Pasture and Forage Minute

Spring is busy getting crops in the ground, but if much needed moisture keeps you from the field, take some time to maintain your haying equipment and prevent costly downtime later. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

The time for turn out to our primary summer pastures is coming soon.  A couple of important questions are what date to turn out, and which pastures should be first? Jerry Volesky, Nebraska Extension Range and Forage Systems Specialist.

Ideally, spring alfalfa growth begins with a full soil moisture profile. However, our
drier winter and Spring moisture conditions have triggered some earlier irrigation in
some Nebraska locations. Todd Whitney, Nebraska Extension Forage Agronomist.

As pastures green up this spring, there may be an opportunity for producers to get some early forage and manage weeds, flash grazing. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

As spring temperatures rise across Nebraska, now’s the time to plan your first alfalfa cutting. Getting that first cut right is more important than many realize—it sets the pace for the entire season. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

There are many producers looking at looking at ways to grow more forage for hay or pasture. Double cropping annual forages on irrigated cropland can be an option. With timely and adequate moisture, this can also be successful dryland as well. Jerry Volesky, Nebraska Extension Range and Forage Systems Specialist.

As the weather continues to warm across Nebraska, it is important to keep an eye on alfalfa fields for signs of Army Cutworm. Samantha Daniel, Nebraska Extension Crops and Water Educator.

I’ve had several producers ask what to do in the event of a drought. In addition to monitoring trigger dates, it’s crucial to plan for potential forage shortfalls. Shannon Sand, Nebraska Ag Economics Extension Educator.

Wheat can be grown for dual purpose (forage and grain) production in plains states. Grain production can be preserved if the grazing animals are removed from fields just prior to the jointing growth stage. Todd Whitney, Nebraska Extension Forage Agronomist.

Spring is a critical time to control weeds in alfalfa especially for thin alfalfa stands with fields older than four years. Todd Whitney, Nebraska Extension Forage Agronomist.

Grazing winter annuals such rye, winter wheat, or triticale commonly begins in April. All three of these forages can be very high in quality and reduce the need for feeding expensive hay while allowing additional time for spring growth of our perennial summer pastures. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

Fertilizing cool-season grass pastures or hayfields is something producers do each year while accounting for forage needs, the value of the forage, and fertilizer costs. Very important to remember this year is precipitation and soil moisture status as that moisture is needed to realize the grass response to the fertilizer. Jerry Volesky, Nebraska Extension Range and Forage Systems Specialist.

Fresh spring growth is a welcome sight for producers looking for animal forage. However, lush spring growth may be the perfect condition for a case of grass tetany. While turn out may be a ways off, mitigating this risk starts now. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

Spring is a time when we might be considering seeding some grass for pasture, hay or just to establish permanent plant cover for wildlife habitat. In some cases, this may involve attempting to improve or renovate an existing stand or establishing grass on former cropland or a disturbed site. Jerry Volesky, Nebraska Extension Range and Forage Systems Specialist.

Spring has officially sprung and now is a good time to start thinking about the insects that will be emerging and subsequently feeding on alfalfa, particularly alfalfa weevil. Samantha Daniel, Nebraska Extension Crops and Water Educator.

Were you expecting more from last year’s alfalfa yields? Did your plants get enough time to winterize in the fall? Do you have concerns about stand winter kill? Evaluating your alfalfa stand in the spring is key to planning management and setting expectations for this year. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

Inter-seeding cool-season perennial grasses into older alfalfa stands has been a good option to increase the productivity of that field. If planning a new alfalfa seeding this year, using a grass and alfalfa mixture can also have some advantages. Jerry Volesky, Nebraska Extension Range and Forage Systems Specialist.

It’s that time of year when the preliminary results for Nebraska Ag land and rental rates comes out. On average in 2025, the market value for all agricultural land in Nebraska was $3,935 per acre this is a 2% decrease from the previous year. Shannon Sand, Nebraska Ag Economics Extension Educator.

As temperatures begin to rise, don’t’ forget to take a bit of time to assess alfalfa stand health going into this year’s growing season. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.

As we enter the final weeks of winter and look towards the 2025 growing season, this is a great time to review your insect scouting program to ensure accurate and timely management of insect pests in your pasture acres. Samantha Daniel, Nebraska Extension Crops and Water Educator.

As we enter the final weeks of winter and look towards the 2025 growing season, this is a great time to review your insect scouting program to ensure accurate and timely management of insect pests in your alfalfa. Samantha Daniel, Nebraska Extension Crops and Water Educator.

What should you consider when making a pasture lease agreement? When leasing pastureland, here are some crucial factors to think about prior to signing a leasing agreement. Shannon Sand, Nebraska Ag Economics Extension Educator.

Now is the time to control winter annual weeds in alfalfa. Thin field stands combined with open soil surfaces and adequate moisture can result in high weed pressure. Todd Whitney, Nebraska Extension Forage Agronomist.

While we are still just in late winter, it is never too early to start thinking about the coming spring and summer’s grazing and forage plans. Jerry Volesky, Nebraska Extension Range and Forage Systems Specialist.

The time for spring planting alfalfa is just around the corner, and selecting the right seed is crucial. Two traits we should take extra time to consider are fall dormancy and winter survival. These traits are often treated the same, but are different. Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension Forage Systems Educator.