Posted: August 25, 2010 at 3:14 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
Jim Smith, Pioneer livestock information manager in Minnesota, discusses the impact of growing conditions on corn for silage. Moisture and heat, depending on stage of growth, have a multitude of effects on nutritional value and readiness of the corn for harvest. Smith also talks about conditions in the northern Corn Belt.
Posted: August 19, 2010 at 7:53 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
The ethanol co-product distillers grains offer a way to supplement bad hay being baled for winter feed this year.
During field days this month at University of Missouri Forage research centers, extension regional livestock specialist Chris Zumbrunnen told participants that distillers grains, which offer up to 30 percent protein, can pick up the slack when the hay quality falls short. “There is a tremendous amount of high quality product available,” Zumbrunnen said. There will also be plenty of poor quality hay that was harvested late and rained on during haymaking.
Zumbrunnen explained that different types of distillers grains require different handling methods.
The dried product, known as DDGs, which has only 10 percent moisture, handles and stores easily but it can draw moisture and become caked in storage. “If you put it in a bin, you might have a hard time getting it out,” Zumbrunnen said. The wet product, with 65 percent moisture, is less expensive, but needs to be used quickly. “It’s tough to store and do anything with,” he said. “You can’t stack it, as it will spread out unless contained.”
A new modified wet distillers grain offered by some ethanol plants allows more flexibility and ease in feeding. The modified product is dried down to 50 percent moisture. It retains its shape and won’t blow away like dry product. ”The modified wet product can be fed on the ground or on top of unrolled baled hay. It stays in place,” Zumbrunnen said “Those old cows love it.”
The best time for herd owners to buy distillers product is in late summer, before demand picks up from the feed yards. “You can save $30 a ton by buying in the off season,” Zumbrunnen said. “Now is the time to buy if you can store it.” A list of prices and sources for distillers grains in Missouri is updated weekly and listed on the dairy feed page of the MU AgEBB.
Posted: August 15, 2010 at 7:49 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
As the choppers start to roll across the country, Pioneer Hi-Bred dairy specialist Kevin Putnam discusses some management considerations for chopping corn silage. Corn heat units in many areas are ahead of schedule, triggering harvest. Putman discusses proper chopper set up, inoculant options and other factors for achieving optimum quality.
Posted: July 8, 2010 at 7:39 am
By Cindy Zimmerman
Last year many growers encountered a wet growing season which led to some concerns with ear molds. Bill Seglar, Pioneer nutritional sciences veterinarian, discusses conditions conducive to ear molds and the impact it has on nutritional value.
Posted: May 27, 2010 at 9:22 am
By Cindy Zimmerman
In this edition of Forage Forum, Bill Seglar, Pioneer nutritional sciences veterinarian, addresses questions on BT corn for silage. Seglar says biotechnology traits do not impact nutritional value of the corn, but it is usually environmental factors that affect silage quality and nutritional value.
Are you a dairy producer interested in hay and forages? Then the Hay Expo in Strawberry Point, Iowa, on June 16 and 17 is for you! Known as the nation’s largest two-day hay event, the Hay Expo is designed to give alfalfa and forage producers an intensive, one-stop learning and shopping opportunity.
The host farm for the 2010 expo is Matt and Jana Hamlett. The Hamletts previously hosted the Hay Expo in 2006. This year’s event is on the same farm, along Highway 3, west of Strawberry Point.
The Hamletts, with the help of herdsman Tom Falck and wife Krista, milk about 250 cows. The dairy operation has evolved since 2006 when the Hamletts were milking 200 cows. In 2006, they had recently expanded the parlor to a double-10 and had built another freestall barn. They thought having 200 cows in the milking string was about as big as they wanted to be. But with the narrow profit margins, they have had to expand the herd and milk more cows to support their family and their employees.
One reason Matt’s hosting the Hay Expo again is because of the opportunity it gives dairy producers, or anyone interested in hay and forages, to learn about the latest information and technology, to help them improve efficiency.
A 10-acre exhibit field will highlight displays from the major and shortline specialty manufacturers, seed, building and storage facility suppliers, and a range of related product suppliers. Exhibitors plan to showcase a host of new products aimed at boosting the efficiency and profitability of hay and forage production.
More than 200 acres of alfalfa will showcase mowing, conditioning, baling and silage demonstrations. Visitors will see side-by-side operational comparisons of the various equipment brands in the field demonstrations. Admission is free; parking is $7 per vehicle. The public is welcome.
In this edition of Forage Forum, Pioneer livestock information manager Steve Soderlund discusses the benefits of dual-purpose hybrids, which can allow a producer greater flexibility, depending on environmental conditions and feed needs.
