2.2 Forage Crops
2.3 Common Uses of Forage Crops
2.4 Establishment of Cover Crops
2.5 Annual Cover Crop Grazing Options
2.6 Alfalfa
2.7 No-Till Practices
2.8 Crop Rotations
2.9 Storing Forage Crops
2_Forage-Crops
Forage Crops
Overview
Title Image: Cows in a pasture Credit: Kevin Sedivec, North Dakota State University Extension; licensed CC BY NC SA
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Introduction
Lesson Objectives
- Identify examples of forage crops.
- Select examples of common forage crops from the list provided.
- Identify common uses of forage crops.
- Select common uses of forage crops from the list provided.
- Explain common production practices for forage crops.
- Describe common forage crop production practices.
- Evaluate the economic impact of forage crops.
Key Terms
alfalfa - a pasture crop used for grazing or hay production
forage crops - plants grown specifically to be grazed by livestock or conserved as hay
pulses - annual leguminous crops yielding from one to 12 grains or seeds of variable size, shape, and color within a pod
Introduction
The value of cover crops to the environment and our knowledge of their usefulness continues to grow. The use of cover crops in a cropping rotation or as an integrated livestock-cropping system has become a popular option for farmers. Although cover crops have been used for centuries, farmers and ranchers today have become more aware of management strategies to reduce soil erosion, improve soil biodiversity, increase soil nutrient retention, and promote soil water-holding capacity.
Forage Crops
Cover crops may provide opportunities to use cropped land for grazing livestock or to produce a harvested feed source, also known as foraging. Livestock grazing of cover crops can further recycle nutrients back into the soil. When harvested at the correct time, harvested cover crops for hay, haylage, and silage can provide a nutrient-rich winter feed. In addition to using rangelands and native or naturalized pastures for grazing, farmers seed pastures with improved grasses and legumes and cultivate forage crops for such things as hay, silage, and fresh feed. During the last 4–5 decades, plant breeders have made important contributions to livestock productivity by developing high yielding forage varieties with tolerances to biotic and abiotic stresses.
Common Uses of Forage Crops
Forage grasslands are used to feed livestock and globally it has been estimated that they represent 26% of land area and 70% of agricultural area (FAO, 2010). Such crops are significant economically, as the European example shows. Forage crops are usually grasses (Poaceae) or herbaceous legumes (Fabaceae). Some tree legumes such as mulga (Acacia aneura) and leadtree (Leucaena leucocephala) are also grown in desert and tropical grasslands. In the tropics, popular grasses include Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum), Brachiaria, and Panicum species. In temperate climates, the main grasses include bentgrass (Agrostis spp.), fescue (Festuca spp.), ryegrass (Lolium spp.) and orchard grass (Dactylis spp.) or hybrids of these. For example, Festuca and Lolium hybrids has been developed from 1970s, giving rise to crops such as Festulolium pabulare which combines the superior forage quality of Lolium multiflorum with the persistence and stress tolerance of Festuca arundinacea. Some maize (Zea mays) cultivars have been specifically bred for forage. The commonly cultivated herbaceous legumes are trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), medics (Medicago spp.), clover (Trifolium spp.) and vetches (Vicia spp.). Brassica forage species include cultivars of oilseed rape (Brassica napus) and kale (Brassica oleracea). Fodder beet (Beta vulgaris) is another temperate forage. The combination of forage crops grown in any country varies depending on climate and livestock needs, however, the perennial legume lucerne or alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is the most widely cultivated as it can be grown with both temperate and tropical grasses, or as a standalone crop. This is a huge topic to review as there are so many species grown across the world, A few examples are the tropical grasses Pennisetum and Brachiaria and more prominently the temperate crops Lolium and alfalfa.
Pulses are annual leguminous crops yielding from one to 12 grains or seeds of variable size, shape, and color within a pod. They are used for both food and feed. In addition to their food value, pulses also play an important role in cropping systems because of their ability to produce nitrogen and thereby enrich the soil. Pulses contain carbohydrates, mainly starches (55-65 percent of the total weight); proteins, including essential amino acids (18-25 percent, and much higher than cereals); and fat (1 - 4 percent). The remainder consists of water and inedible substances.
Establishment of Cover Crops
Establishment of a cover crop requires a relatively weed-free seedbed and good seed-to-soil contact, similar to other crops. Drilling the seed in will provide better establishment than broadcasting it. Fall cover crop seed can be applied aerially onto standing corn or soybeans as they are drying down, if enough sunlight can penetrate the ground between the rows. Aerial seeding only works for small seeds (such as turnip, radish, rye), but the success of establishment will depend on rainfall after seeding.
Interseeding between rows at the V4 to V6 stage also has been performed successfully, whereas seeding at V6 or later does not provide much forage growth.
Regardless of timing, if moisture is limited, plant growth is limited to nonexistent. Thus, in dry years, aerial seeding and interseeding are not cost-effective. Recommended seeding rates, depths and dates for each cover crop also must be considered when planning to integrate cover crops into an operation.
Annual Cover Crop Grazing Options
Selecting a cover crop forage or mixture of forages for grazing livestock will depend on the season of use for optimal performance, as well as seed availability and cost. For the full-season grazing period, a mixture of cool- and warm-season grasses, broadleaf crops and legume species are recommended. This type of mixture will create diversity, minimize risk due to weather conditions, extend the grazing period due to different growth stages and increase soil health benefits. Matching the proper forage species with the season of use is critical to optimize forage production potential. Seed costs can be reduced by avoiding low-production plant species while providing high-quality feed.
