Abstract

Perennial grasses are the main forage source for most dairy farms in the Northeastern United States (referred to hereafter as the Northeast). However, annual forages have been increasing in popularity throughout the region, especially on grass-based farms where these forages can be used to boost stored feed reserves and pasture productivity throughout the season. Several factors are leading farmers to consider annual forages. First, cool season pasture perennials such as timothy, orchardgrass, and clover are prone to slow recovery periods and reductions in overall productivity when conditions get hot and dry, a phenomenon colloquially as “summer slump”. Additionally, the Northeast continues to face increasingly extreme and unpredictable weather conditions that further challenge the productivity of our traditional forage production systems. Unfavorable weather conditions can impede perennial forage stand establishment, survival, productivity, and quality. Furthermore, as feed prices increase and milk prices decrease, farmers are seeking strategies to increase production of homegrown forages to supplement pasture and minimize the cost of purchasing feed.

Keywords

Vermont, University of Vermont, UVM Extension, Northwest Crops & Soils

Publication Date

12-2021

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