Successful livestock production depends on a forage program that supplies large quantities of quality, homegrown feed. Such forage programs do not develop by chance but are the result of careful planning and detailed attention to establishment, production, and utilization of forage crops. Establishment of a good stand is a first and important step in a successful forage program. The costs of stand establishment are equal to approximately 1 to 2 tons of production. It is important that everything possible is done to ensure success, because a stand failure can nearly double these costs and result in a loss of forage production. In addition, a stand failure ex-poses soils to more erosion and the loss of valuable topsoil and nutrients. This publication covers the steps vital to the establishment and maintenance of good forage stands. Find this and other forage publications on the UK Forage website and click “Publications”.