By Dr. John E. Baylor
Director of Market Development
Beachley-Hardy Seed Company
The growing season for 1986 has
come to a close. And, as seems to
be the rule, it was a year of
weather extremes too wet in the
north and too dry in the south. In
between the result was a good
growing season for some, but a
near disaster for others.
However, now it’s time to look
ahead to 1987 and prepare for what
we hope will be a good forage year.
One step in that preparation is the
selection of perennial forage
species for optimum production
and quality.
We know that most perennial
cool-season grasses and legumes,
when properly fertilized and
managed, can hie used successfully
for hay, silage or pasture. Some
species, however, are more sen
sitive than others to soil acidity,
marginal drainage, low fertility
and intensive cutting or pasture
management. Likewise, species
differ in their seed characteristics
and seedling emergence, early
seedling vigor and general ability
to compete during the establish
ment year. This is sometimes
referred to as seedling
aggressiveness. All of these fac-
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810 Tulpehocken Rd., Myerstown, Pa. 717-866-2246
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tors should be considered when
selecting species or mixtures for a
particular site or use.
Let’s take a brief look at how a
number of our most common
forage crops, both perennials and
annuals, compare for several of
these factors. I realize this is old
hat for many of you. But there’s no
harm in a little review.
Tolerance to Poor Drainage
Species vary in their tolerance to
soil depth and drainage. Yet we
frequently attempt to establish a
species on a soil where it is not
suited.
While the tables shown below
aren’t perfect they will give you an
idea as to how various species
compare in their tolerance of soil
drainage and acid sensitivity.
Of course, species such as
Birdsfoot Trefoil and Reed
Canarygrass also grow well on
deep, well-drained soils. But
you’re stretching your luck when
you try to move a species down on
the drainage scale.
You can successfully move a
species up the pH scale, such as
from moderate acidity to slight
acidity or above. In fact, most
Stop In Now
For
ERTL
FARM
TOYS!
located
Roly.poly
The Friendly Calf
forage species grow best when the
soil pH is near 7.0. But don’t expect
to successfully establish alfalfa or
sweet clover, for example, on a soil
high in acidity (pH 6.0 or below).
Seedling Aggressiveness
Seedling aggressiveness is a
combination of speed ot gei
mination and emergence and the
ability of the seedling to compete.
For example, of the legumes red
clover is generally considered
most aggressive, followed by
sweet clover, alfalfa and alsike
clover, ladino clover, birdsfoot
trefoil and crownvetch.
Perennial ryegrass tops the
aggressiveness list of the perennial
cool season grasses and is followed
in order by orchardgrass, tall
fescue, bromegrass, timothy, reed
canarygrass and Kentucky
bluegrass.
Competition
Seedlings of the various species
differ in their ability to compete
with other plants for light,
nutrients, and other limiting
factors.
For example, seedlings of all
common forage legume and grass
species are adversely affected by
intense shading. However, of the
legumes, red clover is most
tolerant of shade followed by
alfalfa and ladino clover. Birdsfoot
trefoil seedlings are most seriously
affected by reduced light. That
explains in part why you can
successfully establish red clover in
wheat, while attempting to
establish birdsfoot trefoil in winter
wheat usually ends in failure.
There are many other factors
that could be considered, in
cluding: seed size and shape, and
seedling heat, drought and cold
tolerance.
The expected yield and stand life
for the intended use may be
another consideration. For
example, most perennial legume
and grass species will produce
highest yields and persist longer
under a silage or hay management
system, or if used tor pasture
under a system of rotational or
more intensive grazing rather than
continuous grazing.
Finally, when selecting forage
species you should consider the
suitability of the species to the
animal enterprise. Dairy cattle,
for example, have higher forage
quality and intake requirements
than do beef cows or sheep.
Therefore, highly palatable and
digestible species are generally
more important in dairy forage
systems than in forage systems for
beef or sheep. It has also been
shown that under pasture con
ditions sheep can graze more
closely than cattle, and, thus, if
allowed to overgraze can cause
more damage to upright growing
grasses and legumes.
Seed Needs for 1987
And as you plan for 1987, it isn’t
too early to take inventory of your
next year’s forage seed needs.
