“Hay production is important to the Southwest Missouri forage and livestock industry,” says Regional MU Extension Livestock Field Specialist Patrick Davis.  Whether selling or feeding hay to your livestock, harvesting and baling hay properly at the right time is important for a high quality product.  A high quality product will lead to better hay demand or less cattle supplementation during hay feeding.

“Soil fertility and nutrients are impacted by hay production,” say Davis.  Understanding this impact is important to make sure soil nutrients removed during the hay making process are replenished for optimum hay production in the future.

“Understanding the economics of hay production as well as cattle nutrition and hay feeding is important to farm operation profit potential,” say Davis.  Proper economics of hay production, making sure cattle nutrient needs are met, and limiting wastage during hay making and feeding process will help to improve farm operation profit potential.

To fulfill education needs mentioned above, MU Extension is collaborating with Heartland Tractor, Heritage Tractor, Feldman Crop Insurance Agency, and Four State Ag to provide a three-night workshop discussing hay production and how to capture the value of your investment.  The workshop will begin at 6:00 p. m. on the evenings of December 3rd, 5th and 10th at the Vernon County Fairgrounds Home Economics Building in Nevada,.  MU Extension Agriculture Specialists will provide the education.

The fee for the three-night workshop is $35 per person.  Registration along with payment needs to be made to the Vernon County MU Extension Center by Nov. 27.  Meal will be provided each evening.                   

For more information on the workshop, please contact the Vernon County MU Extension Center at 417-448-2560 or Patrick Davis at 417-276-3313 or by email at davismp@missouri.edu. You may also find more information on how to improve your grasslands at https://extension2.missouri.edu/programs/nrcs-mu-grasslands-project.