The third Focus on Forage webinar in the 2025 series, Focus on Forage Cover Crops, features research-based resources and management strategies to keep forage systems productive over time.
Presenters are Dr. Ken Kalscheur, Dr. Lizzy French, Barbara Dittrich (USDA Dairy Forage Research Center) and Dan Marzu (UW–Madison Extension NC WI nutrient and pest management outreach specialist).
Expand each section below for recordings of and resources related to each talk. To find more information about the Focus on Forage webinar series, visit the Focus on Forage website.
Using Cover Crops as Alternative Forages in Dairy Cow Diets
Presented by: Dr. Ken Kalscheur, USDA Dairy Forage Research Center
Featured in this talk is Dr. Ken Kalscheur, research animal scientist, U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center, USDA-ARS. Dr. Kalscheur primarily discusses feeding studies that have been previously conducted and that are being conducted evaluating cover crops and dairy cattle diets. He then focuses on the conclusions we can draw from those studies and future potential uses of cover crops in dairy cow diets.
Feeding Alternative Forages to Early Lactation Dairy Cows
Presented by: Dr. Lizzy French and Barbara Dittrich, USDA Dairy Forage Research Center
Featured in this talk is Dr. Lizzy French, research animal scientist, U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center, USDA-ARS and Barbara Dittrich, MS candidate studying cover crop dairy nutrition with Dr. French. Dr. French and Dittrich discuss forage planning and how to apply feeding nutrition practices around cover crops and alternative forages. They then look at a specific study where early lactation cows were fed alternative forages and cover crops and point out key takeaways and future potential of alternative dairy rations.
Preliminary Trends in Forage Quality from the Wisconsin Cover Crop Citizen Science Survey
Presented by: Dan Marzu, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Featured in this talk is Dan Marzu, north central region nutrient and pest management outreach specialist, UW–Madison Division of Extension. Dan explores trends in forage and cover crop forage quality collected in the Wisconsin Cover Crop Citizen Science Survey.
