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Late Season Forage Considerations for 2025

By Joe Lawrence

This fact sheet authored by PRO-DAIRY forage systems specialist Joe Lawrence was shared in the August 2025 PRO-DAIRY e-Leader newsletter, distributed to an email list of nearly 7,000 dairy producers, agriservice, and legislators.

The challenges of the 2025 growing season continue with questions about adequate quantity and quality of forages to meet the needs of dairy herds in the coming year.

As we look for a strong finish to the growing season to alleviate some of these challenges it is important to assess your forage situation and take steps to meet the forage needs of the herd. The PRO-DAIRY Forage Management webpage has a number of resources that may be useful when working with your farm team to assess your forage situation.

Source : cornell.edu

Trending Video

Sclerotinia and Lygus in Seed Canola: Field Update with George Lubberts, CCA | Enchant, Alberta

Video: Sclerotinia and Lygus in Seed Canola: Field Update with George Lubberts, CCA | Enchant, Alberta

Join Certified Crop Advisor George Lubberts for this Prairie Certified Crop Advisor (Prairie CCA) field update from Enchant, Alberta. In this 12th video of the series, George takes us into a seed canola field where the male rows have been removed and the female plants are filling pods. This video was taken in the third week of August 2025.

George discusses the early signs of sclerotinia stem rot, explaining how infection begins in the stem, impacts pod development, and leads to premature ripening. He also shares insights on lygus bug management, including timing of spray applications to minimize feeding damage and maintain seed size and quality.

With cool, damp summer conditions, George notes that while disease pressure is present, overall field health remains good. The crop is just beginning to show early seed colour change, signaling progress toward maturity.

Topics Covered:

•Sclerotinia stem rot identification and impact

•Managing lygus bugs in seed canola

•Crop stage and seed colour change observations

•Timing insecticide sprays for optimal protection

•Insights from a CCA field perspective in southern Alberta