Soil Science Commons^™

How I Produce And Market Alfalfa Hay, Clayton Geralds

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

No abstract provided.

Cost And Return Of Alfalfa Hay Production, Kenneth H. Burdine

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

The last few years have been nothing short of a roller coaster ride for Kentucky agriculture. Kentucky is coming off back-to-back drought years, which have challenged both livestock and crop producers. At the same time, farmers are dealing with decreasing output prices and rising input prices. This is a recipe for pure frustration and alfalfa producers have not been isolated from these challenges.

Roundup Ready Alfalfa And Future Gmos In Alfalfa, Dennis Gehler

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

No abstract provided.

Keys To Success With Alfalfa Balage, Dennis W. Hancock

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Baled silage (or Balage) has many advantages over conventional hay production. Losses during the curing, baling, storage, and feeding phases are each dramatically lower when the forage is conserved as Balage rather than hay. Of course, this comes at an expense. The cost of the wrapper (generally $14,000 – 21,000), plastic wrap (usually $4-6 per ton of DM), and added labor can make this system quite costly. Furthermore, there is an environmental cost for disposal of the plastic. However, Balage enables the alfalfa producer to quickly harvest a crop with more independence from unfavorable weather and to create a more …

Alfalfa As A Grazing Crop, Bill Payne

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Planning a “Forage Sequence” implies that a stockman provides nutritious and palatable forage crops for grazing for as many days of the year possible. Cool season perennial grasses and legumes give Kentucky forage growers an competitive advantage over those in many other states. That advantage declines during the heat of our summers, however. Providing a solution to our “Summer Slump” is a challenge to stockmen throughout the South. This “Summer Slump” is the result of low yield of cool season forages during the heat and drier conditions of July, August and September. Another factor hindering livestock gains is the fescue …

Alfalfa Hay For Horses: Myths Vs. Reality, Laurie Lawrence

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

How Much Hay Does A Horse Need?

A horse owner once described their Quarter Horse gelding as “a hole in the stall that I throw hay into”! This description is certainly accurate… a 1200 lb gelding used for light recreational riding will consume about 700 lbs of hay per month during the winter in Kentucky. If the horse is kept in a place with minimal pasture, yearly hay consumption will be about 4 tons. Restricting hay intake can lead to digestive disturbances and behavior problems, so it is recommended that most horses be allowed access to 1.5 – 2.0 lbs …

Alfalfa Seed Price And Seeding Rate: Impact Of Production Cost, S. Ray Smith

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

I am often asked the question about what is the ideal alfalfa seeding rate, especially with the price of seed for most improved varieties over $4.00 per pound. Before giving the ideal seeding rate or recommended range of seeding rates, let me overview alfalfa seed size, seedling survival, and plant survival. Alfalfa has about 200,000 seeds/lb. If one pound was evenly spread over one acre (43,560 ft²), there would be about five seeds per square foot. Therefore if you take the seeding rate you are using and multiply by five, you will come pretty close to knowing how …

Rfv Vs. Rfq -- Which Is Better?, Tom Keene, Peter Jeranyama, Alvaro D. Garcia

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Determining the value of hay is often times a trying adventure but the rewards can be significant. It begs the question though, what do those numbers really tell me? Do they provide me pertinent information? There are so many numbers…which ones do I need to be concerned with? All of the numbers and information on the results sheets are important. However, certain numbers have greater bearing on some classes of livestock than others. As research continues to give us new parameters regarding, herd health, pounds of gain, pounds of milk, maintenance, etc. the importance of these will also likely change …

Art And Science Of Haymaking, Garry D. Lacefield

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

In 2007, Kentucky was chosen as one of three states to participate in the making of a movie on Quality Haymaking. Case IH Agriculture in an effort to better serve their customer base and the forage industry invested resources to produce, edit and distribute a DVD on Quality Haymaking. A national project coordinator was hired who in turn contracted with a film company. When we were contacted and learned it was not going to be a commercial for any one brand or product, we agreed to participate.

Foreword And Recipients Of Kentucky Alfalfa Awards [2009], Garry D. Lacefield, Christi L. Forsythe

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

No abstract provided.

