Cover crops expand forage options, but require management of potential nutritional and medical issues, according to Travis Meteer, University of Illinois Extension commercial agriculture beef educator. Find out more in this article from Farm Week Now.

The 2019 growing season has been challenging to say the least, especially when it came to planting and harvesting forages for winter feeding. The wet conditions didn’t allow for entry into fields on time or even for planting crops in some fields. But there are fall-forage options available to plant to extend winter and early-spring feed supply.

Cover crops protect soil and water quality and often provide a valuable source of livestock feed. However, not much research has been done regarding the value and viability of using cover crops for forage. A new study supported by the Iowa Nutrient Research Center and Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture evaluated the use of cover crops to get a better understanding of its forage yield and quality, cattle performance, and soil health. Find out more in this article by Michaela King with Hay & Forage Grower.

As a challenging row crop planting season finally wraps up for 2019 in South Dakota, many producers are looking to plant cover crops on unplanted acres to provide forage, control weeds, reduce erosion and improve soil health, according to a press release from South Dakota State University Extension.

While cover crops offer flexibility in cropping systems and a great source of livestock feed, they could pose a risk of nitrate toxicity, according to Janna Block, livestock systems specialist at North Dakota State University’s Hettinger Research Extension Center.