C3f—Lancaster Fannins, Saturday, February 9,1980
How no-till can boost forage production
UNIVERSITY PARK - If
you raise livestock, it might
be tune to reconsider your
protein source.
Part of the feed supply
probably comes from forage
production because it’s both
inexpensive and high in
quality.
So it makes sense that
boosting forage acres, can
boost profits. But how?
Specialists at Penn State
University are now saying
that with no-tdl production,
many “unproductive”
pastures will support
healthy forage crops.
One of the primary ad
vocates of this practice is
Bill McClellan, Penn State
professor and extension
agronomist.
He lists a variety of
reasons why no-till forages
can produce substantial
amounts of protein in areas
where conventional seeding
is, at best, minimally
productive.
“When you till the ground
and cultipack it twice, you
destroy the surface soil
structure ... or at least
reduce it to fine particles,”
he explain. “And it washes
badly under those con
ditions.”
He also notes when forages
are grown with the no-till
method, seedbed en
vironment is more con
ducive to germination.
“When you don’t disturb
the soil, breaking up
capillaries, conditions for
germination are just more
favorable,” McClellan says.
He’s quick to point out,
however, that growing no-till
forages requires more in
tensive management than
conventional farming.
To help growers get
started on the right food with
this technique, McClellan
and his colleagues have
developed a set of
guidelines
He notes they’re generally
adaptable to the four
categories of forages now
grown m the Northeast:
perennial grasses, legumes,
summer grasses, and small
grams.
According to McClellan, if
you’re considering no-till,
your first step should be site
selection.
That involves three
questions you’ll want to ask
yourself about a particular
field: what crops or weeds
are present, is the area wet
or stoney, and is the field
well-fenced?
“If quackgrass is a major
weed, it will mean at least
two years lead time so that
tnazine herbicides can be
used without danger of
excess residues,” McClellan
says.
“If Canada thistle is ob
viously a problem, there will
be a necessity for two or
more aj Plications of 2,4-D
and/or lanvel. Banvel will
also go a long way toward
controlling brushy species in
an old pasture.”
McClellan warns,
however, that Banvel cannot
be used within six months of
seeding.
“If the area is extremely
wet,” he continues, “you
should consider corrective
measures to improve
drainage. Otherwise, it
would be best to wait until
mid-summer to make the
seeding, or choose another
site.”
As for stoniness, it’s true
that no-hll farming is more
adaptable to rocky Nor
theastern soils than con
ventional cropping, because
field tillage usually pulls
stones to the soil’s surface.
Be cautious m areas that
have too many stones,
however.
According to McClellan,
“excessive stoniness may
mean poor seed placement
with some planters and
extreme machinery wear on
others.”
And the final consideration
with site selection - fencing -
- is important to maintain
organized grazing both
before and after seeding.
“Good fences just make
the job easier,” McClellan
says.
With those points in order,
it’s time to prepare the soil
for seeding. That mcludes
Penn State guidelines
soil testing, applications of A soil test should be taken
lime and fertilizers, grazing approximately one year
or clipping, and herbicide prior to seeding so lime can
applications. be applied, if necessary.
McClellan stresses lead Though lime, as well as
time is always an essential potassium and phosphorus,
in no-till forage production. (Turn to Page C4O)
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