Purdue News

August 23, 2002 Tour de forage: 'Twilight' event packed with info WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Better forage is only a 120-minute investment away. Livestock and forage producers can pick up useful advice during the Purdue Forage Management Twilight Tour. The free event packs a wealth of information into a two-hour program, scheduled for 6-8 p.m. Sept. 5 at the Purdue Crop Diagnostic Training and Research Center. The center is located at the Purdue Agronomy Research Center, about five miles west of Purdue's West Lafayette campus on U.S. 52. "This tour is an excellent opportunity for area livestock and forage producers to attend an educational event," said Keith Johnson, Purdue Extension forage specialist. "The program will provide them the tools to produce quality forage crops." The program will be divided into four sessions. Those attending the 6:05-6:35 p.m. opening session can choose from three topics: "Double-Crop Options," "Reducing Concern of Autotoxicity" and "Fence and Water." The latter topic will outline technology that can improve grazing systems. Other sessions include: • 6:35-7:05 p.m. – "Setting Up a Mower-Conditioner Properly." • 7:05-7:30 p.m. – "What is a Good Fertilization Program for Alfalfa?" • 7:30-8 p.m. – "Why Understanding Forage Quality is Important." Purdue Extension specialists, agribusiness professionals and Natural Resources Conservation Service representatives will lead the sessions. In addition, twilight tour attendees can visit the training center's weed and forage crop plots. Refreshments will be provided. The twilight tour follows the Purdue Forage Management Training Clinic, which runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. the same day at the Agronomy Research Center. The hands-on clinic addresses such topics as alfalfa fertilization, weed identification, forage mixtures and quality, autotoxicity, double-cropping, brown midrib trait and its impact on forage and an alfalfa variety trial. A concurrent afternoon session on fence/water issues and stocking rates/density will take place at Scholer Animal Sciences Farm, near Green Hill, Ind. Clinic registration is $70 per person or $60 for members of the Indiana Forage Council, Indiana Beef Cattle Association, Indiana Sheep Association, Indiana Horse Council and Indiana Professional Dairy Producers. The registration fee includes materials and lunch. Enrollment is limited to 60 people. For more information on either event, or to register for the clinic, call (765) 494-0820 or Purdue's toll-free Extension hotline at (888) EXT-INFO (398-4636). A clinic brochure is available on the crop diagnostic Web site and then clicking on "2002 Registration." CONTACT: Keith Johnson, (765) 494-4800. Writer: Beth Forbes, (765) 494-2722, bforbes@aes.purdue.edu Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722; Beth Forbes, bforbes@aes.purdue.edu; https://www.agriculture.purdue.edu/AgComm/public/agnews/ Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page