Forage Harvest Tips

The majority of the province received some moisture over the last couple of weeks which  spelled relief for many producers in the drought areas.  Most of the producers in the province have delayed their forage harvest for a couple of weeks to account for the cool spring and early June frosts.  Producers are now just planning their forage harvest either as green feed or silage as we move into the last week of July.

Timing of cutting your cereal crop for forage is critical as this is the single most important factor controlling forage quality.  As crops advance from the early leaf to the seed stages, they gradually loose feed quality.  Cutting at the correct time will result in a feed stuff that has a high protein and energy content. The proper stage to cut green feed will depend on the type of cereal crop grown as outlined in the table below.

Crop	Harvest Stage
Barley	Milk to soft dough
Oats	Early to late milk
Wheat	Milk to soft dough
Fall Rye	Boot to heading
Triticale	Heading to late milk

Prepared by Juanita Kopp, Ag-Info Centre, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development

Cutting later than the above recommended time will reduce the digestibility of the forage as protein and energy will decline as the forage matures.  The decline in quality is not the same across all cereals.  Crops such as wheat and barley will retain their protein and energy values somewhat longer than oats and fall rye, as the fiber level increases dramatically as the crop matures in the oats and fall rye. The same cutting guidelines apply to forage harvested for silage.

The moisture content in baled green feed will influence the “shelf life” of the forage. Baled green feed must be fully cured to avoid spoilage and turning brown.  High moisture feeds tend to heat; develop molds, and loose quality. The heating process is critical as it will affect the protein and energy that is available to the animal. Green feed made from canola or cereal crop as salvage due to drought or hail run the risk of feed toxins being present. Green feed can contain high levels of nitrate as well which have been shown to cause death or abortions in cattle at high levels. It is important to feed test your green feed to understand the nutrient analysis as you plan your winter feeding program. 

Winter tetany or milk fever problems are often associated with feeding grain, straw or green feed rations. Cereal forages are low in magnesium and calcium, coupled with high levels of potassium in Central and Southern Alberta, may impair magnesium absorption causing tetany. Feeding annuals during the winter requires the use of a 2:1 mineral supplement to balance the ration and reduce the impacts of winter tetany.

We invite you to stop by your local UFA Farm and Ranch Supply store and visit with our staff for all of your forage requirements from twine, moisture testers, stack covers, to all of your mineral requirements for the winter feeding period.