Nutrition

Forage quality . . . what’s better than snowballs?

– Stan Smith, PA, Fairfield County OSU Extension

Much of Ohio’s 2025 first cutting hay was beyond optimum maturity when it was harvested. Lab analysis indicates little first cutting has adequate quality to meet the nutritional needs of beef cows in lactation or even gestation.

As we recently began our 30th year of publishing the Ohio BEEF Cattle letter I took a look at the hot topics that were up for discussion in 1996. Looking back it’s interesting to note we were concerned with how best we could manage feeding poor quality hay resulting from a very wet spring of ‘96, alternatives for feeding cows when faced with a shortage of high-quality feed, and marketing calves from a declining U.S. cow herd. Sound familiar?

While it may feel like déjà vu all over again, today let’s only consider the feed management concerns we’re dealing with and leave calf marketing for another time. If there was any question regarding this year’s hay and forage quality, I hope you agree they were laid to rest a couple weeks ago when the results of 180 forage samples collected by OSU Extension throughout Ohio were released. To recap, only one of all the 180 samples tested will support a 1200 pound lactating beef cow and only a few will Continue reading Forage quality . . . what’s better than snowballs? →

Feeds and Feeding 2025: All over the place!

– Victor Shelton, Retired NRCS Agronomist/Grazing Specialist

Test hay for quality!

There’s an old saying that goes, “Droughty weather makes you worry, wet spells will make you starve.” This year, it sure feels that way. Some areas were too wet, making it tough to make hay or even get into the fields.  Other areas stayed dry and struggled to grow much at all. Now, with some much-needed rain, pastures have bounced back and cool-season forages have turned greener almost overnight. It’s a welcome sight, but one thing is still clear: forage growth is slowing down with shorter days, hay quality is all over the board and the choices we make this fall are going to carry right into next spring.

When grass greens back up, the temptation is to try and get as much grazing in as possible by grazing pastures tighter. I get it—we all want to stretch what’s out there. But grazing down to the nubbins usually does more harm than good. Plants need four inches of stubble to keep a solar panel working, to catch dew and to Continue reading Feeds and Feeding 2025: All over the place! →

What is Your Corn Fodder Worth?

– Heidi Reed, Extension Educator, Agronomy, Penn State University and Tara Felix, Extension Beef Specialist, Penn State University

Keep it in the field, bale it, or graze it?

There are three main strategies to manage fodder (also called stover or residue) after corn grain harvest: keep it in the field, bale it, or graze it.

Keeping Fodder in the Field
One of the benefits of keeping corn fodder in the field is soil conservation. The NRCS recommends keeping soils covered as much as possible for improved soil health. High levels of soil cover and roughness reduce soil loss according to RUSLE2, a tool used by NRCS to estimate erosion potential. Corn fodder left on the soil surface after grain harvest can easily provide 90 to 95% cover; additionally, the remaining standing cornstalks increase field roughness. Conversely, removing fodder through baling or grazing can reduce Continue reading What is Your Corn Fodder Worth? →

Linder joins Department of Animal Sciences as Assistant Professor of Ruminant Nutrition

Dr. Haley Linder, Assistant Professor of Ruminant Nutrition

Dr. Haley Linder has joined the Ohio State University Department of Animal Sciences as an Assistant Professor of Ruminant Nutrition. Her appointment is split between teaching, extension, and research. Haley is originally from Hampshire, IL. She earned her Ph.D. in Animal Sciences from the University of Illinois, where her dissertation research focused on the metabolic effects of acidosis in both the rumen and hindgut of beef cattle. She also holds an M.S. from the University of Nebraska and a B.S. from the University of Missouri.

Her research focuses on feedlot cattle nutrition, with particular interest in integrating nutritional strategies and emerging technologies to improve feed efficiency and support animal health. Haley is passionate about extension and looks forward to collaborating with producers and industry stakeholders to deliver practical, research-based solutions to the field.

Linder’s contact information:
Email: linder.129@osu.edu
Office Phone: 614-247-1092

FAQs about Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) in Farm Ponds used to Water Livestock

– Dr. Michelle Arnold, DVM, MPH UK Ruminant Extension Veterinarian

Figure 1: Pond in Scott County-Photo courtesy of Dr. Michelle Arnold, University of Kentucky

Water is the most essential nutrient in the diet of cattle and during hot and dry weather, it is especially important to monitor water quality if using farm ponds for livestock.

What is a “harmful algae bloom” or “HAB”? During periods of hot and dry weather, rapid growth of algae to extreme numbers may result in a “bloom”, which is a build-up of algae that creates a green, blue-green, white, orange, or brown coloring on the surface of the water, like a floating layer of paint (see Figure 1). Blooms are designated “harmful” because some algal species release toxins (poisons) when stressed or when they die. The majority of HABs are caused by blue-green algae, a type of bacteria called “cyanobacteria” that exist naturally in water and wet environments. These microorganisms prefer warm, stagnant, nutrient-rich water and are found most often in ponds, lakes, and slow moving creeks. Farm ponds contaminated with fertilizer run-off, septic tank overflow or direct manure and urine contamination are Continue reading FAQs about Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) in Farm Ponds used to Water Livestock →

Add Value by Adding Pounds

– Dr.Jeff Lehmkuhler, Extension Professor and Beef Cattle Specialist, University of Kentucky

Kentucky appears similar to Ohio on the Drought Monitor.

