HILBERT, Wis. — With an increased focus on promoting soil health, many farmers are looking to alternative ways to control weed and disease pests, as well as produce high quality forage for their beef and dairy herds. Strategies such as growing soybeans in rolled and crimped rye have shown promise in suppressing yield robbing pests, such as waterhemp and white mold, while also helping to reduce soil erosion. While alternative forages, such as warm season grasses and forage cocktail mixes, are increasingly being used to produce high quality feed, while also supporting increased nutrient use efficiency, soil conservation and soil health promotion.
To answer management and production questions associated with these practices, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Division of Extension and the Calumet and Outagamie County Forage Councils are hosting a pair of field plot tours near Hilbert, Wisconsin on Wednesday, August 4th to showcase these cropping innovations.
Beginning at 10 am, at the intersection of Custer and Elm Road – Hilbert, Dr. Rodrigo Werle, Extension Cropping Systems Weed Scientist, and Dr. Damon Smith, Extension Field Crop Pathologist, will discuss the identification of and various management strategies for controlling waterhemp and white mold, respectively. The status of herbicide resistant weeds will also be discussed. Attendees will tour a current UW research plot evaluating the use of rolled and crimped cereal rye on weed and white mold suppression. Additionally, Dan Smith, Outreach Specialist with the Nutrient and Pest Management Program, will outline and demonstrate the importance of proper combine cleaning to prevent the spread of weed seeds during harvest.
At 12:30 pm, at N8444 Rosner Road – Hilbert, Kevin Jarek, Extension Outagamie County, will discuss the production of alternative forages, including sorghum-sudangrass and cocktail mixes, and provide a tour of a Midwest Forage Association-funded research plot evaluating the impact of fertilization strategies on forage production and quality of sorghum-sudangrass and an annual ryegrass cocktail mix. Dr. Matt Akins, Extension Dairy Specialist, will follow discussing strategies for optimizing the use of alternative forages in dairy diets.
Both field tours are free and attendees can choose to attend one or both tours. Light refreshments will be provided at each location. Transportation between sites is not provided.
Pre-registration is encouraged, but not required at https://tinyurl.com/CalumetPlots. Questions can be directed to Jamie Patton with the Nutrient and Pest Management Program at jjpatton2@wisc.edu or 608-807-8530.
Field plot tours are sponsored by UW-Madison, Division of Extension, Nutrient and Pest Management Program, Outagamie Forage Council, Calumet County Forage Council, and Midwest Forage Association.
— University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension
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