August 27, 2009

Forages, equipment, management strategies at heart of Forage Day

Purdue Forage Day, set for Sept. 17 near Cambridge City, Ind., combines educational sessions, demonstrations, challenges from an operating forage producer and university expertise to provide participants with solutions and ideas they can implement on their farm, said Keith Johnson, Purdue Extension forage management specialist.

Eric and Carrie Miles, owners of a 320-acre farm that sits at the intersection of Wayne, Fayette and Henry counties, will host Purdue Forage Day. The Miles make a living in part from cash crop hay production and helping area farmers harvest their hay, as well as straw production sales and beef cattle.

Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. with sessions to follow from 9 a.m. to noon. Sessions include: "Double Crop Forages and Cover Crops," by Greg Downing of the CISCO Cos., Dennis Brown of Byron Seed Supply and Johnson; "Weed Issues in Pasture," by Glenn Nice, Purdue weed scientist; "Bale Silage - Another Tool to Reduce Rain-Damaged Hay," by Jason Tower, Southern Indiana-Purdue Agricultural Center superintendent; and "Soil Test Results in Hand - Now What Should be Done?" by Jim Camberato, Purdue Extension soil fertility specialist.

Lunch will be available for a nominal fee, which is to be paid on site. After lunch, the Miles will be interviewed and recognized for their help in making the field day possible.

At 1:15 p.m., mowers, tedders and rakes, balers, wrappers and other equipment will be demonstrated until designated fields are harvested and baled.

The side-by-side equipment demonstrations are intended to show producers how they run when put in a field under sometimes not-so-ideal conditions, Johnson said. The demonstrations should be especially helpful to producers who are considering purchasing new or used equipment.

"This year it's been a challenge to make dry hay production throughout the season, particularly in southern Indiana," said Johnson, who also coordinates the annual field day. "So one of the topics we'll focus on is making hay crop silage from round bales. Essentially, this is harvesting the hay when it has a moisture content of 50 percent, wrapping and allowing fermentation to occur."

Making hay crop silage is another method to get the forage harvested in a more timely fashion, such that the quality can be improved and more hay can be harvested without rain damage occurring, Johnson explained.

Participants also can participate in the hay quality contest by bringing an unbroken small rectangular bale of hay and entering it before 11 a.m. The bale will be probed and results will be sent to producers within a few weeks. A certificate will be awarded by the Indiana Forage Council, and forage-related products will be provided by agribusinesses to the winner of each division (legume, grass and mixed hays).

"Entering a bale of hay into the contest is not just about who wins," Johnson said. "But it lets producers know how their hay stacks up against other hays in the region and in the state. This will determine how much hay and what supplements would need to be fed to get the proper nutrient profile, as well as provide some guidance for the asking price."

The Miles Farm is located at 2990 Heacock Road in Cambridge City. Directions to the farm are available at https://www.agry.purdue.edu/forageday/location.html

For more information, visit the Purdue Forage Day Web site at https://www.agry.purdue.edu/forageday/index.html  or contact Johnson at 765-494-4800, johnsonk@purdue.edu

Writer: Julie Douglas, 765-496-1050, douglajk@purdue.edu

Source: Keith Johnson, 765-494-4800, johnsonk@purdue.edu

Ag Communications: (765) 494-8415;
Steve Leer, sleer@purdue.edu
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