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As we write this in mid-2008, fertilizer prices have reached all-time highs. How did we get to these price levels and how does an agricultural producer make sound economic decisions in this environment?

Annual ryegrass is a cool-season grass that originated in southern Europe. It is sometimes called Italian ryegrass.

With the increase in fertility costs, I thought it timely to revisit the subject of hay and see what the value of a 1,200-pound round bale might actually be.

In recent years, grazing-type alfalfa varieties have been released, providing opportunities to livestock operations as a low-input, high-return forage, if managed properly; stands typically could last three to five years with good management.

I've had more calls on sandbur control in 2014 than I can ever remember. While it is obviously too late to do anything about them this year, plans can be made for next year.

The market price of hay varies substantially from year to year, making it extremely difficult to determine its price in the future. Fundamental economics tell us that the future price of a particular good will be determined by expected supply and expected demand.

In the last two years, I've had a chance to get out and visit a number of you and observe the resources available in this area. The longer I look, the more this area appears to be ideally suited to beef cattle production, particularly for the cow-calf producer.

Cattle producers and equine enthusiasts in the Southern Great Plains rely heavily on introduced warm-season grasses for their winter hay needs. Primarily, these grasses are either bermudagrass or old world bluestem varieties.

There are many advantages to buying hay, but one of the drawbacks is finding hay that meets your expectations of quality - here are a few hints to assure that the hay you buy is a good value.

Update February 2018 During drought conditions, there are many challenges for cattle producers. Grain and feed prices may skyrocket, hay could be in short supply, pasture conditions could very well...