Farm Help

Forage and beef cattle specialists have long known and touted the benefits of clovers.

Dyed diesel is not allowed in use of private on-road vehicles. Farm producers or others who do so risk damaging their engines, voiding their vehicles’ warranty, and, if they’re caught, a big fine.

Bermuda grass hay has become a product of interest for producers looking to increase hay yields in the hot summer months. The Quality Forage program out of northwest Arkansas led by University of Arkansas Extension Agent Robert Seay, has prompted regional producers to take Bermuda hay to a new level. With relative feed scores exceeding 100, Seay believes with the right methods, bermuda hay can be a viable option for regional producers looking to get the most out of their pastures and their hay crop.

What, how, when, where.

Although round baleage is becoming a popular method of harvesting and storing forages for dairy and beef producers, dry round bales is still a common method of handling and storing dry forages. Improperly stored round bales can result in substantial losses for the producer. Outside, uncovered storage of round bales is very common. Many times, bales are stored along a fence row. While this method avoids the cost of a storage structure or site preparation, forage losses can be very high. The amount of forage lost during outside storage depends upon several factors, including the duration of storage, precipitation, site drainage, bale density and bale dimensions. Dry matter loss can range from five percent to more than 40 percent. In the Midwest, with storage periods often exceeding several months, forage loss is seldom below 15 percent.

Cattle ranchers are taking advantage of the increasing availability of corn by-products in their rations. The ethanol industry alone used 4.5 billion bushels of corn and sorghum this past year, yielding about 15 million tons of distillers grains, a high-protein, high-fat feedstuff.

Forage and beef cattle specialists have long known and touted the benefits of clovers.

We asked Steve Gray, owner of Perrin and Gray in Fort Smith, Ark., to fill us in on the best tractor maintenance tips.

Spring calving season is just around the corner, and there are a few steps producers can take to make sure that we get the most from our calf crop now, and in years to come.

AUniversity of Arkansas animal scientist says with the right preparation, any rancher can keep his cattle on grass for 300 days… or even longer. That and more, as 2010 speeds ahead – tips for planning your land management.