Harvesting Your Winter Cover Crops for Forage

Increased soil health, reduced erosion, nutrient uptake, and increased organic matter are some of the many advantages for growing winter cover crops. What’s another advantage? Harvesting for forage. The fast growing nature of winter cereals, such as winter rye, triticale, wheat, or barley, allows them to work fluently in a double cropping system. Keeping a crop in the soil at all times reduces nutrient loss and may allow for additional forage.

With the heat units we received in mid – April to the recently cool and rainy forecast, winter cereal maturity needs to have a close eye kept on it. For your high quality dairy feed, the optimum stage to harvest your winter cereals is mid to late boot. At this stage, the flag leaf has emerged, but the seedhead is not visible. The cooler temperatures may maintain optimum forage quality for longer, but the window to harvest is usually only a few days. Delayed harvest past the optimum stage will boost yield, but will reduce forage quality.

Consider the crop that will follow the winter cereal, such as the variety and what traits are associated with that seed. Pay close attention in season for pests such as the Black Cutworm and Armyworm. They are attracted to winter cereals and lay their eggs in the dense cover. Keep a close eye, choose the appropriate hybrids for that field, and most importantly – have a SAFE Spring.

As always, give your local CaroVail a call to speak with a Certified Crop Advisor.