Pasture and Forage Minute

Apr 18 2025 128 ep. 1 mins 37

Pasture and Forage Minute Podcast artwork

Pasture and forage management is the foundation for sustainable grazing livestock agriculture. Join the Nebraska Extension Forage Systems team for timely topics aimed at practical pasture and forage management strategies.

Copy RSS

Subscribe on Podcast Addict

Alfalfa Early Season Weed Control

Apr 18 2025 2 mins

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 Spring Cereal Grains

Apr 16 2025 1 mins

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

Apr 14 2025 2 mins

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

Grass Tetany

Apr 09 2025 1 mins

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 Grass Seeding

Apr 07 2025 2 mins

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.

Alfalfa Weevil Prep

Apr 02 2025 1 mins

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.

Evaluating Alfalfa Stands – Stand Counts

Mar 31 2025 1 mins

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.

Grass And Alfalfa Mixtures

Mar 26 2025 2 mins

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.

2025 Preliminary Nebraska Pasture and Cattle Land Values and Rental Rates

Mar 24 2025 2 mins

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.

Spring Alfalfa Plant Evaluation

Mar 19 2025 1 mins

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.