Integration Of An Extended Octagonal Ring Transducer And Soil Coulterometer For Identifying Soil Compaction, Santosh K. Pitla, Larry G. Wells, Scott A. Shearer

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The soil coulterometer is an "on-the-go" electro-mechanical system which collects impedance force data at multiple depths using an oscillating coulter. During the initial testing (summer 2006), only vertical soil impedance force data was collected using a pressure sensor. To improve the performance of the coulterometer, an extended octagonal ring transducer was integrated into the system to collect both the horizontal and vertical impedance forces given by the soil. In the summer of 2007, data was collected using the revised sensor from a typical central Kentucky field setting in a 0.8-ha (2-acre) plot. Four passes were made with the coulterometer. Seventy …

Forage Spokesman Information, Clayton Geralds, Brady Jarvis

Kentucky Grazing Conference

No abstract provided.

Supplementing Cattle On Pasture: When, What And How Much?, Roy Burris

Kentucky Grazing Conference

The biggest advantage of maintaining cattle in the southeast is our ability to grow forages. It is generally an economic advantage to make maximum use of our forage and then supplement only when needed to meet our production goals. Judicious use of extra nutrition to grazing cattle can allow us to meet an objective which was best stated by Hoveland in 1986:

“Our objective is to maintain pasture at the highest quality that the environment will allow and efficiently convert as much of the pasture as possible into saleable animal product.”

Fencing And Watering Systems: Simpler Is Better, Ralph Quillin

Kentucky Grazing Conference

Sustainability and Grazing Management have taken on a new importance in the Americana farm community. The key components of the sustainable approach, profitability, agronomic, social and ecological responsibility and quality of life are becoming obtainable goals for this and future farming generations.

Practical Grazing Management And Feed Strategies To Alleviate Fescue Toxicosis, Glen Aiken

Kentucky Grazing Conference

Tall fescue grown in Kentucky is productive and persistent and that is why the state has 5 million acres of the stuff! Fescue has tolerances to drought, low fertility, and overgrazing that are attributed to a fungal endophyte which infects most tall fescue plants. Unfortunately, these advantages of tall fescue that livestock producers appreciate are offset by reduced calving percentages and calf weight gains caused by consumption of ergot alkaloids produced by the endophyte. Ergot alkaloids affect the physiology of cattle to cause elevation in body temperature, reduced sweating, retention of winter hair coats and uncontrollable growth of summer hair …

Herbicide Options For Pasture Weed Control, Jonathan D. Green

Kentucky Grazing Conference

Weeds have become more evident and problematic in grazed pastures as forage and livestock production systems have intensified. As animals consume the more desirable and palatable plant species in pastures, weedy plants become more abundant. In particular, animals tend to avoid grazing plants which contain thorns, prickly spines, or are unpalatable making some pastures less productive. In fact, many of the more problematic plants observed in Kentucky’s grazed pastures possess these characteristics including thistles, spiny amaranth (spiny pigweed), horsenettle, common cocklebur, tall ironweed, and buttercups.

Horse Pasture Monitoring Program: Results After Three Years, Tom Keene, S. Ray Smith

Kentucky Grazing Conference

Since 2001-2002 and the outbreak of Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome (MLRS) the University of Kentucky has been developing stronger ties with the state’s equine industry. Approximately 30% of the foal crop was lost in the Central Bluegrass region during this period with a devastating impact on the industry. Traditionally, many Thoroughbred farms have functioned as independent entities, but MLRS helped them to realize that the University of Kentucky had tremendous amount of expertise that they could provide in the areas of animal health, forage management, and other areas. Initially, there were many theories as to the cause of MLRS with …

Forage Legumes Vs. Fertilizer Nitrogen, Garry D. Lacefield

Kentucky Grazing Conference

A few weeks after I started to work as a Forage Extension Specialist at the University of Kentucky, I heard my mentor and forage idol, Mr. Warren Thompson, speak on forage legumes. Warren, along with Dr’s. Tim Taylor and W.C. Templeton had pioneered the “Pasture Renovation Program” in Kentucky. In addition, Mr. Ed Smith had joined the team and collectively they developed the “Power-til Pasture Renovator.” Warren began his presentation by talking about Kentucky Forages pointing out we were so fortunate to have a good grass base and the opportunity to grow lots of legumes. He also talked about all …