This year has been a year of extremes for precipitation. I pulled up the KYMesonet data from the Franklin County location. The total recorded precipitation was 10.9” for April, 8.8” in May, 7.3” in June, only 3.6” in July and a meager 0.5” in August. If we go a few miles east to the Lexington Mesonet recording station April was similar at 10.1”, 7.6” in May, June was 3.3” while July and August recorded only 2.0” of monthly precipitation. The high levels of precipitation in the spring made hay harvesting a challenge. This concerns me as most of the first cutting hay was cut late at a mature stage. Late-cut hay will have lower than normal nutritional value. I encourage you to work with your county extension agent or nutritionist to get your hay tested for nutrient content. The low levels of precipitation in July and August has led to much of the state experiencing abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions which can be shown by the US Drought Monitor map below. A bit of relief has come to some areas this week, but hopefully more rain will come to get some grass growth yet this fall.

The current forage conditions combined with the high feeder cattle prices and low grain/commodity feed prices have aligned in a manner that signals Continue reading Add Value by Adding Pounds →

Navigating Forage Quality in a Year of Extremes . . . Again!

– Garth Ruff, Beef Cattle and Livestock Marketing Field Specialist, OSU Extension, Ted Wiseman, OSU Extension, Perry County, Stan Smith, PA, Fairfield County OSU Extension

Forage analysis from many Ohio counties make it apparent we should be concerned about forage quality!

“If you can’t change the situation, you adapt.” That’s a familiar mindset for many in agriculture, and it’s especially true in 2025. This growing season has brought another round of extreme weather across Ohio and the Midwest, making forage production unpredictable and challenging.

After what was considered one of the worst droughts in Ohio history in 2024, this year flipped the script with heavy spring rains and scattered summer storms. While the moisture helped pastures grow and may have allowed for multiple hay cuttings, it also made drying difficult. That led to inconsistent forage quality and a higher risk of mold and spoilage.

Recognizing the challenges producers are facing with forage quality, the Ohio State University Extension Beef Team launched a statewide effort to get a clearer picture of what’s really out there. Teaming up with 29 Extension educators across Ohio, 180 forage samples were collected and tested from Continue reading Navigating Forage Quality in a Year of Extremes . . . Again! →

Harvesting Corn Silage at the Correct Moisture While Being Cautious of Nitrates

– Jason Hartschuh, OSU Extension Field Specialist, Dairy management and Precision Livestock

Nitrate toxicity in the corn silage is a risk during drought-stressed periods.

Corn silage harvest is a critical time of year for dairy and beef operations, as the quality of the silage harvested determines the farm’s success or failure for the following year. As drier weather sets into the state it will decrease the risk of compaction during corn silage harvest but may set up a few other challenges such as timing harvest moisture correctly and Nitrate toxicity. While we have not heard of any difficulties with nitrate toxicity in the corn silage that has been harvested, this is always a risk during drought-stressed periods. Anytime plant growth slows due to conditions such as drought or cold weather, nitrates accumulate in the lower stalk. The most significant risk then comes for the next 3 to 5 days after a soaking rain, when the plant starts growing again, moving these nitrates up the plant. Higher nitrate corn silage can be managed by increasing cutting height and making sure silage ferments for at least 21 days, during which the nitrate changes to ammonia in the feed. During this time, nitrate levels generally decline by . . .

Continue reading Harvesting Corn Silage at the Correct Moisture While Being Cautious of Nitrates

Forage Analysis has likely never been so important

– Stan Smith, PA, Fairfield County OSU Extension

With what became known as perhaps the worst drought in Ohio history in 2024 followed by an extremely wet spring of 2025, perhaps never more than now has the adage “you can’t manage what you don’t measure” been more valid or meaningful to those trying to feed a beef cow. While cattlemen are concerned about the quality of Ohio’s late made forages this spring and early summer, it’s important for those who are balancing the needs of cows in various stages of production to know the nutritional value of the various feedstuffs they may be utilizing.

In this excerpt from one of the OSU Extension Beef Team’s 2021 Beef School sessions, Perry County Educator Ted Wiseman goes over the interpretation of a forage analysis and how the wide range in forage quality we’re seeing may need to be supplemented.

Find Wiseman’s presentation Analyzing Forage Quality to Meet the Nutritional Needs of the Beef Cow in it’s entirety linked here.

Hay Quality 2025 . . . Been there, done that!

– Stan Smith, PA, Fairfield County OSU Extension (originally published in Ohio Farmer on-line)

A forage probe might be the most valuable tool you use this year!

Once again when discussing hay harvest, we find ourselves in the midst of a conversation about timeliness and resulting quality concerns. It’s beginning to sound like a broken record or at very least an annual event. About all I can say is what most any Midwest farmer might say . . . been there, done that . . .

Yet again, in what’s seemingly become this annual occurrence of delayed hay harvest, quality forage, especially dry hay is in short supply throughout Ohio. This time it results largely from drought last summer, followed by wet, poor hay making spring weather of 2025. Combine that with spring pastures that matured quickly and became trampled due to wet grazing conditions and now, in mid-2025, we find the Continue reading Hay Quality 2025 . . . Been there, done that! →