Make the Best of This Spring's Weather
Make the Best of This Spring's Weather
Spring signals a new beginning - time to start a new crop season to supply the forages needed to feed our cattle for this next year. This new start lets us correct the mistakes and unfortunate circumstances that occurred during last year’s cropping year. Unfortunately or fortunately depending on the side of the fence you are standing, other nature provides us with a plentiful supply of spring rains. The key is to make the best of the situation and strive to achieve the goal of getting the highest quality forages planted and harvested. When the weather plays havoc with your best laid plans, take a deep breath, step back and remember to ....
Set priorities
Certain cropping enterprises are more time sensitive than others. For example, the majority of the growth of grasses and legumes takes place in the spring and they mature quickly. Also, timing of the first harvest sets the stage for quality, quantity, and timing of later harvests.
Harvesting forages on a timely basis needs to be a high priority so that you harvest quality feed. The quality of forages harvested this spring determines how well your cows milk this next year and the profitability of your operation.
Multi-tasking
You may have to do more than one cropping operation within a day. For example you may need to plant corn earlier in the day and later that afternoon harvest forage as baleage or hay.
Use your time wisely
Take advantage of small blocks of time to catch up on small jobs or to do small parts of larger jobs.
Plan ahead
Getting tasks done ahead of time helps decrease the number of chores needed to be done during the busiest time. For example, making sure that equipment is ready ahead-of-time, helps get you into the fields quicker when mother nature finally cooperates.
Author: Donna Amaral-Phillips
