,”
reports Glenn Shewmaker, University of Idaho extension forage
specialist. “It was pretty much one storm after another, and it got
just about everybody. It was especially tough in eastern Idaho.”
Wet, cool weather earlier in the spring stunted alfalfa growth in many
areas and kept growers from harvesting on time in mid-May. “Typically,
we don’t have very good weather for haying around Memorial Day and
into that first week of June,” says Shewmaker. “That was true this
year, but the rain also just kept coming well into June.”
Growers who cut on schedule in hopes of capturing top quality saw their
crop rained on several times. Leaching and mold were major problems in
many fields. Growers who waited to cut ended up with over-mature,
lower-quality forage. “It was cut so late that it turned into
feeder-quality hay by definition.”
The effects of June’s wet weather will likely carry through the rest
of the season, Shewmaker adds. “That’s especially true in eastern
Idaho unless you were one of the few people who caught the window just
right and got the crop off early. Four cuttings is normal. But this
year, most growers will likely only get three.”
Shewmaker can be contacted at 208-736-3600 or gshew@uidaho.edu.
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Alfalfa seed producers in the low-desert areas of southern
California and Arizona should develop a management plan for battling
web-spinning spider mites prior to the start of seed production, says
Eric Natwick, director of University of California Extension in Imperial
County.
Natwick points out that several spider mite species are found in the low
desert, including two-spotted spider mite, carmine spider mite,
strawberry mite and desert spider mite. The mites insert needle-like
mouthparts into leaves, removing plant sap and causing chlorotic spot
stippling on leaves. Severe feeding damage may turn leaves brown and/or
cause defoliation. Damage usually starts in the lower plant canopy and
moves upward as the mites move to new leaves.
Among the steps alfalfa seed producers can take to control mites:
- Scout fields twice weekly beginning in the early season and
continuing until the crop is ready for harvest. Natwick also recommends
scouting for spider mite predators and other pests in the field.
“Proper scouting will lead to accurate assessments of spider mite
pressure vs. the predator population levels that may result in reduced
use of chemicals through improved timing of applications,” he says.
“It may be practical to treat only portions of a field.”
- Control dust from field roads. Dust drifting onto alfalfa plants
favors spider mite flare-ups. Natwick recommends watering or treating
field roads as ways to minimize dust from vehicle traffic. Posting
speed-limit (5 mph) signs on field roads is another option.
- Develop an abatement program to reduce the potential for migration
of spider mites into alfalfa seed fields. Focus your efforts on weed
patches and neighboring melon fields. Both can harbor spider mites.
- If you spray with a miticide, treat fields before populations reach
damaging levels to maximize the efficacy of available chemicals. When
possible, spot or strip treat localized infestations. Use ground
application equipment (prior to bee placement) to improve coverage.
“There is research trial evidence indicating an application with a
highly efficacious miticide early in the season with the first lygus bug
treatment can prevent damaging population levels of spider mites for the
remainder of the seed production season,” says Natwick. “Miticides
registered for alfalfa seed production work best when used against low
populations. None can resolve a significant spider mite problem.”
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Through funding provided by the Tennessee Department of
Agriculture, Memphis Bioworks Foundation and BioDimensions will
highlight new crop opportunities for producers in the Mid-South region
at this year’s Mid-South Ag Technology Field Day. The event will take
place at Agricenter International in Memphis on Thursday, July 16.
Along with hearing presentations by representatives from Ceres, Inc. and
FutureFuel Chemical Co. on alternative crops, attendees will also have
the opportunity to view plots of Ceres’ new biomass sorghum,
University of Tennessee’s switchgrass, sweet sorghum for ethanol and
other niche crops.
The Memphis Bioworks Foundation (www.agbioworks.org) is a
not-for-profit organization formed to lead the collaboration between
public, private, academic and government entities to accelerate the
growth of the bioscience industry in the Mid-South.
For more information about the foundation and the field day, contact
Hillary Spain at 901-866-1800 or hspain@biodimensions.net.
