"You can't have a conversation about hay production and not mention the weather," said Kevin Shinners, professor of agricultural engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. As with any agricultural crop, that's the No. 1 challenge every producer faces. But with hay and haylage, weather problems can be even more acute, because of the extended field drying time often required.
kAm%96C6 2C6 :>A@CE2?E DE6AD AC@5F46CD 42? E2<6 E@ 5CJ 92J 72DE6C] Q~?6 @7 E96 >@DE :>A@CE2?E DE6AD :D E@ FE:=:K6 E96 DF?VD 6?6C8J E@ E96 >2I:>F> 6IE6?E A@DD:3=6[Q $9:??6CD 25565] QpE 4FEE:?8[ =2J E92E 4C@A 5@H? 2D H:56 2D J@F A@DD:3=J 42? D@ E92E 2=>@DE 6G6CJ DBF2C6 7@@E :D @44FA:65 3J 5CJ:?8 4C@A] p?JE9:?8 J@F 42? 5@ E@ 86E E92E 4C@A E@ 5CJ BF:4<6C D@ J@F 42? 86E :E @FE @7 E96 7:6=5 2?5 >:DD 2 C2:?DE@C>[ E92EVD >@?6J H6== DA6?E]Qk^Am
kAm$9:??6CD D2:5 2 >@H6C 4@?5:E:@?6C :D 2 8@@5 E@@= E@ DA665 5CJ 5@H?] Qt?8:?66CD 92G6 5@?6 564256D @7 DEF5:6D E92E D9@H E96 25G2?E286D @7 >6492?:42==J 4@?5:E:@?:?8 E96 DE6> 2?5 H92E :E 5@6D E@ :>AC@G6 5CJ:?8 C2E6D[Q 96 4@?E:?F6D] Qp >@H6C 4@?5:E:@?6C 2=D@ 8:G6D J@F 7=6I:3:=:EJ E@ AC@5F46 6:E96C 5CJ 92J @C 92J=286] xEVD 2 8C62E E@@= :? J@FC 2CD6?2= 7@C 36EE6C BF2=:EJ 7@C286]QÂ k^Am