American Forage and Grassland Council Technology Interaction and Policy Development

The American Forage and Grassland Council (AFGC) is a national organisation which has been in existence since 1968. Membership of AFGC is about 2,500. The membership of AFGC is divided into three main sectors: private, public and industry. The private sector has the largest membership (60%), and private members are usually producers that are engaged in some type of agricultural enterprise involving the use of forages. The public sector members (30%) are educators and other government agency personnel that work with the general public. The industry sector (10%) involves various companies that deal with the forage industry. The AFGC Board of Directors is composed of 18 members, 6 from each sector. Most of the AFGC membership belongs to an affiliate council. There are currently 25 affiliate councils in the United States, most of which are located in the eastern, southern and midwestern regions of the country. There is one affiliate council located in Canada (Ontario). One of the major strengths of AFGC lies in its diversity of membership among the three sectors. The primary core purpose of AFGC is to advance forage agriculture and grassland stewardship. This organisation has the vision to be recognised as the leader and voice of economically and environmentally sound forage agriculture

Cultivar Test in South Dakota, 1991 Report: Alfalfa Yields

Public and commercial breeding programs produce new alfalfa cultivars for the market every year. Selecting the proper cultivar for your situation is no easy task, and you should have yield information from several South Dakota locations to make a proper choice. From the SDSU Alfalfa Cultivar Yield Tests you can compare the critical forage production characteristics-yield, winterhardiness, and disease resistance-for available cultivars and experimental lines at several locations in South Dakota

Cultivar Test in South Dakota, 1989 Report: Alfalfa Yields

Fifteen to 20 new alfalfa cultivars are released annually through public and commercial breeding programs. To select a cultivar for your operation, you will need information on forage yield, winterhardiness, and disease resistance. The alfalfa cultivar yield test of the Plant Science Department at SDSU determines relative forage production characteristics for available cultivars and experimental lines at several locations in South Dakota

Cultivar Test in South Dakota, 1988 Report: Alfalfa Yields

About 15 new alfalfa cultivars are released each year. Many of these cultivars are on the market, and you need to know their forage yields under South Dakota conditions before you can select one for your operation. Such yield information is given here for available cultivars and experimental lines at several locations in the state

Cultivar Test in South Dakota, 1990 Report: Alfalfa Yields

New alfalfa cultivars come on the market every year. Selecting the right one for your situation takes a little study on your part. From the SDSU Alfalfa Cultivar Yield Tests you can compare the critical forage production characteristics--yield, winterhardiness, and disease resistance--for available cultivars and experimental lines at several locations in South Dakot

Grass Seed Production in South Dakota Guidelines

Finding ways to supplement a farm income can be difficult, yet many producers have found alternative enterprises for their farming operation. One of which many South Dakota farmers are considering is growing grass seed. Because of the increased demand for grass seed it is fast becoming a profitable alternative to traditional or row-crop production. The economic viability of producing grass seed can vary widely. However, with an understanding of the risks involved--production costs, the weather, government programs, and the presence of weeds and damaging insects—growing grass seed can be a worthwhile investment. Producers need to be aware that decisions to produce grass seed should be based not only on the perceived profitability of such a crop but also their ability to handle risk. Government programs which influence grass seed prices, such as the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), are subject to budget cuts and provisions. It was the CRP itself that increased the demand for grass seed by developing provisions to reduce surplus grain stocks by decreasing crop acreages. Also, given the apparent profitability of grass seed production, many producers will probably start up. This will increase grass seed supplies in the years ahead, resulting in downward pressure on prices. This bulletin is intended to aid South Dakota producers in the establishment and management of grass seed production acreages. Economic and marketing concerns are also addressed

Alfalfa Cultivar Yield Test for South Dakota: 1992 Report

Public and commercial breeding programs have produced many alfalfa cultivars for the market in the past 15 years. Selecting the proper cultivar for your needs is no easy task, and you should have yield information from several different South Dakota locations before making your choice. The Alfalfa Cultivar Yield Test reports relative forage production characteristics for available cultivars and experimental lines at several locations in South Dakota

Alfalfa Cultivar Yield Test for South Dakota: 1993 Report

Public and commercial breeding programs have produced many alfalfa cultivars in the last 15 years. That makes selecting the proper cultivar for your needs no easy task, for you should have yield information from several South Dakota locations before choosing. The Alfalfa Cultivar Yield Test reports relative forage production characteristics for available cultivars and experimental lines at several locations in South Dakota

Sampling of Large Round and Large Square Bales

Four hay probes were used to sample four lots of hay. The lots of hay were as follows: alfalfa large round bales, alfalfa large square bales, alfalfa-grass mix large round bales, and alfalfa-grass mix large square bales. Probes used were as follows: E-Z Probe, John Skogberg handcrafted probe, Utah Hay Sampler, and Frontier Mills probe. Six bales from each lot were sampled. Dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) percentages and relative feed value (RFV) were predicted by near infrared reflectance spectroscopy. Bale variation within hay type was much greater than probe variation. Bale variation was significant for all measurements except DM. Probe type only affected NDF% and RFV