Fall Forage: Playing Catch-Up
As of this writing, most of Maryland's conditions range from abnormally dry to a small portion of severe drought. Recent sporadic rains have renewed the optimism inherent in every farmer, but we need to look ahead and plan.
Whether you are involved in animal agriculture or your neighbor is, forage will be short this year. How can we mitigate this situation? First, if you are a corn grower, with corn hovering at four dollars a bushel, you should consider selling the crop as silage. I have little doubt many of your neighbors would appreciate the opportunity.
This gives you options for planting cover crops earlier that could be harvested and sold as forage this fall or next spring. You could also get your cover crops in earlier and reap the benefits next spring as you plant your next crop. Cover crops are no longer a novelty or experiment. They are a proven soil builder.
Fall forage comes in many options. It can be as simple as oats. If you can plant early, then forage oats are your best choice, but if you plant later, grain oats will mature faster and give you more bang for your buck.
Preferably, you think a bit longer term. Planting oats with companions like triticale, wheat, barley, rye, annual ryegrass, and crimson clover will give you forage this fall and next spring. I am a big fan of triticale, which provides you with quality and a wider harvest window. That said, use what works for you.
I would be remiss if I didn't caution you regarding annual ryegrass. This species can become a weed. Many wheat growers have rued the day they planted annual ryegrass on their farm. There is also evidence that it is becoming glyphosate-resistant, so you have been warned.
For those unsure of forage needs in the spring, barley or wheat are excellent choices for fall oat companions. If you don't need the forage, you can harvest all or part of it for grain.
Adding legume, be it a clover or vetch, makes sense on multiple levels. Adds protein forage and nitrogen to the soil.
In short, plan ahead when considering your forage needs and options.
This article appears in August 2024, Volume 15, Issue 5 of the Agronomy News.