Interseeding Legumes versus Applying Nitrogen Fertilizer by Ken Barnett1 Introduction The legume and grass content of a grazed pasture changes over time. This occurs due to a cycling of the grass and legume portions of the pasture. When grasses do better, the competition reduces the legume content. When the legume content and its nitrogen contribution to […]
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Fertilizer Managment of Pastures by Ken Barnett1 Introduction Whether or not to apply fertilizers to pastures to increase production raises questions that graziers need to ask. Some of these questions are 1) what are the production needs for the animals grazed; 2) when are the forages needed in the grazing season; 3) what species are present; […]
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Pricing Standing Hay by Ted Bay, Rhonda Gildersleeve, and Dan Undersander “What is standing hay worth?” Sales of standing hay require agreement on price and a method of determining yield if sold by the ton. Dry matter loss is also a factor in sales of standing forages, particularly when chopped for silage. Several factors should be considered […]
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Bunker Silo Facers – worth the investment? by Brian Holmes (updated 8/2003) Introduction Bunker silo facers are a form of silage unloader. They are frequently constructed as teeth attached to a drum. The drum is mounted on a boom attached to a power unit (skid steer, tractor, telehandler, etc.) The drum is rotated while unloading and is […]
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Dry Round Hay Bale Storage Costs by Brian Holmes Introduction Round bale storage economics depends on a variety of issues. Investments in structures need a longer time to yield beneficial returns, while low capital systems can be used for a short period before they pay off. If a person will be in the hay storage business […]
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Does Forage Quality Pay? by Dan Undersander, UW Extension Forage Agronomist University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706 email: djunders@wisc.edu Does forage quality pay? Absolutely, it pays in many ways for different situations. It may help produce the maximum return through high milk or meat production; it may increase breeding success; it may help a producer allocate different […]
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Calculating Production Costs Per Acre, Ton, Bushel, Etc. by Gary G. Frank1 Introduction Enterprise budgets are used to calculate production costs. Enterprise budgets record the income or revenue, expense, and returns for a single crop or livestock production process. An enterprise is any coherent portion of the general structure of the farm business that can be […]
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Value of Standing Forage by Dan Undersander University of Wisconsin A frequent question is how much should a person charge or pay for standing hay. There is no simple answer but one can come to a fair price by considering the following factors: First, one should consider the price of hay. During spring 2001 the price […]
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Factors to Consider When Marketing Hay by Dan Undersander Introduction Many hay growers simply sell hay. They are selling a commodity to low bidders rather than developing a market for a product. Bringing factors other than price into the market such as forage quality, consideration of customer needs, prompt delivery, steady supply, and appreciation of business […]
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Making a Feed Inventory by Brian Holmes What is a feed inventory? Doing a feed inventory establishes your current stock of various feed ingredients. Generally, the process involves determining the volume of each feed stored and then multiplying by the stored density to yield a weight of feed. For example, silage in a bunker silo has […]
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