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An ear of corn in a field with visible white mold on the tip of the ear.

Can Livestock Utilize Moldy Grain?

While livestock producers know that moldy grain and forage are not ideal feedstuffs, they also know that stored feed occasionally contains a small amount of visible mold, and that their animals consume it with no obvious adverse effects. The question arises, how much mold is too much for a feed to be unsuitable for animals?

Cover crops growing in a field of harvested corn.

Utilizing Cover Crops for Grazing: An Assessment on Economic Benefits

Grazing cover crops by cattle provides an option to offset cover crop seed costs and increase farm revenue. To facilitate farmers’ decision making, this article will evaluate the economic profitability from grazing cattle on cover crops using a partial budgeting approach.

corn field with sunrise in the background

2019 Corn Fungicide Field Trials Summary

This document contains results of corn field trials conducted during the 2019 growing season to evaluate foliar fungicides to manage various corn diseases.

Black angus cattle feeding in a feedlot.

What Goes Into Calculating Yardage?

Yardage cost is the non-feed cost per head for every day that an animal is fed harvested feed in some form of confinement. Yardage is usually associated with calves and yearlings in the feedlot, but this concept can apply to drylotted or wintering cows as well.

Pieces of net wrap and forage wadded up together, with a nob approximately 6 inches across at the top and 4 inches long, with a 1 inch rope like structure that is 13 inches long leading to another nob that is approximately 2 inches across and 8 inches long.

Summary of Forage Binding Survey and Current Net Wrap Research

Recently, cattle producers and veterinarians have become more concerned with the possible ingestion of net wrap or twine from hay bales and the negative impacts it could have on cattle health and performance.

A green tractor, pulling a red, high-clearance planter through a field of emerging corn.

Interseeding Cover Crops Effect on Corn and Soybean Production: 2019

Incorporating cover crops into our cropping systems and moving from conventional tillage to no-till can improve soil organic matter, soil structure, and water and nutrient holding capacity of our soils.

An unplanted field with weeds growing throughout.

Managing Weed Seed in 2020

Producers need to plan in advance on how to deal with bare fields that contain an overabundance of weeds. Weeds in these fields have deposited significant amount of seeds on the soil surface, which can easily germinate when adequate moisture and temperature are available.

A male producer removing net wrap from an upright bale.

Net Wrap Removal Made Easy

I was approached by a cattle producer about efficiently removing net wrap. As many of you know, net wrap has its advantages as well as disadvantages, but is largely used as a hay binding material.

Three, four-wheel drive John Deere tractors, pushing up chopped corn silage into a drive over pile on a dairy farm.

Harvesting Silage on a Wet Year: Moisture is Critical

Fall is on its way in South Dakota. However, with many flooded and saturated fields, some producers are growing concerned that there will be little opportunity to harvest silage before corn dries down past desired moisture levels or frost occurs.

Two leaves of corn, one showing signs of Southern Rust, the other with Common Rust.

Southern Rust Developing Late in Corn

Southern rust was found in a few corn fields scouted last week. This rust is developing very late in the season and therefore its impact on corn yield will be minimal.