Growth Of Grasses And Legumes: Impact On Grazing, S. Ray Smith

Kentucky Grazing Conference

The primary, cool season, perennial pasture grasses used in Kentucky are orchardgrass, bluegrass, and tall fescue. When not grazed or harvested, each of these passes through successive stages of growth in the spring: 1) leafy vegetative; 2) boot with seed heads enclosed in leaf sheath; 3) heading when the seed heads begin to show and, 4) bloom when pollination has occurred ( Figure 2). Since fiber and lignin contents increase steadily beyond the vegetative stage, while percent protein and digestibility decrease, a major goal in grazing management is to maintain these grasses in the leafy, vegetative stage at all times. …

Foreword And Kfgc Award Winners [2008], Garry D. Lacefield, Christi L. Forsythe

Kentucky Grazing Conference

No abstract provided.

Photo Highlights Of The 28th Kentucky Alfalfa Conference, Kentucky Alfalfa Conference

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

No abstract provided.

Hay Supply, Price And The Future, Tom Keene

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

As we prepare for the 2008 hay crop, it’s probably a good time to look back and see what the ’07 crop brought to us and wonder if it will have any bearing on the upcoming 2008 crop.

Alfalfa Hay And Balage: Testing For Quality, Kimberly Field

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Why Test Your Hay?

• By knowing the percentages and protein levels you can increase/decrease the amount of supplements needed from your analysis report and will help the producer set feeding rations
• If you do not know what you have in your forage you are over or under feeding your livestock – therefore affecting the health of your animal and your pocket book

Is There A Benefit To Alfalfa Balage?, Gary Bates

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Making hay in the mid-South has always been a difficult process. High humidity and rainfall often make drying a long, tedious, if not impossible proposition. Over the last few years there has been an increased interest in making round bale silage, or balage, from forage crops. Fermenting alfalfa for storage has several advantages and disadvantages over regular haymaking systems.

Alfalfa: Forage Crop Of The Future, Neal P. Martin, David Mertens, Ronald Hatfield, Hans Jung

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

In 2007, U.S. farmers harvested 23.6 million acres of alfalfa. Alfalfa harvested as hay and haylage produced 82.8 million tons valued at approximately $9.4 billion, ranking behind only corn and soybeans. Alfalfa hay supports dairy, beef, sheep, and horse production in the U.S. as well as a growing export market.

National Hay Association President's Perspective: What A Year To Be President, Ron Tombaugh

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Over the years, I have had the opportunity to attend the Kentucky Alfalfa Conference in Cave City. Usually it was combined with a trip to deliver hay into Kentucky to either a dairy, beef, or horse customer. This is an excellent event.

The following is my “acceptance” speech given in September 2007 in Columbus, Ohio, when I was installed as President of the National Hay Association.

Certified Weed Free Hay And Straw Program, Kenny E. Perry

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

There is a growing demand in North America for the use of certified weed free hay and straw as a preventative program to limit the spread of noxious weeds. This voluntary certification program is designed to assure that hay and straw sold with proper certification identification meets minimum standards designed to limit the spread of noxious and undesirable weeds. Buyers are provided assurance that hay and straw certified through this program meets these minimum standards.

Alfalfa: Back To Basics, S. Ray Smith, Thomas Adam Probst

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

In the past, many university research trials and on-farm demonstrations have determined a range of cutting intervals for alfalfa. Most researchers have agreed that the optimum harvest frequency is about every 35 days to ensure top yields, without sacrificing too much in the way of forage quality and stand persistence. Others use a strategy of harvesting at 10% bloom.

Haymaking: A Trip Down Memory Lane, Garry D. Lacefield, John E. Baylor

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

On a hot day in August, I climbed into the dust-free air-conditioned cab of a new tractor to assist in a hay baling demonstration during a field day. Hay yield was low as a result of the drought, so it was important that I get everything from the small windrow. I adjusted the volume on the surround sound stereo where I had just inserted a CD of the Eagles Greatest Hits. Now we’re ready to bale – first let me check the GPS and get a check on the moisture of the hay coming into the bale chamber – moisture …

Foreword And Recipients Of Kentucky Alfalfa Awards [2008], Garry D. Lacefield, Christi L. Forsythe

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

No abstract provided.