The 27th Annual Minnesota Forage Conference was held in conjunction with the Dairy Expo at the Holiday Inn in St. Cloud on Thursday, December 13, 2001.
| Special
thanks to:
Barenbrug Seed for sponsoring refreshments during the Pasture & Hay Workshop the following companies who exhibited:Agassiz Seeds, Phone: 701-282-8118Ag-Star, Phone: 320-251-8850Arig-King, Phone: 815-589-2525Barenbrug, Phone: 319-472-5569Croplan Genetics, Phone: 651-634-8107Dairyland Laboratories, Phone: 320-240-1737K Fence, Phone: 507-753-2943Proseed, Phone: 701-324-4177R.J. Hunt Seed Co., Phone: 218-631-4190Stearns DHIA Lab., Phone: 320-352-2028Sustainable Farming Assn of MN, Phone: 218-445-5475 |
Largest Attendance in Years at Joint Forage Conference/Dairy Expo at St. Cloud!
The innovation, enthusiasm, and optimism within Minnesota’s dairy industry, and the importance of forages to that industry, could not have been more evident than at St. Cloud on December 13. With over 475 in attendance, this was the largest crowd in recent years on hand for the joint Minnesota Dairy Expo and 27th Annual Forage Conference.
The program began with a "1-2 punch" of rousing speakers that surely instilled a sense of optimism in the attendees. Jim Harsdorf, Wisconsin’s Secretary of Agriculture by day and a progressive dairyman just across the border in Beldenville, WI by night, opened the program with an informative, reassuring talk entitled "Dairy: Being Part of a Growth Industry." He was followed by Hank Wagner, a progressive dairyman from Oconto Falls, WI, who shared his thoughts on "Creating Your Future in the Dairy Industry." Dr. Marcia Endres, MFGC President and University of Minnesota Extension Dairy Scientist, then talked about the importance of MFGC and forages to the dairy industry. The morning general session concluded with a presentation on "Programs to Help Dairy Producers in Minnesota" by Bob LeFebvre of Minnesota Milk Producers.
MFGC sponsored one of the afternoon concurrent sessions. The first half of MFGC’s session was a panel discussion on "Contracting Forages: Grower and Dairy Manager Perspectives," moderated by Dan Martens, Benton County Extension Educator. The panel featured Roger Bechtold, dairyman; Dr. Steve Wignes, dairyman; and Gene and Brian Miller, forage producers. The attendance and lively discussion evidenced the timeliness and level of interest on this topic. The panel session was followed by a presentation on "Corn Silage Quality: Is There a Way to Evaluate It?" by Drs. Marcia Endres and Jim Linn, both University of Minnesota Extension Dairy Scientists. The information they presented helped attendees better understand how to
most effectively evaluate the nutritive value of their corn silage. The other breakout sessions covered: Making Profitable Decisions on Dairies, Minnesota’s Dairy Industry: Different Challenges, Common Ground, Demystifying Milk Marketing, and A New Look at Cow Comfort - Studying Cow Behavior with Time Lapse Video. Thanks to all the speakers and panelists. And special thanks to the 50 exhibitors and those of you who attended – your support was key to the success of this event!
Pasture and Hay Workshop a Success
Cattle, sheep, and horse owners (and even a yak owner) got their questions about hay and pasture management on small acreages answered at St. Cloud on December 13. The MFGC hosted an evening workshop for these folks following the joint Forage Conference/Dairy Expo held earlier that day.
The general session included presentations on grazing management on small acreages, what and how to plant for pasture and hay, and weed control in pastures. The general session was followed by concurrent panel discussions: one for horse owners, the other for cattle and sheep owners. The entire program was very interactive with lots of discussion and questions and answers.
Written presentations from the meeting are available at a cost of $10. Contact MFGC at (651) 436-3930 or by email at: mfgc@umn.edu.
For complete program and details, follow the links provided:
Pasture and Hay Workshop Program
