Grass

Forage brassicas are a broad family covering everything from purple top turnips to kale. These plants readily cross with each other and most of the varieties we sell are actually crosses between turnips and forage rape. Brassicas see most usage as 'emergency forage' in drought years, but they can be used to provide forage any time from spring through winter. Early maturing forage rapes can be ready to graze in as few as 45 while kales may take over 100 days. Dry matter accumulation in turnips, in October, is similar to that of a corn crop in August. The diversity in brassicas is a strength we can use on most farms to provide excellent forage in specific times of the year.

Establishment

Brassicas can be planted late spring to early fall. Allow at least 45 days of growth before you plan to use the forage. For multiple grazings, plant in late spring. Plant in the early fall for single late fall or early winter grazing, similar to stockpiling fescue. Brassicas can be no-tilled or drilled into firm seedbed in conventional tillage and should be seeded at 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep. Weed pressure needs to be suppressed for up to two weeks after emergence. Seed can be broadcast and incorporated by cultipacking. Brassicas will smother out most weeds once they are established. They can be successfully no-till seeded at a lower rate into established pastures. Brassicas are not well adapted to wet or poorly drained soils.

Management

Since brassicas are very high in crude protein and energy and low in fiber, animals may need some roughage in the form of dry hay or mature pasture if they are eating pure stands of brassicas. Mixing the brassicas with oats or sudangrass can solve the problem as well. Excessive fertilization of both nitrogen and potassium should be avoided. Usually 50 units of N is enough to grow a wonderful crop of brassicas. They are very good at recycling nutrients left by previous crops. A good practice is to prevent brassica consumption in dairy animals two hours prior to milking to prevent off-flavors in the milk.

Highest producer of biomass of the summer cover crops.

Energy from sugar? We’re talking sugar cane for cows, known as silage sorghum. Energy from digestible fiber? We’re definitely talking about gene 6 BMR Forage Sorghum! BMR Gene 6 is a naturally bred-in trait and is non-GMO.

Alta brand forage sorghums offer dairy and livestock producers an alternative to corn silage and multi-cut sorghum sudans. Alta brand forage sorghums are selected for high nutritional and agronomic benefits for today’s livestock producer. The BMR 6 genetics vault sorghum into the realm of super star forages for maximum fiber digestibility and increased palatability, making escellent dairy feed. We offer forage sorghum with maturity ranges from 83 day up to 110 days. Alta offers brachytic dwarf and male sterile products, the brachytic dwarf characteristics make sorghum an agronomically sound crop. (It can stay standing up until harvest.)  Energy levels are comparable to corn and protein level is around 10 to 12%. It is more efficient than corn, much less expensive to plant than corn, as well as higher yielding than corn in the southern Midwest, additional forage sorghum vs corn comparisons.

• Yields similar to corn silage
• 30% less nutrient (nitrogen) requirements than corn silage
• 30%-50% less water requirements than corn silage
• Productive on marginal soils
• Drought and heat tolerant, won't shut down until 105 degrees
• Later planting with similar tonnages as corn silage
• Minimal mycotoxin concerns
• No root worm or corn borer concerns
• Reduce soil phosphorus loads
• Less seed cost per acre than corn

Establishment

Sorghum Sudan will usually need about ten days to emerge, and then can grow 3" to 6" per day. A conventional or no-till drill is used for the seeding and planting depth should be 1" to 1 1/2".  Plant when the soil temperatures are at least 60 degrees at a rate of 25-40 lbs/Acre. Planting after a small grain crop (e.g. rye or Triticale) requires dealing with the allelopathic effects from the dying grain plants (minimum tillage or heavy liquid manure application). Weed management should be dealt with pre-planting as there are no herbicides available for Sorghum-Sudan grasses. Sowing at higher rates, 70 lbs or more, makes an excellent smother crop for fields with weed problems. Use them as part of a double crop program, to thicken up thinning alfalfa fields or to rotate out a weak or undesirable pasture. When following with a fall forage such as Italian ryegrass, alfalfa or pasture, we recommend disking the crop down in late August to early September to insure a good start for the next crop. 

Management

Sorghum Sudan will be harvested for baleage or haylage in 45 days after planting. Grazing is usually initiated a week to 10 days earlier. Growth of Sorghum Sudan is very rapid once it reaches 2 feet tall or so. Rates of 4 inches a day are common. The taller varieties (AS6401, AS6501) are mowed when they reach 38" to 40" tall and the dwarf (AS6402) when it reaches 32". Residue heights are also important. The taller versions must be mowed at 5-6" residue (above the 2nd growth node) to allow for rapid regrowth. AS6402 can be mowed at 3" and is one reason for its popularity. These cutting heights are essential as regrowth can be almost zero if the residual is too short.  For haylage, longer chop length is needed for effective fiber. 

