Small Grains for Fall and Spring Forage

Abstract

The livestock industries in the North Central States have historically depended on perennial legumes as the major source of forage. However, fluctuation in yield associated with winter kill or unfavorable summer growing conditions often requires supplementation with alternative forages. The objective of this research was to determine the potential for fall sown spring and winter grains to be used as a source of fall or spring forage. Small grains were sown alone or in spring-winter grain mixtures in August and harvested in October and, in the case of winter grain treatments, again in the following spring. Field studies were conducted for 3 yr (1992 to 1994) near Arlington and Marshfield, WI, on Piano (fine-silry, mixed, mesic Typic Argiudoll) and Withee (fine-loamy, mixed, frigid; Aquic Glossoboralf) silt loam soils, respectively. Monoculture spring grains (oat, Avena sativa L.; barley, Hordeum vulgare L.; and spring triticale Triticum × Secale) averaged 1.7 tons/acre fall forage yield, which was more than four times greater than the average 0.4 tons/acre fall forage yield of the monoculture winter grains (wheat, Triticum aestivum L.; rye, Secale cereale L.; and triticale, Triticum × Secale). Monoculture oat and barley performed best as a fall forage. Mixtures of spring and winter grains averaged 10 to 20% less fall forage than spring grain treatments. Spring forage yields of either monoculture winter grains or winter grains planted with spring grains were 50 to 70% more than their fall forage yields. Monoculture winter grains, rye or wheat or triticale, averaged 31 to 36% greater spring forage yields than their mixed-planted counterparts. Monoculture winter grains achieved greatest forage yields in the spring. Across all comparisons, total (fall + spring) forage yields reached as high as 4.5 tons/acre. Overall, winter grains combined with a spring grain provided slightly less total forage yield than monoculture winter grains, but they provided this yield in the fall and spring, which may be more useful to a producer. Results of this study provide evidence that small grains can provide a fall and/or spring forage source. Depending on when forage is most needed, a producer could seed oat or barley for maximum fall forage yields, seed winter wheat or rye for maximum spring yields, or seed oat or barley with winter wheat or rye for both fall and spring needs. Research Question The livestock industries in the North Central States have historically depended on perennial legumes as the major source of forage. However, fluctuation in yield associated with winter kill or unfavorable summer growing conditions often requires supplementation with alternative forages. The objective of this research was to determine the potential for fall sown spring and winter grains to be used as a source of fall or spring forage. Literature Summary The use of small grain crops for forage is common in the USA. For years livestock producers have used small grains for hay, silage, and pasture, often as a companion crop during alfalfa establishment. Small grains offer producers valuable production and management alternatives as sources of forage. These include similar planting equipment and harvest management techniques as required for alfalfa. Small grains used for forage are handled easily in the field. Small grains can be managed to produce forage of suitable quality to meet the nutritional needs of most classes of livestock. Study Description Field studies were late-summer seeded in 1992 and 1993 under rainfed conditions at Arlington and Marshfield, WI, on silt loam soils. There were 32 treatments (14 monoculture and 18 two-component mixtures), consisting of five different species of small grains (spring barley, spring oat, spring and winter triticale, winter rye, and winter wheat). Data collected from plots included fall and spring forage yield, forage quality (Arlington only), summer grain yield and test weight, plant height and lodging, disease ratings for barley yellow dwarf virus, and ratings for winter kill. Applied Questions What is the autumn forage yield of monoculture spring grains compared with winter grains? Yields of spring grains were two to five times greater than winter grains (Table 1). Generally, the earlier maturing spring grains yielded better than the later maturing grains. The growth characteristics between spring and winter grains contributed greatly to yield performance. Spring grains typically would obtain plant heights of 20 in. or more. However, winter grains seldom grew above 8 to 10 in. How did total forage yields between monoculture spring or winter grains compare with mixed treatments? Spring grains obtained all their yield (1.0 to 1.8 tons/acre) in fall (Table 1, 2). Winter grains produced some fall forage, but due to prostrate growth, yields were low (0.3 to 0.7 tons/acre). For spring, after winter vernalization and onset of reproductive growth, winter grains grew well and forage yields ranged from 3.5 to 4.4 tons/acre. Overall, mixed treatments yielded less total forage than monoculture winter grains, however, these treatments provided 0.6 to 1.5 tons/acre in autumn and another 1.7 to 3.2 tons/acre the following spring. How did small grains compare for forage quality? Autumn forage quality of monoculture grains was greater for winter grains because the harvested portion was made up totally of leaves, compared with leaves and stems of spring grains (Table 1, 2). The quality of mixed-seeded treatments fell between that of winter grains and spring grains, better than spring grains but lower than winter grains. Recommendations The use of a monoculture spring grain variety is recommended when supplemental high quality fall forage is needed. Yields favor the use of an early maturing spring oat or barley over later maturing spring triticale. If a spring forage crop is needed, then planting a winter grain like wheat, rye, or triticale is...