Agriculture & Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin-Extension

Farmers who are feeding drought stressed feedstuffs:

• Here are tips for feeding drought-stressed corn to dairy cattle.
• Drought stressed corn plants may contain deadly quantities of nitrate. Protect your herd from nitrate poisoning. Nitrate Poisoning In Cattle, Sheep And Goats
• This PowerPoint presentation provides information about nitrates in forages.
• Answers to your questions about coping with short forage supplies for cattle. Feeding Strategies When Forage Supplies Are Short.
• Farmers facing a forage shortage might consider putting cows out to graze on corn stalk residue next fall. Grazing Corn Stalk Residue to Reduce Forage Inputs.
• While little can be done to increase forage pasture growth in the short run, careful management now can minimize long term stand damage and help maintain forage yields when rains do come. Find out ways in which the impact of drought on pastures can be minimized.
• Can find information relating to how drought affects corn silage quality.
• Can find information about about drought stress on corn development and yield.
• Can find information about molds/mycotoxins in drought stressed crops.

Farmers who need to purchase feed:

1. Can contact growers who have hay, alfalfa haylage, corn silage and/or corn for sale through the Upper Midwest Haylist. The listing is free for buyers and sellers.
2. Can check the Farmer to Farmer Hay, Forage and Corn List. This list puts Wisconsin farmers in touch with one another for the purpose of buying and/or selling corn and forage. The farmer to farmer list is free of charge to both buyers and sellers.
3. Can get pricing information for hay/haylage:
   • Weekly haymarket demand and price report for the upper Midwest.
   • "USDA Ag Market News, Feedstuffs and Hay Reports" gives current prices for hay and other feeds from markets throughout the U.S.
   • If you are buying or selling hay this year, this fact sheet on hay marketing may help you.
4. Can find information about buying/selling corn silage:
   • Pricing Drought Stressed Corn Silage
5. Can do a feed inventory to establish your current stock of various feed ingredients on hand. Find out how to make a feed inventory.
6. Can use this spreadsheet to estimate winter hay needs.
7. Can find information on how to estimate the weight of forage in a forage box.
8. Can find common custom rate values for harvesting in Wisconsin.

Drought Stressed Soybeans for Silage

The following links provide information about using stressed soybeans for silage.

Management of Immature, Stessed Soybean Silages

A Guide to Making Soybean Silage

Storage, Preservation and Feeding of High Moisture Whole Soybeans to the Dairy Cow

Crop Insurance and Disaster Assistance

Federal disaster assistance for vegetable growers affected by recent floods and droughts. Many conventional and organic fresh market vegetable growers were hit especially hard by recent flooding and heavy rainfall in parts of Wisconsin, while droughts have hit similar growers in other parts of Wisconsin. Given the federal disaster declaration for some Wisconsin counties, many vegetable farmers are wondering about the availability of federal assistance for their crop losses. This bulletin is a quick summary of current federal programs available for these and other farmers and some basic recommendations.

Given the lingering drought in the north and now flooding in the southwest and south, many producers will be looking at whether they have a crop insurance claim. This bulletin is a quick summary of things to remember for farmers who bought crop insurance for their corn and/or soybeans.

If you have crop insurance for your corn—can you make it into silage?

Find information about paying for unexpected feed expenses. There are times when crops fail because of conditions beyond our control.

Difficult alfalfa harvesting conditions sometimes result in farmers being off schedule for late summer harvesting alfalfa. Here is information about late summer cutting management of alfalfa.

Learn more about managing drought stressed corn and soybeans.

Drought Strategies: Ideas and Strategies for Right Now!

The following PowerPoint presentations provide information and ideas to address specific drought-related concerns.

Ideas and Strategies for Dairy and Beef Producers

Pricing Corn Silage and Soybean Forage

Getting the Most from Drought Stressed Forages

Dry Weather: A Comparison of 2006 to 1988

Coping with drought: the good, the bad and the ugly.

Home and Garden

Here are some tips to get drought-stressed trees and other woody ornamentals into condition for the upcoming winter.

For more information:

The governor has declared a State of Emergency due to current drought conditions.

The USDA has a Drought Monitor Website that is updated weekly.

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection's Wisconsin Farm Center features a number of support services for farmers and their families.

The Disaster Handbook for Extension Agents includes a section of factsheets on drought and excessive heat. The Handbook was developed Wisconsin Cooperative Extension in 1994.

The EDEN website provides information on drought and other disaster and security issues.