Extended grazing examples of annual forage options studied, seen here and below.

Annual forages can extend the grazing season

University of Guelph researcher explores grazing options

Can extended grazing be gained by integrating annual forages into a perennial pasture rotational grazing system? Kim Schneider, an assistant professor in the plant science department at the University of Guelph hopes to answer that question through a two-year study that incorporates annual forages into 48 acres of a perennial rotational grazing system at the […] Read more

Maizex has new soybean varieties for the 2023 growing season.

Forage lineup brand new for 2023

New Maizex soybean resists disease

Maizex Seeds has new hybrids it says will build on its existing stable and provide yield and value to growers. Stephen Denys, director of market and product development, says Maizex has a new earlier-maturing grain corn hybrid, MZ2266DBR, that has an 82-day relative maturity, good yield potential, excellent grain quality and high test weight.  Within […] Read more

Crediton-area mixed farmer Mike Groot watches as OMAFRA forage and grazing specialist Christine O’Reilly demonstrates use of the rising plate meter for measuring pasture yield during a Living Labs research plot tour at the Groot farm on Sept. 8,2022.

Pasture knowledge refined to reflect Ontario’s climate

University of Guelph, OMAFRA research uses rising plate meters to accurately measure pasture yield

A team of researchers aims to fine-tune recommendations for rotational grazing in Ontario and a key piece of that research is a tool called a rising plate meter. Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) forage and grazing specialist Christine O’Reilly outlined use of the rising plate meter during a plot tour Sept. […] Read more

Year-to-date average daily grass growth rates.

Armyworm trap counts high, silage corn harvest progresses

OMAFRA Forage Report for October 5

Ontario Hay Listings is a free classifieds service provided by the Ontario Forage Council. Producers looking to buy or sell hay or straw are encouraged to post an ad. Bt-resistant corn rootworm is a serious pest of continuous corn and is a major threat to the silage corn supply. Work with your agronomist and nutritionist to […] Read more

Santo Aguanno introduces the crowd to the Italian-designed Repossi Ra Rake during the Ontario Forage Expo, hosted on July 14 by the Waterloo Soil and Crop Improvement Association at the St. Jacobs area farm of Scott and Darlene Martin.

New take on wheel rake displayed at Forage Expo

Design features twin sets of wheels to decrease ash uptake

An innovative take on the traditional wheel rake, designed in Italy and newly available in North America, was on display at the recent Ontario Forage Expo near St. Jacobs. Santo Aguanno, working on behalf of Repossi to promote the company in Canada, explained the unique “co-axial” technology — with the progression of overlapping single ground-driven […] Read more


Poor corn development due to dry weather stress.

Corn quality ‘highly variable,’ silage seen as option for some growers

OMAFRA Field Crop Report for the week of August 8

Much of the province received rain this past week, with significant rainfall (over 76 mm or 3 inches) in Huron Shores and Georgian Bay and eastern Ontario. A 25 to 50 mm (1-2 inch) rain mid-summer can still help finalize average yields, but it is too early to make final yield predictions. Crops that will […] Read more

Farmers gathered at the 2022 Ontario Forage Expo July 14 on the farm of Scott and Darlene Martin and family at St. Jacobs. The Ontario Forage Council and the Waterloo County Soil and Crop Improvement Association hosted the event after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19.

Dry weather forces assessment of southwestern Ontario forage strategies

Timely rains in east should ease concerns about hay availability in that region

Dry weather has affected hay and pasture yields in southwestern Ontario but the impact should be mitigated by a strong hay inventory and some bumper crops in eastern Ontario and Quebec. Ontario Forage Council (OFC) President Terry Nuhn said most areas west of a line running roughly from Toronto to Barrie have been persistently dry. […] Read more

bales of alfalfa in a field

Are tighter hay supplies in Ontario’s future?

High crop prices and other factors drive growers away from forage acres

Commodity crop prices are sky high. The same can’t be said about Ontario’s hay. A generally good 2021 production season contributed to a glut of dry forage, lowering hay prices across Ontario. In the face of much higher-value commodities, acres that would normally be reserved for forage production, specifically dry hay, are being turned to […] Read more


Timely rains support Ontario crops

Timely rains support Ontario crops

OMAFRA Field Crop Report for the week of June 6

For most of southern and central Ontario, this week’s rains were timely to support crop establishment. Precipitation June 7th ranged from 12 to 50 mm (1 to 2 inch), with regional reports in southern Ontario (Lambton, Middlesex, Bruce and Grey counties) reporting over 50 to 55 mm (2 to 2.3 inch). Cereals Herbicide applications are […] Read more

Figure 1: Difference from normal precipitation since April 18, 2022.

Corn, soybean planting surges, forage crops poised for progress

OMAFRA Field Crop Report for the week of May 16

Large swaths of the province saw rain early this week, which put a pause on a very productive planting window over the previous week and a bit. The forecast predicts slower progress due to more regular precipitation, which will provide some stress relief on fields that were starting to turn alarmingly dry. Northwestern Ontario is […] Read more