Forage U-Pick Seed Calculator is a valuable tool for producers

May 07, 2024

The moisture over the last few weeks is a welcome sight for farmers and ranchers as they focus on seeding this year's crop.

The additional precipitation will help to replenish soil moisture and dugouts while helping to boost pasture growth.

For producers looking at seeding forages this spring, the Forage U-Pick Seed Rate Calculator is a valuable tool available through your provincial forage associations or the Beef Research Council website.

Producers select their zone or province and then determine what forages are suited to their field, the seeding rate and forage weed management.

When selecting what forages are suited for your area, it provides a soil zone map and walks you through a series of questions looking at the priorities for the field.

Examples include: Will it be hay or pasture land? When will it be used? What type of plants are you looking at? ( tame, native, grass or legume varieties) and then How long are you looking at keeping the stand? What type of soil are you working with?

The ideal time for seeding forages is generally in the spring, when moisture is more readily available and weed pressure may be limited.

Seeding rates should be adjusted when seeding into low-quality seedbeds, or areas with high or low moisture.

When it comes to evaluating that forage stand it is important to measure the number of seedlings in a given area, check several locations and
look for uniformity in the field. Producers may need to look at re-seeding if they don't get the establishment they want.

Source : Pembinavalley online

Video: Winter Canola Trial in Mississippi | Can It Work for Double Cropping? | Pioneer Agronomy

Can winter canola open new opportunities for growers in the Mid-South? In this agronomy update from Noxubee County, Mississippi, Pioneer agronomist Gus Eifling shares an early look at a first-year winter canola trial and what farmers are learning from the field.

Planted in late October on 30-inch rows, the crop is now entering the bloom stage and progressing quickly. In this video, we walk through current field conditions, fertility management, and how timing could make this crop a valuable option for double-cropping soybeans or cotton.

If harvest timing lines up with early May, growers may be able to transition directly into another crop during ideal planting windows. Ongoing field trials will help determine whether canola could become a viable rotational option for the region.

Watch for:

How winter canola is performing in its first season in this Mississippi field

Why growers chose 30-inch rows for this trial

What the crop looks like as it moves from bolting into bloom

Fertility strategy, including nitrogen and sulfur applications

How canola harvest timing could enable double-cropping with soybeans or cotton

Upcoming trials comparing soybeans after canola vs. traditional planting

As more growers look for ways to maximize acres and diversify rotations, experiments like this help determine what new crops might fit into existing systems.