Fertilization Utilizes manure nutrients very well. P, K, and other nutrients similar to corn silage. Fertilizer needs are 1 to 1 1/4 units of N per growing day, i.e. 45 to 50 units for first cut and 30-35 units for each cut thereafter. Potassium, phosphorous and sulfur are also needed on most farms. All fertilizer needs are the equivalent of the needs for 100 bushel corn. Manure can be used for the original application; however, commercial N is the best source after a cutting. If manure will be used after the first cut, choose AS6401, due to its superior disease package. We usually recommend to apply manure prior to seeding. Nitrogen needs for grazed sorghum Sudan are reduced proportionally so that cows can be brought in to graze earlier without danger of nitrate (NO3) poisoning. (See article on sorghum nutrition for more on NO3 and Prussic acid plus management of the crop after freezing weather.) If crop is light green or yellowish, either not enough nitrogen is available or soil conditions are too wet.

When mowing, make a wide swath to remove water as quickly as possible. Wide swathing makes a huge difference with Sorghum Sudan. Cutting Sorghum Sudan places a lot of material on the ground. For fastest drying, use a conditioner and spread the swath as wide as possible. Use a tedder to facilitate wilt.

Of all the different grass species, meadow fescue has one of the broadest ranges of application. From dry hay to pasture, from heavy soils to light, meadow fescue can provide good tonnage and excellent quality. Meadow fescue is a semibunch type, cool season, European grass that has great winter hardiness. It will yield slightly less than tall fescue and orchard grass but has better fiber digestibility and palatability for grazing applications.

Establishment

Meadow fescue will establish faster than tall fescue or orchardgrass but will still benefit from a nurse crop. Seeding depth should be between 0.25 and 0.5 inches or when planted with a legume, 0.25 inches is preferred. Use a low rate of a small grain or combine with festulolium or ryegrass to help suppress weeds. Meadow fescue is a good no-till option but will not express itself until the following year.

Management

Meadow fescue needs fertile soils for optimum performance. They work well in intensively managed grazing or hay production if not mowed lower than 3 inches.

Orchardgrass is a perennial, cool-season bunchgrass best suited for fertile, light to medium soils with good drainage. It can persist on moderately poor drained soils. Orchardgrass has good winterhardiness, tolerance to shade and moderate tolerance to drought. It is an excellent choice for pasture, hay, greenchop or silage and is well adapted to grow with legumes such as clover and alfalfa. There is typically a 10 to 20 day spread in heading date between early and late maturing varieties. Use a later heading variety as a companion to alfalfa.

Establishment

Orchardgrass can be planted either in early spring or late summer depending on area of country being grown. Orchardgrass is suited for light to medium soils with good drainage. Seeding depth is generally .25 to .50 inches in a firm seed bed. Rolling or using a cultipacker after seeding ensures even germination and emergence.

Management

Orchardgrass is very responsive to fertilizer and aftermath production can be excellent with proper fertility and split N applications. For optimum 1st harvest yield and quality, orchardgrass should be harvested in early-mid boot stage at a cutting height of 3 to 4 inches so it can recover quickly and persistence can be maintained. For grazing, excellent grazing management is required to maintain  ersistence and productivity. Graze to 3 to 4 inches and rest 28 days in between rotations. Orchardgrass does not persist well under continuous grazing.

Tall fescue can grow in wet conditions well but is also very drought tolerant. On dairy farms tall fescue is a fabulous addition to the hay portfolio and on beef operations in the Midwest it remains the foundation of pasture systems. In the past number of years, tall fescue has made many appearances at the World Dairy Expo Forage Super Bowl! While tall fescue has long been thought of as a Southern grass, more recently it has shown it can thrive in Wisconsin and Minnesota! Our suppliers are heavily invested in tall fescue breeding programs and bring us a wide selection of varieties for the various situations we face throughout the Midwest.

Establishment

Tall fescue is fairly easy to establish, but remember, a good seed bed is at the heart of excellent stands of hay or pasture. It can be no-tilled into existing alfalfa stands (.25 to .50 inches deep) immediately after harvest. (Talk to your dealer about the proper timing for your area.) When seeding in a prepared seed bed, make sure sufficient packing has been done before and after seed is put down. Also, 20 to 30 units of N at seeding is necessary for a faster establishment.

Management

Tall fescue can be planted with alfalfa, with grass hay mixes, or simply in mono-culture for hay or pasture systems. Remember that tall fescue, like most cool season grasses, stores 90% of food for regrowth after harvest in the bottom 2 to 2.5 inches of the stem. This means that for maximum growth and production at least 3 to 4 inches of stubble should remain after harvest. Also, for top yield, we recommend 1 to 1.5 lbs of available N for each day of growth. Tall fescue can tolerate less than ideal fertility but, like most crops, it gives best yield and quality in balanced soils. Tall fescue is the best grass for stockpile grazing.

Note: All varieties are endophyte free (except BarOptima).