Alfalfa
Alfalfa is the fourth most widely grown crop in the United States, with an estimated annual value of 11.7 billion dollars. There are 26 million acres cut for hay with an average yield of 2.3 tons per acre. One of the most important characteristics of alfalfa is its high nutritional quality. Alfalfa contains between 15 to 22% crude protein, as well as high amounts of 10 different vitamins. Alfalfa can be a very productive crop with high levels of biomass accumulation. The record yield of one acre of alfalfa is 10 tons. Alfalfa hay is used as a feed primarily for dairy cows but also for horses, beef cattle, sheep, and other farm animals.
Alfalfa (Figure 5.2.3) is a perennial cool-season legume grown widely around the world. It is a high-quality, high-yielding forage crop. Alfalfa can be utilized as hay, silage, greenchop, or in grazing systems, allowing producers to use this forage in a variety of ways that fits their farm needs. Seeding alfalfa can be challenging if certain requirements are not followed. Alfalfa is considered a “demanding crop,” so good establishment and management is essential to assure the high yields and exploitation of alfalfa’s great potential.
No-Till Practices
No-till practices offer several advantages over conventional establishment in crops like alfalfa. Soil conservation, moisture conservation, reduced weed pressure, and a longer planting window are just a few of the advantages. For successful no-till establishment, attention should be given to site selection, site preparation, and planting. Disturbing soil with tillage opens the organic matter up to the atmosphere. The active microorganisms of the microbiome in soil are at risk of dehydration and excessive sun exposure. When done correctly, tilling can reduce pests and weeds. This comes at a risk of nutrient depletion, a decrease of remaining nutrient bioavailability for plants, and loss of soil organic matter.
Crop Rotations
Planned crop rotations can increase yields, improve soil structure, reduce soil loss, conserve soil moisture, reduce fertilizer and pesticide needs, and provide other environmental and economic benefits. Many crop rotations reduce soil loss and are an option for meeting conservation compliance on highly erodible land. The growth of hay, small grain crops, or grass sod in rotation with conventionally tilled row crops reduces the soil’s exposure to wind and water and decreases total soil loss. These rotations, however, are a desirable option to farmers only when profitable markets exist or the conservation crops can be utilized by farm livestock enterprises. However, crop rotations may reduce profits when the acreage and frequency of highly profitable crops are replaced with crops earning lower returns.
Storing Forage Crops
Crops that are baled for later forage options should be done in an effort to maximize yield and quality. Hay should include a mix of grass and legumes, or a single species that can be harvested at the correct time to potentially meet an animal’s protein and energy requirements. A single species may provide easier hay management; however, it lacks diversity, leading to fewer soil health, pollinator and wildlife benefits.
Forage Crop Economics
Forages—largely grasses and legumes—are the principal source of nutrition for most ruminant livestock in developing countries, thus contributing to the supply of nutrient-dense foods like meat and milk, as well as products like leather and wool. The gross value of cultivated forages is given by the product of their area, yield, and price. However, utilized yield from grazed land is difficult to measure, and even when harvested may only be used on the farms where they are grown. Soil health benefits are difficult to quantify and can provide an economic value. Thus, market information on quantities traded and prices received for forages is very limited. If production costs exceed net profit return, a cover crop may not be an economically viable option. Factors for consideration when growing forage crops include seed cost, input resources, and quality of purchased seed that has the potential to produce high-quantity and high-quality feed.
Farmers find benefit to both cattle and their crops by practicing grazing on their cover crops. Grazing cover crops does increase the fertility of the soil and aggregate stability of the soil particles, as well as may improve infiltration of water. The livestock producers also will save money in labor and fossil fuels, reducing the use of fossil fuels associated with hauling of manure and feeding cattle in a dry lot, as well as labor with feeding cattle in a dry lot. Herd health benefits also may be found with cattle grazing longer on pasture versus being confined in a dry lot setting.
Attributions
Alfalfa: Soybean Genomics and Improvement Laboratory: Beltsville, MD by the United States Department of Agriculture, is in the Public Domain.
Annual Cover Crop Options for Grazing and Haying in the Northern Plains by the United States Department of Agriculture, is in the Public Domain.
FAO (2010). Challenges and Opportunities for Carbon Sequestration in Grassland Systems: A Technical Report on Grassland Management and Climate Mitigation. (Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations).
Improving the Yield and Nutritional Quality of Forage Crops by Nicola M. Capstaff and Anthony J. Miller is licensed CC BY 4.0.
No-Till Establishment of Alfalfa by Márcia Pereira Da Silva, Renata Nave Oakes, and Gary Bates, University of Tennessee. Copyright © University of Tennessee Extension. Used with permission.
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. FAO. Oil-Bearing Crops and Derived Products. Accessed: August 12, 2021. https://www.fao.org/waicent/faoinfo/economic/faodef/fdef06e.htm
The Extent and Economic Significance of Cultivated Forage Crops in Developing Countries by Fuglie K, Peters M and Burkart S is licensed CC BY 4.0.
USDA Publication 4.2 Crop Rotations by the United States Department of Agriculture, is in the Public Domain.