By Blake Jackson
The 2025 growing season has brought significant challenges, leaving many dairy farmers concerned about whether they will have enough high-quality forage to sustain their herds in the year ahead.
As the season moves toward its final stretch, it is critical to evaluate current forage supplies and develop strategies to meet herd requirements.
The PRO-DAIRY Forage Management webpage provides several resources to help farm teams make informed assessments and plan accordingly.
A newly released fact sheet highlights key considerations for forage management:
- Hay crops: Unfavorable weather during the first cutting led to large volumes of lower-quality hay on some farms. Accurately determining the nutritional value of hay currently in storage will be essential for deciding whether additional forage sources are needed.
- Corn silage: In many areas, inconsistent crop development may result in two distinct “cuttings.” Early-planted corn is expected to reach proper maturity with strong nutritional value if handled correctly. Later plantings, however, may need to be harvested before reaching full maturity. While this silage still has value, it must be managed separately and matched with the appropriate groups of animals.
- Grain crops for forage: Some late-planted corn intended for grain may not fully mature but can serve as a supplemental source of silage. In these cases, the resulting silage will likely be immature and should be evaluated carefully. Pricing immature silage remains difficult, making accurate feed assessments even more important.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-awakr10
Categories: New York, Crops, Hay & Forage