Proper outside large round bale storage reduces hay losses

STOCKTON, Mo. – “As hay season continues, I see a lot of large round hay bales being stored outside,” says University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist Patrick Davis. If hay is not stored properly outside, farmers can see significant dry matter and quality losses. Factors that contribute to these losses include:

July 23 farm tour to showcase warm-season grasses

MOUNT VERNON, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension will hold a free farm tour on July 23 to highlight two successful Lawrence County farm operations that use native warm-season grasses in their forage programs.

SW Missouri forage conference is Feb. 21 in Springfield

The 39th annual Southwest Missouri Spring Forage Conference is set for Tuesday, Feb. 21, at the Oasis Hotel and Convention Center, 2546 N. Glenstone Ave., Springfield.“As farmers and livestock grazers continue to deal with drought conditions and high input costs, the conference planning committee has themed the 2023 conference ‘Doing More With Less,’” said Patrick Davis, a University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Patrick…

Pastures, goats benefit from grazing an invasive species

GRAVOIS MILLS, Mo. – Cattle don’t like eating sericea lespedeza, an invasive species in Missouri pastures. But goats do, according to research at the University of Missouri’s Land of the Osages Research Farm in central Missouri.MU Extension forage specialist Harley Naumann found that goats are also getting a health benefit from sericea lespedeza.