I started stem counts a few weeks ago when scouting for winterkill. Lucky in the #OttawaValley to have minimal losses, with a touch in Carleton place. Most regrowth is >55, but some underseeding is lagging with lots of old growth smothering early on. #Pioneer #PurinaProactiv

An example of underseeding next to direct seeding. It has it’s place, but sometimes the competition for moisture, light & fertility is too great with a companion crop. 5” growth with 42 stems vs. 6” with 84. #OttawaValley #Hay22 #PurinaProactiv

Both sand soils in Westmeath area #OttawaValley, but one struggled with the hot dry tail end season last year with new seeding & vastly different fertility levels. #PurinaProactiv #Hay22

Unfortunately getting some calls on ponding water. Some areas received 80+ mm in a 24 hour period. Here is a summary from our Crop Insights on how crops can handle excess moisture. Hoping the water gets away in the next 24-48 hrs! #ontag #PondingWater #AgronomyFacts

12 days of growth with some 🌧 the last two days has happy alfalfa! 14” means we will officially be on the PEAQ stick this week and start counting the days to cut. Cut your protein, don’t buy it 💸 #PurinaProactiv #Hay22 #OttawaValley

Two different fields in #Shawville with a 3” spread on growth. All vegetative & no headed grass yet. Although one was planted 70:30 it has less #grass than the 80:20 with varying planting methods & elevation challenges #PurinaProactiv #Hay22

2 fields in #Almonte, planted the same 80:20, different seed companies. Both 19” today @ 31.3% NDF PEAQ. Goals on this 🐄 farm are ⬆️ digestibility w dry hay available, we are aiming for 24”-30” (max). Looks like next weekend we may be there🤞 #PurinaProactiv #Hay22 #OttawaValley

Saturday nights storm blasted early emerged corn. Luckily the growing point is protected below the ground. Similar to a frost in a few days mother nature will rebound and we can do accurate stand assessments. #ontag #corn #Derecho2022 #agronomy

The Lanark County areas of Beckwith, Carleton Place and Mississippi Mills remain the hardest hit, with some not expecting to have power switched back on until May 27, according to Hydro One’s outage map. #ottawavalley buff.ly/3yW1K5l

We aren’t into bud yet, but south of 7 in the #OttawaValley is peaking out! An update on current growth in our area last week. With ⬆️0.7% NDF per day, we will be going sooner than you think! Lanark & Carleton 👀 next weekend #Hay22 #Ontag #PurinaProactiv

Start the 🚜! This field in #Kinburn is 24”, bud stage & headed grass, go get those $! Starting Sat with ☀️ , aiming for 65-70% moisture going into a bunk silo. Get tuned up & check those chop lengths this week (3/8- 1/2” goals). #PurinaProctiv #Hay22 #Ontag

#Almonte field, ready early next week. Similar to #Kinburn but lower grass %, less bud, & an inoculent plan means pushing more days to optimize digestible fibre & protein balance. It’s not always about height & the neighbours, do what’s best for your 🐄 #PurinaProactiv #Hay22

The 🌧 today is a good reminder - how high do you cut #haylage ? Last year was wet & in the #OttawaValley we saw a HUGE ⬆️ in Ash. Poorer fermentation, lower intakes, & bound minerals are some side effects. #PurinaProactiv #OntAg #Hay22

Haylage Moisture - your storage style matters! Too wet often leads to that stinky butryic acid, that not only reduces intakes, but litres in high %. Too much can even make skunky 🥛 Leave enough time to bale or pack before the next 🌧 #PurinaProactiv #Hay22 #OntAg

As everyone is in the 🚜 for 1st cut, consider the finish line. Buchneri inoculants keep a stable face @ feed out & ⬆️ fermentation, while propionic helps ⬇️ yeast & mould. Don’t lose those nutrients in the final lap. 🏁 #PurinaProactiv #Hay22 #Inoculant #Corteva

Samples are still fresh, so we do know some nutrients will be lost in fermentation, but excited to start painting the outlines of #Hay22 #PurinaProactiv

Checking chop length today on 1st cut samples. TLC goals of 3/8- 1/2”. We don’t see the consistency on #haylage like we do in corn silage with maturity ranges on grasses. This helps me as a #Nutritionist follow how quickly a cow can digest the feed. #PurinaProactiv

Cut May28th in #beachburg. This was an 80:20 stand with grass headed out & alfalfa just budding. NDF was top end already @ 38% & 20% pro. For those in the #OttawaValley who haven’t cut yet, cut short, use inoculent & hope 2nd is better. #PurinaProactiv

Second cut has miraculously started in some places in the #OttawaValley. A handful of people got an exceptional early cut 20-26% pro., with a 22% average thus far. Some haven’t finished yet - so we are using first for heifers & filler feed. Gotta restart the ⏰ #PurinaProactiv