Except for short supplies of certain
newer varieties, seed supplies of
most legumes should be okay. This
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, Dacambar 6, 1956-A35
Tolerates Moderately
Poor Drainage
Btrdsfoof Trefoil
Ladino Clover
Alsike Clover
Reed Canarygrass
Tall Fescue
Switchgrass
Big Bluestem
Tolerates Moderate
Acidity
(pH 5 5 to 6 0)
Birdsfoot Trefoil
Reed Canarygrass
Tall Fescue
Redtop
Bentgrass
Sudangrass
Millet
Rye Oats
includes red clover, although
because of unfavorable weather in
many seed producing areas you
can expect slightly higher prices
for this species.
Seed supplies of certain cool
season grasses could be another
story. Weather conditions this year
in many of the important grass
seed producing areas were less
than good. Briefly, seed supplies of
orchardgrass should be okay.
There should be enough timothy
seed, but prices are up slightly.
Blair County Lists
High DHIA Herds
HOLIDAYSBURG - Clover Will
Farms, Williamsburg, topped the
yearly Blair County DHIA report
in milk, fat and protein. Their herd
averaged 21,880 pounds of milk, 792
pounds of fat and 694 pounds of
protein on 141 cows.
Fidelity Holsteins, Martinsburg,
scored the second highest herd
average in the three categories. On
42.4 cows, their herd completed an
average of 21,385 pounds of milk,
781 pounds of fat and 668 pounds of
protein.
Brenneman Brothers, were
honored for the greatest increase
in fat production; their herd fat
average rose 100 pounds from the
1985 testmg year.
Marcove Farms, Martinsburg,
owned the top 2-year-old cow in
Blair County. Their cow completed
a lactation of 27,282 pounds of milk,
878 pounds of fat and 810 pounds of
protein. This Holstein herd also
owned the high milk cow. Their 6
year old posted a record of 30,408
pounds of milk.
Robert Kensinger, Roaring
Spring, owned the second high
milk cow for the county. His 4 year
old produced 30,378 pounds of milk.
This Holstein also posted the
highest protein production with 884
Tolerance To Drainage
Tolerates Skghtly
Poor Drainage
Red Clover
Kentucky Bluegrass
Perennial Ryegrass
Orchardgrass
Timothy
Brassica Sp
Sudangrass
Alfalfa
Crownvetch
Bromegrass
Acid Sensitivity
Tolerates Slight
Acidity
(pH 6 0 to 6 5)
Alfalfa
Sweet Clover
Barley
Red Clover
Alsike Clover
Ladino Clover
Timothy
Bromegrass
Orchardgrass
Perennial Ryegrass
Kentucky Bluegrass
Corn
Wheat
But seed supplies of common
southern bromegrass, Kentucky
bluegrass and tall fescue are
definitely on the short side. Don’t
panic, but do plan ahead.
Finally, the holiday season is
fast approaching. May I take this
opportunity to wish each and
everyone the best of the holiday
season and may 1987 be especially
good to you.
Merry Christinas and a Happy
New Year!
pounds.
A 10-year-old cow owned by C.
Eugene Smith, Martinsburg,
registered the highest fat
production for the county with
1,162 pounds.
Owners of the top five cows for
lifetime fat production were also
honored. These producers and the
production of their cows are:
Baker Farms, 204,036 milk and
8,330 fat; William England, 211,767
milk and 8,183 fat; Smith Hollow
Farm, 201,047 milk and 7,951 fat;
Burket Fall Farm, 187,659 milk
and 7,837 fat; and Marcove Farm,
208,544 milk and 7,705 fat.
Five herds were recognized for
low somatic cell counts. These
herds are: Dale Hoover, 93,000
SCC; Clover Will Farm, 140,000
SCC; Penn-England, 146,000 SCC;
Charles and Mike Hoover, 148,000
SCC; and Jayray Farms, 154,000
SCC.
Blair County DHIA finished its
58th year on Sept. 30 with 90 whole
year herds on DHIA and eight
owner-samplers. This year the
program tested 436 more cows
than in 1985 for an average of 17,082
pounds of milk and 619 pounds of
fat.
Very Sensitive
To OH Drainage
Very Sensitive
(pH 6 5 to 7 0)