Drought conditions and extreme heat throughout Kansas are forcing farmers to consider harvesting soybeans for forage, rather than grain. Many factors should be considered when making this decision and some are discussed in a companion article in this Agronomy eUpdate, Drought and heat stress in Kansas soybean fields.
Herbicide applications made during the growing season are an additional concern that has been raised by farmers. The herbicide label is the law, and many herbicide labels do restrict the use of soybeans as a forage. It will be critical to know the waiting period that must be followed between the application of a given herbicide and the grazing or harvesting of the soybeans for use as a forage. Table 1 summarizes statements related to feeding soybeans.
Continued on next page