Special Report

Feeding those big forage crops

It has been a very good year for forage production across the Midwest. Dr. Dan Undersander with the University of Wisconsin says the quality has been good-to-above average. The cool and sometimes wet weather did cause a little disease challenge in some areas but overall, things are good.

Besides the multiple crops of good alfalfa, Wisconsin farmers are also harvesting a tremendous corn silage crop. Undersander stresses the importance of a proper pack especially in a bunker silo and the need to take at least a foot-per-day off the face when feeding. He notes anytime there is heating, there is energy loss in the silage. Undersander also recommends the larger percentage of the total ration the silage provides, the more it should be sampled.