ARVIN H. HALL
« Forage Specialist
Penn State
oitages most often occur
ummer when dry condi-
'haractenstics and seeding rate of brassica forage crops
Plant part
consumed
herbage 90-100 d
herbage 150-180 d
herbage and 90-100 d
root
herbage and 150-180 d
root
ition is the stemless cultivar Premier' which will regrow after harvest
Maximize
When it comes to improving Relative Feed
Value and maximizing the Crude Protein in
hay, nothing outperforms the New Idea"’ 5209
Disc Mower Conditioner Its high-speed disc
cutterbar glides through fields with ease,
even in extreme conditions And the unique
Ti-Cor'"’ Conditioning Rolls gently condition
the stems, speeding drydown
Plan Ahead With Annual Forages
lions reduce productivity or in the ear
ly winter when cool temperatures re
strict plant growth of perennial forage
crops.
By planning ahead for periods of
Seeding to Regrows after Seeding
harvest harvest rate
yes
no*
yes
iiU New Idea
l AGCO
BUILT FOB THE BOTTOM LIHE
3.5- Ib/acre
3 5-4 Ib/acre
1.5- Ib/acre
1.5-2 Ib/acre
The 5209’s reliable design keeps you
mowing and conditioning year after year
With the segmented cutterbar dnveshaft, a
New Idea innovation the cutterbar is truly mod
ular, which makes for easy maintenance
To see the disc mower conditioner that II
exceed your expectations not your budget,
visit your AGCO., New Idea dealer today
Foraging Around, Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, February 7, 1998-Page
low production from the perennial
species, annual crops can be planted
which will provide forage during
these periods.
In the event that the summer is not
dry and perennial forages maintain
high levels of production, then the
summer annual crops will not neces
sarily be lifesavers but can be utilized
along with the perennial crops as a
source of forage. However, it is im
portant to remember that annual crops
need to be a planned component of the
forage system and not a reaction after
the perennial crops begin to decline in
production.
While no forage species could have
maintained high production during
last summer’s dry weather, some an
nual forage species could have been
more productive than our traditional
perennial forage crops if they had
been established before the dry weath
er. The decision to plant an annual
crop as insurance against dry weather
should be an economical one.
In a year such as last, the value of
any forage was high and the economic
benefits of annual forage crop produc-
tion were obvious. However, in a wet
summer, the economics of production
are not necessarily negative since the
crop can still be utilized as a forage for
livestock consumption. The annual
crop simply removes some of the risks
associated with farming in the unpre
dictable weather of Pennsylvania.
Where Do Annual
Forage Crops Fit?
Summer annual grasses, including
sorghum, Sudan grass, sorghum-sudan
hybrids, and millet, grow best at rela
tively high temperatures (80* F) and
pnaintAin production under conditions
of limited moisture. They should be
planted from two weeks after com un
til the end of June.
Seedings may be made as late as
July 15 in emergency situations, but
yields will be reduced because of lim
ited moisture and cool temperatures
during the fall. Summer-annual grass
harvest for silage should occur when
the grasses are in the medium to hard
dough stage. The best time to graze
these grasses is when they are between
18 and 30 inches tall.
See Your
AGCO -
New Idea
Dealer Listed
Below.
Delaware
Georgetown
Baxter Farms
Maryland
Dayton
J D Mullimx
Lineboro
Wert/ Farm Equipment
Pennsylvania
Bechtelsville
Millet Equipment
Bethel
Zimmerman’s Farm Seivicc
Blooinsburg
William F Welhver
Carlisle
Carlisle Farm Seivicc
Chambersburg
Chambersburg Farm Service
Cochranville
Stolt/lus Farm Service
Cresson
Hines Equipment
Greencastle
Meyers Implements
Klingerstown
Stanley’s Farm Set vice
Lebanon
Umbcrgcrs of Fontana
Mercer
Ralph W Kyle
Mifflinburg
B, S&B Repair
Oakland Milh
Peoples Sales & Set vice
Quakertown
C J Wonsidlei
Quarryville
A L Herr
Somerset
Lmcoln-Supply
209
Contact your coun
ty extension office to
obtain agronomy
facts 23, “Summer-
Annual Grasses For
Supplemental Or
Emergency Forage"
for more detailed in
formation about use
of summer-annual
grasses in your sys
tem.
Brassicas, includ
ing rape, kale, turnip
and swede, have dif
ferent growth charac
teristics and can be
seeded in the spring
or late summer to
provide a range of
utilization periods.
Rape and turnip can
usually be grazed
about 90 days after
planting while kale
and swede normally
require about 150
days before harvest
ing (Table 1).
Small grains such
as wheat, barley, rye,
and triticale should be
planted from mid-
August to early Sep
tember and can be u
tilized for grazing
from October through
December and again
in early spring. If the
small grain is to har
vested for silage,
grazing should be dis
continued when the
plants begin upright
growth in the spring.
The key to success
with annual forage
crops is to plan ahead.
By planning ahead
and establishing a
small portion of your
forage acreage to an
nual forages, you pro
vide insurance
against inclement
weather with minimal
net cost even if the
weather turn out to be