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Hay Market Report
UW-Madison Division of Extension provides bi-weekly reports from information compiled from public and private quality tested sales and reports in the Midwest.
Latest Report
Previous reports can be viewed on the archive.
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Calculating Carrying Capacity
Also commonly referred to as “stocking rate,” carrying capacity is the number of animals a parcel of land can support by providing adequate feed and retaining and recycling the nutrients they produce. In grazing systems, where livestock harvest their own feed and spread their own manure, carrying capacity is foundational to a long grazing season that results in healthy animals, healthy pastures, and a healthy ecosystem.
Video: Focus on Annual Forages
The third Focus on Forage webinar in the 2024 series, Focus on Annual Forages, features discussions around annual forage crops for Wisconsin farms, the nutritive value of and strategies around feeding annual forages on dairy farms, the nitrogen demand of cereal forages, and nitrogen carryover and rate planning considerations for 2024.
Videos: Focus on Alfalfa
The recordings from the second Focus on Forage webinar in the 2024 series, Focus on Alfalfa, feature Scott Newell, Dr. Kim Cassida, Dr. Mark Renz, and Dr. Emily Bick.
Videos: Focus on Forage Insurance
The recordings of the first Focus on Forage webinar in the 2024 series, Focus on Forage Insurance, featuring Pamela Stahlke and Dr. Paul Mitchell.
Field Notes Episode 16: Specialty Grain Markets
Breaking outside that box and finding alternative grain markets can yield dividends in price premiums and extended crop rotations enhancing farm resilience to drops in commodity prices and other external shocks. We talk with Willie Hughes, an organic and conventional grain farmer in Rock County, and Alyssa Hartman of the Artisan Grain Collaborative about how they navigate finding, complying with and knitting together these differentiated markets.
Save money and get cleaner water by correctly utilizing manure
A common misconception about livestock manure is that it is simply a waste product of the farm. However, manure is rich in many nutrients and is a valuable resource when applied back onto fields that can benefit from manure application. Research has demonstrated positive impacts to soil quality/health, crop production, and overall farm management when manure is managed effectively.