Скачать или смотреть Take it if you got it, but have a plan for spring forage management post-drought

Ontario's livestock producers enjoyed a decent start to the year, but that fortune turned after hay harvest as the rain quit falling in many areas of the province. As drought conditions linger in parts of the province, many farmers are trying to balance immediate forage needs with the long-term viability of perennial stands heading into winter.

Christine O’Reilly, forage and grazing specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness says that forage producers are facing a narrowing window for making some tough calls, like whether or not emergency annual forage, i.e. oats, will have enough time to make enough biomass before a killing frost, and whether or not to stress perennial stands with a harvest during the critical rest period.

She says that timing is everything for those considering late-season oats. “If farmers are sitting on the fence about whether or not to seed oats, if they're going to do it, it's got to be now, regardless of what that forecast looks like,” says O’Reilly.

Most of the province is in what is called the critical harvest window — where harvesting an alfalfa stand may decrease winter survival and decrease next year's first cut. O'Reilly prefers to think about it as the fall rest period, as this is a more accurate term. These weeks leading up to dormancy are when alfalfa and other perennial forages build root reserves ahead of winter.

Cutting or grazing during this window can stress the plants and reduce yield potential in the following year, but “When it comes to a year like the one that we've had… I know that the agronomy is the first thing that goes out the window. So if you need the feed… take it,” says O’Reilly. “But… you’ve added extra stress to that crop… the middle of the rest period is the riskiest for a winter kill problem.”

If you do take the feed now, O’Reilly recommends scouting alfalfa fields early in spring for plant counts and later for stem counts to determine economic viability. Fields falling below key thresholds may need to be rotated out. For grass-heavy stands, early fall nitrogen can help thicken swards and restore vigour. Fertility additions, especially potassium ahead of dormancy, can also support winter hardiness.

In short, producers must weigh short-term forage needs against long-term stand health and develop a spring plan to address any stress-induced damage. Check out the full conversation above (or download the mp3 to listen offline) for tips on timing, scouting thresholds, and fertility strategies for both alfalfa and grass-based forages.

Website: https://www.realagriculture.com/
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