Spring Annual Forage Hay Production in North Central Idaho

Cattle producers in north-central Idaho need quality feed for their herds. But to satisfy that need, you need to do your homework. This publication helps growers and cattlemen understand how to use nutritional, agronomic and economic information to grow annual hay forages and analyze their quality (how to determine a proper nutrition ration and how to determine the cost/benefits of the use of these practices). Cultivar-specific tables based on a 2018–20 spring annual forage trial indicate which kinds likely produce the best yields and provide the most protein. An enterprise budget example also shows how to calculate a crop's profitability, production costs and timing, market prices and use assets (machinery, land and financing).