Non-Forage Benefits:
1 = Poor; 5 = Excellent
Compaction Alleviation: 2
Weed Suppression: 4
Biomass Production: 5
Erosion Control: 4
Disease/Pest Control: 3
Pollinator/Beneficials: 1
P & K Cycling: 4
Ease of Establishment: 4
Nitrogen Fixer/Scavenger: Scavenger
Nutritional Value:
Values Vary Greatly Depending on Maturity
Crude Protein: 12
NEL¹ Mcal/lb.: .58
ADF%²: 41
NDF%³: 69
TDN: 56
DM Tons/Acre: 2.5-4
Days to First Harvest: Spring
Days to Next Harvest: –
¹- Net Energy for Lactation = Energy available after subtracting digestive and metabolic losses
²- Acid Detergent Fiber = Low values mean more digestible
³- Neutral Detergent Fiber = Low values mean cows can eat more
Ranking (Good, Better, Best):
Graze: Good
Baleage: Better
Chop: Best
Planting Time:
Aug.-Oct.
Seeding Rate:
Mono (lbs./acre): 30-50
Mix (lbs./acre): 20-40
Forage (lbs./acre): 80-120
Seeding Info:
Carbon/Nitrogen Ratio (C:N): Vegetative-20:1
Seeding Depth (in./with drill): 3/4-1
Seeds/lb.: 14-16,000
Bulk Density (lbs./ft.³): 48
Aerial Application Rate: 20-60
Germination Soil Temp.: 38 F
USDA Hardiness Zone: 3
Days to Emergence: 6-8
Considerations
- Ideal pH = 5.2–7.0
- Spring growth can be a management concern; terminate early when preceding a grass crop
- Triticale is a cross between wheat and rye. This makes for a crop with higher yields than wheat, but lower quality. Triticale is best suited for grazing pasture. Because of its large stems, hay wilting and silage packing can be difficult.
Fertility
Fertilizer removal rates need to be considered as well. When utilizing cover crops as forage, it’s critical to consider the nutrients being removed along with the biomass. These fertilizer levels will need to be added to ensure maximum nutrient availability for the following cash crop.
Hay Production
Hay yields often average between 2-4 tons/acre. Moisture content should be between 15-20% moisture. Hay quality is more maturity-dependent at harvest than is silage.
The most efficient time to harvest small grain cereals for hay is at early-milk stage. This allows for the greatest compromise between forage yield and quality (quality would be greatest at the late-boot stage). To help speed up drying, a crimper is recommended when harvesting in the late-boot stage
Silage Production
Wheat, barley, oat and triticale silage yields are similar, 4-7 tons/acre of 35% dry matter forage in the boot stage and closer to 6-10 tons/acre when harvested in the late-boot stage. Small grains should be ensiled at between 62–68% moisture. Chop length should be set finer than when harvesting corn or forage sorghum.
(Kansas State University)
For more cereal grains management tips, please see the following:
Spring Management Tips for Winter Cereal Grains_WEB-2.pdf
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