By James Rogers, Forage crops production specialist

NDSU Extension

This year, by far, has had the most bizarre weather I have ever experienced in my lifetime across a career spanning three states. I have experienced flooding, droughts, tornadoes, a hurricane or two and a few blizzards. The windy, hot, cold, dry and wet conditions we have experienced in just a couple of months are indescribable. I am still finding dirt and dust from the storm from a few weeks back.

To that, add the variation in conditions across the state. In one week’s time, I received calls from one part of the state about excessive rainfall creating poor hay-drying conditions, and from another part of the state about a potential 50% hay crop. It has been weather anarchy!

We can’t change the weather. The weather is going to do what it is going to do — we just have to manage through it.

The weather has affected spring forage production. Spring forage growth started slowly with cold temperatures and dry weather, but it has accelerated over the last 30 days. As day length increased and temperatures and moisture rose, forage plants entered the reproductive phase, producing seedheads that signaled plant maturity. What we are seeing is that forage grasses have reached maturity with very little forage mass underneath.

Once grasses have reached maturity, very little additional forage mass will accumulate, and forage quality will decline. The rate of this decline will vary by plant species. Wheatgrasses decline very rapidly in quality once they reach maturity, whereas a legume such as alfalfa declines much more slowly after blooming. The point here is that if you have hay ground that has headed, harvest as soon as you can. Delaying harvest will result in a decline in forage quality and very little, if any, additional increase in yield. 

Grazing will slow forage reproductive development and prolong the vegetative stage, but eventually the forage plant will reach maturity. This is when plant growth will slow, and its rate becomes dictated by rainfall, temperature and grazing management.

In areas of the state experiencing dry conditions and low soil moisture, implement a grazing management strategy, if possible. If rotational grazing, slow the rotation down. Slowing the rotation allows paddocks not currently being grazed to recover and grow. Be cautious and observant concerning the intensity of the grazing. Leave leaf area on plants when cattle are rotated. This residual leaf area is needed for quicker regrowth and recovery. It will also help plants capture more rainfall when rainfall occurs.

Keep grazing records. This will be important as you set up your grazing program next year. Paddocks that received more grazing days this year can require more rest days or a different period of the year for grazing the following year.

Back to hay production. As haying season hits, field drying time of the crop can be an issue. The longer a hay crop stays on the ground, the higher the risk of damage from a rainfall event. This is especially true for high-yielding crops such as summer annual forage grasses or delicate crops such as alfalfa.

Using a preservative at baling can speed the baling process. Preservatives work to reduce bale heating and inhibit the growth of aerobic microbes that cause moldy hay, dry matter loss and reduced forage quality. Preservatives work best on hay with moisture levels from 18%-25%. At 30% moisture and higher, efficacy declines. Application rates will depend on bale size and hay moisture content. Commonly used preservatives are propionic, lactic and acetic acid. If using propionic acid, a buffered or neutralized formulation is advised to reduce equipment corrosion. A mixture of propionic and acetic acid would aid in both mold and bacteria growth.

To speed drying time, a hay drying agent such as potassium carbonate or sodium carbonate can be applied at cutting. These agents work by breaking the waxy layers covering leaves and stems, which speeds up moisture loss when the plant is cut. A disadvantage of using a drying agent is that it is applied at harvest, meaning an applicator must be mounted on the hay cutter. Drying agents work better on legumes than grasses.

Our weather story continues. Yesterday, I was windblown all afternoon during an outdoor North Dakota State University Extension event. As I write this column, we’re experiencing a downpour so hard I cannot see across the parking lot. I’ll still take the rain.

(James Rogers is a North Dakota State University Extension forage crops production specialist at the North Central Research Extension Center near Minot, North Dakota.)

NDSU Agriculture Communication – June 22, 2026

Source: James Rogers, 701-857-7682, james.rogers.1@ndsu.edu

Editor: Dominic Erickson, 701-231-5546, dominic.erickson@ndsu.edu