Sunn hemp can boost summer pastures
Learn how planting sunn hemp in summer can enhance forage quality, fix nitrogen and support livestock through heat and drought.
Kentucky bluegrass: Too much of a good thing?
Learn how excess Kentucky bluegrass in pastures can limit forage yield and when to interseed alternative grasses for better productivity.
Use summer annual forages to build your grazing forage base
STOCKTON, Mo. – “Summer annuals are a good way to add diversity and build pasture stands for the upcoming grazing season,” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist. Summer annuals are a tool to improve thin pastures stands, help begin the renovations process and add forage diversity to improve cattle productivity. Davis will discuss some summer annuals that can help improve cattle grazing pastures…
MU Extension recruiting farmers for grassland improvement project
Recruiting farmers to adopt grassland management practices for improved forage productivity and environmental benefits with specialist support.
Saving the herd with milo grazing
See how grazing standing milo rescued a herd during drought by cutting winter feed costs and labor.
What to do if you're short on hay this winter
Learn strategies to stretch hay, use supplements, and manage cattle efficiently during a winter hay shortage.
What to feed when there's nothing to feed
Tips for feeding cattle during low hay supplies, including alternative feeds and strategies to reduce costs and maintain herd health.
Cattle producers urged to watch for prussic acid poisoning
Cattle may face prussic acid poisoning from sorghum grasses; monitor pastures carefully to prevent sudden livestock deaths.
Native warm-season grasses help feed livestock through drought
Discover how native warm-season grasses can sustain forage for livestock during drought by offering heat-tolerant feed when cool-season grasses decline.
Cover Crop Decision Tool provides choices for grazing
Use a free online tool to select cover crops for fall and winter grazing based on soil, rotation, and farm goals.
MU Extension to hold crop and forage chat in Palmyra
Farmers in northeastern Missouri can get free crop and forage updates from specialists at an August Palmyra event.
If you still have grass, grow now, graze later
Stockpile Missouri pastures by fertilizing now and delaying grazing to save hay and boost forage quality through winter.
Now is time for 911 emergency forages
Explore emergency forage options to sustain livestock during ongoing drought and feed shortages.
Drought meetings offered in SW Missouri Aug. 4
Attend free SW Missouri meetings Aug. 4 for cattle producers on drought survival, hay management, and feeding strategies.
Seed for an 'annual pasture within a perennial pasture'
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Producers looking for ways to grow forages during drought might consider planting an “annual pasture within a perennial pasture,” says University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Harley Naumann.Naumann says this is a good year to add cool-season annual grass seed to perennial pastures. Cool-season grasses can extend the growing season, provide excellent nutritive value and complement thin pastures.
Don't waste precious hay during drought
Protect hay during drought by feeding wisely, reducing waste, and improving herd performance with simple strategies.
Top 5 livestock forage actions to take during drought
Learn five key actions to manage livestock forage and feed effectively during drought conditions.
Ammoniation stretches hay supplies during drought
This is part of an MU Extension series to help row crop and livestock producers manage drought. For more articles, go to Drought Resources. COLUMBIA, Mo. – As hay supplies dwindle, University of Missouri Extension agronomist Rusty Lee is showing forage producers how to use a simple, inexpensive treatment to stretch feed supplies during drought.
Use spray-wait-spray to renovate drought-stricken pastures
Learn how the spray-wait-spray method can renovate drought-hit pastures with nontoxic fescue efficiently.
What is the cost of baling wheat straw?
Learn how to calculate the cost of baling wheat straw by weighing nutrient value, soil impacts, baling charges, and profit margins for fair pricing.
MU Extension specialists report thin pasture stands, low yields
Dry conditions are causing thin pastures and low hay yields across Missouri, stressing farmers and livestock producers this spring.
Cut hay now and cut it high for best yield, persistence
COLUMBIA, Mo. – It’s time to make the first cutting of hay in Missouri, says University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Craig Roberts.Waiting too long leads to poor-quality feed for livestock next winter. For best quality, harvest hay in May before seed heads pollinate, says Roberts.
Mowing hay low may cost money, time
GALENA, Mo. – There are many reasons to avoid cutting low when mowing hay, but money is the main one, says University of Missouri Extension agronomist Tim Schnakenberg.
Look at fescue seed labels for best results
Check fescue seed labels to ensure healthy livestock and long-lasting pastures with the right novel-endophyte seed.
Save money on fertilizer with soil tests
Learn how soil testing can help farmers apply fertilizer more precisely, cut costs and protect the environment.