cereal pasture

[fordson major]

we are looking at putting in a spring grain to be used as pasture or chop was thinking of either oats and barley or rye. anyone tried this ? or is there a better grain to use?

[moonwolf]

I don't grow grains or pasture yet, but it's common in this area of Northern Ontario to grow Oats. They grow barely too, but oats is the main grain grown if they don't grow alfalfa/clover mix.

[agmantoo]

milo is a decent forage crop that will grow in many different conditions. You would need to acquaint yourself with the crop prior to grazing it. Here is zone 7 it is too late to plant rye, oats have insect problems here and we fall plant wheat and barley. There is some good reading here http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/forage/livest.htm

[Jena]

Originally Posted by ford major

we are looking at putting in a spring grain to be used as pasture or chop was thinking of either oats and barley or rye. anyone tried this ? or is there a better grain to use?

We planted oats and pasture mix. Took the oats off in early summer (made oat hay) and then had pasture left.

Jena

[Maura]

Ever considered amaranth?

[rambler]

Originally Posted by ford major

we are looking at putting in a spring grain to be used as pasture or chop was thinking of either oats and barley or rye. anyone tried this ? or is there a better grain to use?

Rye & winter wheat would be better planted in fall to be grazed in spring (in my climate anyhow). Oats will do ok. As will Barley, amarith (sp), tritacale, etc. You don't have your location listed, that will make a difference.

Do read up on the proper grazing time. You want to be out there early, before the grain heads or they will stomp it down & not eat the woody stems. But not too early or during a real dry spell, or it will poison your livestock - too much N gets picked up in short stems in dry conditions or very quick growth spurts...... This is rather rare, but you do need to know about it.

--->Paul

[fordson major]

thanks for the ideas ! once again agman great site, boy do you ever have a great bookmark folder! millet will probably replace sorgum/sudan in our crop mix.both fields we are chopping are right beside the runoff lagoon and will get an application via dragline and splash pan.have tryed oat hay but never seems to dry out enough! even with a week of sun have had it still mold! paul we are up in canada near (they say in)ottawa have always watched for nitrates in a dry year and been lucky so far (30 years and counting)still need lots of chop and these fields are rotated out to destroy wire grass and worm load.