Here is a situation: You are planting an orchardgrass hay field. Would you spend $10-15 more per acre for orchardgrass seed (upfront) if you could make $100 more per acre ever year after that? Pretty stupid question I know... so why then do so many forage producers (hay or grazers) buy cheap seed? Its so amazing how some of my neighbors will try and save money by buying cheap seed. which produces less tonage per acre resulting in less return per acre. And its not sure the hay producers, its grazers too. better quality forage seed genetics produces more milk or meet per acre. by producing high quality forage and allowing higher stocking rates. Someone help be figure out why producers do this?
return per acre
- Thread starter western
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novatech
Well-known member
Could be a lot of reasons but I found that for some reason a lot of ag people just do not keep up. They think that everything is a gimmick. I found that most do not want to be first to try something. They wait around until the neighbor is doing it successfully. Kind of like keeping up with the Joneses.
Jogeephus
Well-known member
I agree with Novatech. I think most farmers/ranchers are conservative by nature and are accustomed to so many snake oil peddlers showing up on their doorstep peddling super products. Its hard to convince someone that there is something better when you have something that is tried and true. Land grant university data is questioned by some since many of these are comarketers of these same products so their objectivity and neutrality is sometimes suspect.
upfrombottom
Well-known member
I know what happens to those that don't keep up, I see allot of them in the auction section of the local paper. I am always game for something new, but back it up with test I perform on my own. I never bet the farm on just one practice. A small plot is all that is needed. I will be planting an alfalfa plot this year to see if my returns can improve over what I have now. If it proves good I will plant more next year, if not I'll try something else.
novatech
Well-known member
I agree with the test. My conditions may be a lot different than elsewhere.upfrombottom":1uxh7fx9 said:
fargus
Well-known member
novatech":pwje7804 said:
Amen. I farm and sell for a crop inputs supplier. My most successful customers are the ones that run their own plots every year. (The free product for doing the plotwork doesn't hurt!) I'm a geek, I spend a lot of time trolling though publications, and if I think something is going to work for a segment of our producers I don't hesitate to recommend it on a limited acreage. It's all about trust in this business. If you don't trust the advice your supplier is giving you, find a new one.
Jogeephus
Well-known member
I must be a geek too cause I like to run tests. CT, is a pretty good place to get some different ideas to try as well as a good place to compare notes and results.
novaman
Well-known member
I see this sort of stuff all the time when talking with farmers/ranchers in my area. There are guys cutting back on fertilizer simply because it costs a bit more than years past but don't stop to think how much yield they give up before they even fire up the tractor to hit the field. I see guys buying the cheapest bull that they can get their hands on because they can't afford to spend more than $1000. They don't stop to think this is half their genetic input for future replacements. I see guys bit the bullet and start to AI some of their cows/heifers. While I think that's a step in the right direction, most will buy the lower/lowest priced bulls in the book. I see guys buying the cheapest seed as well.
I guess me being on the younger side may make a difference but I tend to be a bit more willing to take risks than the average farmers/ranchers around here. I think you get what you pay for, for the most part. Genetics is one area I think many people skimp far too much. I tend to go a bit liberal when it comes to choosing AI sires. I buy some of the higher end corn seed as they are developing some very good hybrids for digestability and the like. Fertilizer can be hit or miss but other than N most will stay in the soil without being lost easily. It seems many are content to just get by. I'm trying to do that and then some.
I guess me being on the younger side may make a difference but I tend to be a bit more willing to take risks than the average farmers/ranchers around here. I think you get what you pay for, for the most part. Genetics is one area I think many people skimp far too much. I tend to go a bit liberal when it comes to choosing AI sires. I buy some of the higher end corn seed as they are developing some very good hybrids for digestability and the like. Fertilizer can be hit or miss but other than N most will stay in the soil without being lost easily. It seems many are content to just get by. I'm trying to do that and then some.
