NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665

July 1, 1999

Forage Field Day To Be Held July 22 at NDSU Research Extension Center Near Minot

Forage production and use will be the focus of a field day Thursday, July 22, at the North Dakota State University North Central Research Extension Center near Minot.

"Producers are looking for options to use in their crop rotations to break insect and disease cycles," says John Dhuyvetter, an NDSU Extension livestock specialist at the center. "Forages can work, but to use them effectively requires information on production and management." At the same time, livestock producers are implementing more intensive grazing and forage production techniques.

"This field day will address some of the questions that are coming up because of the increase in forage acres we're seeing in the region," Dhuyvetter says.

The field day opens and 9:30 a.m. and concludes with lunch at about noon. The North Central Research Extension Center is located just south of Minot on U.S. Highway 83. Tours will feature trials on alfalfa establishment, varieties and management. Producers will also be able to learn about annual cool and warm season forage crops and view demonstration plots of various grass and forage species.

In addition, several producers will share experiences with grazing annual forages, intensive rotational grazing and using crop residue for winter feeding. Paul Klam of Watford City will discuss how he uses cool and warm season annuals for summer grazing of yearlings and stock cows. Robert Green of Towner will outline how he has implemented rotational grazing of native, tame and annual forages. Additional producers will discuss using chaff and barley straw for forage.

Several sponsoring businesses will explain new technologies and products for hay harvesting and feeding. Magic City Implement will display new hay cutting and feeding equipment. Representatives from Cow Country Supply and Purina Mills will discuss feed supplements and how to most effectively deliver them to cattle on forage diets. And employees of Premier Electric Fencing will discuss new technology for electric fences and show how they can be used in grazing systems.

For more information on the field day, contact Dhuyvetter at (701) 857-7682.

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Source: John Dhuyvetter (701) 857-7682

Editor: Tom Jirik (701) 231-9629