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Using Annuals for Forage Production. Gary Bates Professor Plant Sciences. Goals for forage program. Graze as much as possible Spend as little money as possible. Yield of tall fescue. Ball and co-workers. 1996. Southern Forages. Annual Forage Species. Warm-season sudex
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Using Annuals for Forage Production Gary Bates Professor Plant Sciences
Goals for forage program • Graze as much as possible • Spend as little money as possible
Yield of tall fescue Ball and co-workers. 1996. Southern Forages
Annual Forage Species Warm-season sudex pearl millet crabgrass teffgrass Cool-season wheat annual ryegrass rye turnips
Using annuals for forage • Pros • Double crop • High quality • Selectivity of species • Cons • Expense • Establishment risk
Developing a forage program • Start with tall fescue as base forage • Use annuals to fill in production gaps
warm-season grass tall fescue Ball and co-workers. 1996. Southern Forages
Warm-season forage • 10-25% of pasture • Grazing during June, July, August • Allows tall fescue to be rested
Yield of tall fescue Ball and co-workers. 1996. Southern Forages
Season yield of cool-season annuals Daniel and co-workers. 1983. NC State Univ. Crop Research Report No. 91.
Cool-season annuals Warm-season grass Double-cropping forage
Key Principles • Use tall fescue as base forage species • Red and white clover • Stockpile in fall • Devote 10-25% of land to a warm-season production • Bermudagrass • Summer annuals • Use cool-season annuals to follow warm-season program
Will they improve the winter yield of tall fescue pastures? What about small grains into tall fescue? • Wheat • Rye • Annual ryegrass
Wheat Ryegrass Early - mid Sept Late - mid Oct Fall – 0, 60, 90 lb/acre Spring – 80 lb/acre Study information • Two winter annuals • Two dates • N Fertilization
Effect of overseeding and fall N rate on fall fescue yield Harvested 12/15/01 G. Bates. 2001. Knoxville Experiment Station.
Effect of overseeding and fall N rate on spring fescue yield All plots received 80 lb N/acre in late February Havested 3/15/02 G. Bates. 2001. Knoxville Experiment Station.
Key Principles • Use tall fescue as base forage species • Red and white clover • Stockpile in fall • Devote 10-25% of land to a warm-season production • Bermudagrass • Summer annuals • Use cool-season annuals to follow warm-season program