RYE, TRITICALE, OR WHEAT – WHICH IS BEST? – Daren Redfearn

Are you planting or at least thinking about planting cereal rye, triticale, or winter wheat for early spring forage? Which one will you choose?

Which small grain – wheat, rye, or triticale – should you plant this fall for forage next spring? Let’s look at some of their characteristics to help you select the best option.

Let’s start with cereal rye. Rye is the best choice for the earliest spring grazing possible. Because it’s early, it is also the best match for double cropping. Some varieties can provide quite a bit of fall growth, too, if planted early. Rye also may be the most reliable when planted under stressful conditions…but it does have some drawbacks. It much earlier than wheat or triticale and turns stemmy, losing feed value and palatability earlier in the spring. Plus, wheat grain producers don’t want it contaminating fields. Triticale holds its feed value best into late spring. This makes it well-suited for hay and silage, or for stretching grazing well into June if you don’t mind starting to graze two weeks later compared to rye. But triticale tends to be more susceptible to winter injury.

Winter wheat has been the small grain of choice for winter and spring grazing in Texas and Oklahoma. Warmer winter temperatures allow growth to continue, although slowly. In Nebraska where winter wheat goes dormant, its carrying capacity is not as high as cereal rye or triticale. But it is top quality before stems develop and grazing removal. It’s the clear choice if you want dual use as early pasture and then for grain.

There it is. Cereal rye for early grazing, triticale for hay, silage, or later grazing, and wheat for grazing plus grain. You may have other factors affecting your choice, but in general, these guidelines work well.

STORAGE AND PROTECTION OF CORN SILAGE – Brad Schick

Cover the pile. Cover the silage pile with plastic.

The time and money spent on chopping silage for feed does not go unnoticed. But if the pile isn’t covered, the loss of feed will be noticeable. Even after the silage is packed correctly, air and water can penetrate the outer layers and severely damage the quality and quantity of silage. Additionally, molds, mycotoxins, and fungi have a prime place to grow in uncovered silage.

Many studies at Kansas State University have reported a minimum three percent loss in dry matter from the top three feet of silage in uncovered silage bunkers compared to covered. Much like the last span of a pivot irrigates a large percentage of a field, the outer portion of a silage pile makes up a large portion of the pile. Covering with plastic will give about an 8:1 return on investment for the producer.

Silage should be covered as soon as possible with plastic. The standard plastic is still the black and white sided 6mil sheeting. However, some producers have also gone with an additional layer of oxygen barrier plastic to reduce dry matter loss and spoilage even further. Some will also use one sheet that is thicker or made of different material and is more of an oxygen barrier than the standard plastic. Make sure the edges are sealed and the top has plenty of weight on it. Usually tires cut in half are the most common.

An 8:1 return on investment isn’t easy to find these days, but it is right here with covering silage with plastic. Covering isn’t the easiest job, but returning the favor with neighbors or providing some incentive will make the job a whole lot easier.

LATE SUMMER PASTURE WEEDS – Jerry Volesky

Late summer always seems to be a time when weeds can become quite noticeable in pastures, especially if you are in an area that received significant August rain. Stick around to learn to deal with this problem.

Perennial weeds like western ragweed, ironweed, verbena and annual weeds like horseweed, sunflowers, and buffalo bur can be plentiful in some pastures. They are especially a problem in areas in pastures that have relatively thin grass stands or in areas where animals congregate.

Spraying weeds now does little good. Many weeds are too large to kill so herbicides might only reduce some seed production and may make pastures a bit more attractive. Shredding areas that have an abundance of weeds might actually work better to reduce weed seeds if it’s not already too late.

Two other approaches are better for long-term weed control. First, focus on the grazing management of your pastures. This includes using the proper stocking rate and developing a good rotational grazing plan. An important objective is to increase the health, vigor, and density of your grass. Healthy, competitive grass stands are essential to reduce weed populations economically over the long term.

Second, target herbicide applications for when they will do the most good. October and early to mid- June usually are the two most effective times to control most perennial weeds and many annuals, especially with herbicides like Grazon, Forefront, Curtail, Milestone, 2,4-D, and Banvel. Good grazing, along with weed control, will thicken your grass stands so herbicides won’t be needed as often in the future.

Don’t let weeds take over your pasture, but don’t spend money controlling them needlessly. A good plan will work best.