Forages and Field Crops

Most of New Hampshire’s dairy, livestock, and equine operations rely heavily on forage crops for animal feed. Cattle, sheep, and horses have the ability to utilize forages efficiently, and producers work towards harvesting quality forages that can support animal production while minimizing feed purchased off-farm.

Forage crops, mostly hay crops, pastures, and silage corn, account for over 100,000 acres statewide and are valued at approximately $28 million. These crops support a $116 million animal industry.

UNH Cooperative Extension’s forage crop programming focuses on:

• Forage quality for efficient animal production
• An integrated approach to forage crop pest management
• Effective nutrient management that results in achieving yield goals while protecting soil and water resources

Some of the events and activities include:

• Pasture walks that allow graziers to learn effective pasture management techniques and to benefit from each others’ experience
• Workshops and crop meetings that deliver current information on pest management, cropping practices that maximize forage quality, and pasture management.
• On-farm visits to meet the needs of individual producers
• Evaluating new or alternative forage crops

Publications

• 2007 NH Guide to Specific Weed Problems in Corn
• 2007 NH Guide to Specific Weed Problems in Forage
• Conventional Seeding of Hay and Pastureland
• Establishing Forage Seedlings
• Hay Quality
• Hay & Haylage
• Haymaking
• Improving Pastures and Hayfields
• Managing Smooth Bedstraw in Forage Crops
• Pasture Production with Selected Forage Species

Links

• Cornell Guide for Integrated Crop Managment
• Cornell University Forage-Livestock Systems
• The Northeast Grazing Guide
• The Penn State Agronomy Guide
• University of Vermont Crops and Soils Page