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July 8-10 -- Missouri Dairy Grazing Conference, Holiday Inn,
Joplin. Go to agebb.missouri.edu/dairy/grazing/conference
or phone 573-882-9551.
July 9 -- Alfalfa Field Day, Vaughn Svoboda farm, Ord, NE.
Contact Steve Niemeyer at 308-346-4200 or Harry Walahoski at
308-346-4972.
July 9 -- Organic Field Day, University of Minnesota Southwest
Research and Outreach Center, Lamberton. Phone 507-752-7372 or visit swroc.cfans.umn.edu and click on
2009 Events under General Information.
July 21 -- Central Pennsylvania Biomass Energy Production Workshop,
Agricultural Science and Industries Building/Penn State University,
University Park. Contact Headwaters RC&D at 814-375-1372, ext. 4.
July 23 -- University Of Kentucky All Commodity Field Day, UK
Research and Education Center, Princeton. Visit ces.ca.uky.edu/wkrec.
July 29-30 -- U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center Getting More From
Forages Conference, Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center,
Madison, WI. Visit www.dfrc.ars.usda.gov/forages/Program.html.
July 31 -- 2009 Illinois Forage Expo, Meier Farms, Ridott. Go to
web.extension.uiuc.edu/stephenson/index.html
or contact Dale Baird, University of Illinois extension educator, at dlbaird@illinois.edu.
Aug. 1-2 -- Florida Small Farms And Alternative Enterprises
Conference, Osceola County Heritage Park, Kissimmee. Go to smallfarms.ifas.ufl.edu/floridasmallfarmsconference/index.htm.
Aug. 27 -- 2009 Arlington Agronomy And Soils Field Day,
University of Wisconsin Agricultural Research Station, Arlington.
Download the program at ipcm.wisc.edu/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=WqM8AqDKW9o%3D&tabid=114&mid=669.
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. 22-23 -- Georgia Grazing School, University of Georgia
Livestock Instruction Arena, Athens. Details coming soon at www.georgiaforages.com/.
Sept. 29-Oct. 3 -- World Dairy Expo, Alliant Energy Center,
Madison, WI. Visit www.worlddairyexpo.com.
Oct. 20-22 -- 2009 Southeast Hay Contest/Sunbelt Ag Expo,
Moultrie, GA. Contact University of Georgia extension forage specialist
Dennis Hancock at 706-542-1529 or dhancock@uga.edu.
Oct. 23-24 -- Virginia Tech University’s 2009 Mid-Atlantic
Grass-Finished Livestock Conference, Holiday Inn Conference Center,
Staunton, VA. Contact Margaret Kenny at 434-292-5331 or makenny@vt.edu.
Oct. 29 -- Kentucky Grazing Conference, University of Kentucky
Research and Education Center, Princeton. Details available soon at www.uky.edu/Ag/Forage.
Nov. 4-6 -- DHI-Provo 55th-Annual Herd Management Training
Conference, Provo, UT. Details forthcoming at www.dhiprovo.com.
Nov. 10-11 -- BEEF Quality Summit, Stoney Creek Inn, St.
Joseph, MO, hosted by BEEF magazine. Visit beefconference.com for details to
come.
Nov. 18-19 -- McCook Farm And Ranch Expo, Red Willow County
Fairgrounds, McCook, NE. Visit mccookfarmandranchexpo.net
or call 866-685-0989.
Dec. 2-4 -- Western Alfalfa And Forage Symposium, Grand Sierra
Resort Casino, Reno, NV. Go to alfalfa.ucdavis.edu/+symposium/2009/.
Dec. 13-16 -- Fourth National Conference On Grazing Lands, Reno,
NV. Presented by the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative. Visit www.glci.org.
Feb. 16-17, 2010 -- Idaho Hay And Forage Conference, Best Western
Burley Inn, Burley. Contact Glenn Shewmaker at 208-736-3608 or gshew@uidaho.edu.
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