Nikkel Iron Works introduces a new tool for hay and forage producers. Dur-Adjust™ features a dual spring and rod system for DARF Hay Rakes to help harvest a better quality crop.
As an option for the spring and chain assembly, the new system:
• Prolongs the life of key components
• Provides precise height control
• Reduces unwanted wheel lift
• Creates a smoother transport ride.
“Dur-Adjust™ allows growers and producers to harvest a better quality crop, while prolonging the life expectancy of the hay rake. Ultimately, farmers save time and money,” said Bruce Shannon, national sales manager for Nikkel Iron Works. “We’re always trying to improve our products, and the Dur-Adjust™ system makes life easier for farmers.”
Dur-Adjust’s™ dual spring and rod system is easy to adjust and has shock absorption, making the ride smooth during transport, Shannon said. In addition, providing precise height control and reducing unwanted wheel lift are key features of the product.
“Dur-Adjust™ makes sure your raking depth is precise, so foreign materials don’t make it into your crop and deteriorate the quality of your product,” Shannon said. “At the same time, it’s keeping pressure on your wheels to make sure that every inch of your crop is collected – that’s where the money is.”
Posted: April 22, 2010 at 1:48 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
Alfalfa is an important part of Pioneer’s forage portfolio. In this edition of Forage Forum, Pioneer director of alfalfa research David Miller, discusses the company’s variety development. When it comes to choosing an alfalfa variety, he says growers should consult their local sales professional and university data to match the right product to the right acre.
Posted: April 7, 2010 at 1:36 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
Alfalfa, from a genetic standpoint, is different than other major crops growers plant. Every seed in an alfalfa bag varies genetically, unlike corn or soybeans where each seed is genetically uniform. David Miller, Pioneer director of alfalfa research, discusses the uniqueness of variety development.
Posted: March 4, 2010 at 2:08 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
Pioneer director of alfalfa research, David Miller, discusses Pioneer brand alfalfa varieties, traits and testing to help producers put the right product on the right acre.
Posted: February 11, 2010 at 8:10 am
By Cindy Zimmerman
Bill Rutherford, Pioneer research coordinator, discusses in situ analysis. In situ testing allows Pioneer researchers direct analysis of inoculant performance and fiber digestibility, providing producers additional product information.
Dairy specialist Les Yoder with Homestead Nutrition works not only to help improve the nutritional value of dairy feed, but also works on crop and soil nutrition and he spoke about the benefits of good feed nutrition.
“The forage component of the rations is extremely important to how we’re able to balance that program and make that cow very productive while maintaining health and profitability,” said Yoder. The better quality the forage is, the less a farmer has to depend on other things like the purchase of additional feed (corn and soybeans). “Quality forage is extremely, extremely important in a profitable dairy nutrition’s diet,” he said.
Yoder began using Stoller’s Bio-Forge nearly 10 years ago implementing that product for corn silage for dairy rations and began seeing some benefits of improved quality, digestibility and plant health – all of which made a better ration. He also noted that it helped to make a healthier and less expensive diet.
Listen to an interview with Les conducted by reporter Joanna Schroeder who covered the conference for Agwired.
Posted: November 19, 2009 at 4:07 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
Have you ever wondered where the heat comes from in silage?
This really cool infrared camera can read the temperature of a silage bunker and provide a color picture of the variations in heat levels on the face. The camera has gotten cheaper since it first came out a couple of years ago, but it still retails for several thousand dollars.
A great way to measure silage heat, but not practical for most producers, so Pioneer ruminant microbiologist Scott Dennis suggests using a thermometer to quickly and easily determine whether heat is physiological or microbial.
Dennis explains more about this topic along with management techniques to reduce heating in this edition of Forage Forum, recorded at the Pioneer Forage Media day held in September at the Livestock Nutrition Center in Johnston, IA.
Posted: October 29, 2009 at 3:44 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
Dr. Bill Mahanna, nutritional sciences manager for Pioneer, discusses ideal moisture percentages for high moisture corn. Mahanna says high moisture corn and snaplage benefit digestion. He also comments on corn particle sizes and inoculants for high moisture corn.
This edition of Forage Forum was recorded at the Pioneer Forage Media day held in September at the Livestock Nutrition Center in Johnston, IA.
Posted: October 11, 2009 at 5:29 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
Back in 2001, Dairyland Seed released the world’s first hybrid alfalfa, HybriForce-400. This year, they took that up a notch and introduced the next generation – HybriForce-2400 Gen-2.
“It’s giving us a five percent yield advantage over generation one,” said Dairyland Seed Forage Product Manager Chad Staudinger during an interview at World Dairy Expo. “Through the hybrid breeding system we are able to commercially place F1 generation with 100 percent yield potential on-farm.”
