Planning, pile-counting, planting

Twenty years from now, this season may be one for the, “I still remember the summer of 2023,” kind of les. That record isn’t quite complete yet. It doesn’t take an in-depth analysis to realize that adequate and timely precipitation plays a large role in forage yield and resulting feed stocks on the farm.

University of MN Extension

by Tyler Rice

The drought has surely taken a toll in our region, and livestock producers may be looking for alternative ways of supplementing their supply. Though we cannot plan for everything, we can employ strategies now that will be helpful in managing our feed stocks through the winter and, if we choose, last-hour emergency forage additions.

Now is a good time to take stock of your forage inventory and to use inventories to plan.

For baled hay, the process is fairly straight forward. Take a census of bale numbers and weight (and perhaps shape and size) of bales. Bales may be sorted according to species, cutting and forage quality. In this case, bale inventory should also take into account the percent of moisture of hay when inventories assume a dry matter as-fed basis. This includes taking stock of baleage. For ensiled forage stored in a silage bag, inventories can be assessed by nding the total volume of the lled bag and estimating the density of dry matter (usually between 11-15 pounds dry matter per cubic foot). Do not fail to account for un lled portions of the bag. Horizontal bunkers and piles can present unique challenges when one is trying to inventory feed. Similar to the above silage bag method, an accurate estimate of total volume including the height, length and width is required as well as an estimate of dry matter density. A careless estimate of any of these features will result in an answer that is less than thorough. Tower silos can make the task a bit easier by providing already known dimensions for volume while density is still a misnomer. Feed in the lower features of the silo are going to be more densely packed than feed in the upper part.

Sometimes it is advantageous to purchase feed in-season. This approach can be accomplished by buying directly from other forage producers or purchasing feed at local auctions. If there is a real need to augment feed supply at this point, creative strategies, which often include working with neighboring farmers, can change the game. Planting a cool-season cereal or cover crop for forage now, with the aid of later season rain, can also help supplement feed supplies come fall, even early spring.

For help in accomplishing the tasks above or for more strategies related to late-season forage alternatives, contact your local crops or livestock University of Minnesota Extension educator.