Chad says this provides a definite yield advantage for producers and the hybrid system brings with it a uniformity of crop, which ultimately means more uniformity of feed for the animals.
Posted: October 7, 2009 at 8:54 am
By Cindy Zimmerman
This year, many producers are seeing a delay in corn silage harvest. Bill Curran, Pioneer research scientist, discusses harvest timing factors and how the growing season impacts the nutritional value of the silage.
Curran spoke to agricultural media recently at the Pioneer Forage Media day held at the Livestock Nutrition Center in Johnston, IA.
Dinner time last night at the Global Dairy 500 Conference featured multiple subject discussions. You picked your topic and then participated in a discussion after eating.
I attended the Silage Discussion Dinner led by Matthew Smith, Alltech. You can see Matthew getting his slides ready for the start of the discussion. He works for the company in New Zealand and has focused on silage during his career. When it comes to silage he says he encourages producers to “get excited about it.” He says the important thing to remember is how important it is as a feed ingredient. Deciding what seed to put in the ground is one of the most important decisions to make up front according to Matthew.
Here at the dinner his hope was to present silage as “good news.” He says cutting your way around the corners with silage in your operation is just not the way to go.
You can watch a portion of Matthew’s discussion dinner here.
Posted: September 24, 2009 at 11:37 am
By Cindy Zimmerman
Pioneer’s introduction last week of the Pioneer® brand 11GFT inoculant was the second in a series of products in the DuPont company’s fiber technology platform.
“The fiber technology platform is a new technology that we have been working on in the forage additive area for about the last six years,” says Pioneer Senior Research Manager Bill Rutherford. “Essentially what we’re talking about is targeting a trait, fiber digestibility in plant materials, by the utilization of enzymes which are produced directly from a proprietary strain of lactobacillus buchneri in the silage inoculant.”
The fiber technology platform was launched in 2008 with 11CFT developed for corn silage and now expanded to include 11GFT for grass and cereal silage. Dairy producers will be able to find out more about the new product at World Dairy Expo next week at the Pioneer Hi-Bred booth.
Posted: September 17, 2009 at 8:39 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
Leo Brown, Pioneer Livestock Information manager, discusses fall alfalfa management and corn hybrid selection for silage at the 2009 Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Ill. Brown says producers should evaluate alfalfa stands in the fall. Depending on stand quality, a producer can look to fertilize for optimum spring growth or apply a herbicide treatment to kill the crop for easier groundwork in the spring. Now is also the time to consider hybrid selection for corn – looking for good starch and fiber digestibility.
Jim Smith, Pioneer livestock information manager in Minnesota, discusses the impact of growing conditions on corn for silage. Moisture and heat, depending on stage of growth, have a multitude of effects on nutritional value and readiness of the corn for harvest. Smith also talks about conditions in the northern Corn Belt.
During field days this month at University of Missouri Forage research centers, extension regional livestock specialist Chris Zumbrunnen told participants that distillers grains, which offer up to 30 percent protein, can pick up the slack when the hay quality falls short. “There is a tremendous amount of high quality product available,” Zumbrunnen said. There will also be plenty of poor quality hay that was harvested late and rained on during haymaking.
The dried product, known as DDGs, which has only 10 percent moisture, handles and stores easily but it can draw moisture and become caked in storage. “If you put it in a bin, you might have a hard time getting it out,” Zumbrunnen said. The wet product, with 65 percent moisture, is less expensive, but needs to be used quickly. “It’s tough to store and do anything with,” he said. “You can’t stack it, as it will spread out unless contained.”
This really cool infrared camera can read the temperature of a silage bunker and provide a color picture of the variations in heat levels on the face. The camera has gotten cheaper since it first came out a couple of years ago, but it still retails for several thousand dollars. 
A great way to measure silage heat, but not practical for most producers, so 
Back in 2001, Dairyland Seed released the world’s first hybrid alfalfa, 
“It’s giving us a five percent yield advantage over generation one,” said Dairyland Seed Forage Product Manager Chad Staudinger during an interview at World Dairy Expo. “Through the hybrid breeding system we are able to commercially place F1 generation with 100 percent yield potential on-farm.”
Dinner time last night at the Global Dairy 500 Conference featured multiple subject discussions. You picked your topic and then participated in a discussion after eating.
Pioneer’s introduction last week of the 
“The fiber technology platform is a new technology that we have been working on in the forage additive area for about the last six years,” says Pioneer Senior Research Manager Bill Rutherford. “Essentially what we’re talking about is targeting a trait, fiber digestibility in plant materials, by the utilization of enzymes which are produced directly from a proprietary strain of lactobacillus buchneri in the silage inoculant.”