Small Grains an Option for Making Hay or Silage

 BROOKINGS, S.D. -- Farmers facing drought have the possibility of using any small grains for hay or silage, specialists at South Dakota State University said.
 
SDSU Extension Crops Specialist Bob Hall and SDSU Forage Research Agronomist Vance Owens added that the ideal stage for harvesting such grains as hay or silage is already here for some producers, though crop maturity varies widely from field to field.

"If you had planned it, you would be harvesting small grains for hay or silage in the boot stage to early dough stage," Owens said. "And if you were going to graze it, you would start even earlier."

Here are some issues for producers weighing their options:

* Always test for dangerous levels of nitrates before using small grains as hay or silage -- county Extension offices can provide information on testing techniques and where to send samples. Oats hay appears to accumulate higher levels of nitrate than other small grain hays, Owens said.

* Especially if nitrates appear to be a problem, hay or silage are better options than grazing small grains. Producers can mix the hay or silage with low-nitrate feeds such as grain or legume hay to lower the nitrate levels. In addition, the process of making silage reduces nitrate levels by 35 to 50 percent, Owens said.

* Silage typically has 2 to 4 percent more digestible nutrients than hay, making it a better option than hay in some cases, Hall said -- especially if there is difficulty getting small grains to dry down enough to make hay. But farmers in some parts of South Dakota may lack silage-making equipment.

* Farmers planning to make hay of small grains should consider using a mechanical conditioner or crimper to help the hay to dry down. Some producers cutting small grains for hay are reporting problems getting grain heads to dry.

* For feeding or backgrounding cattle, a Kansas State University publication reports barley silage typically has about 90 to 100 percent of the feed value of corn silage; wheat, 70 to 90 percent; oats, 60 to 80 percent; triticale, 50 to 70 percent; and rye, 50 to 65 percent.

* Triticale and rye are better suited to pasture than for use as hay or silage. Those grains have larger stems than wheat, barley or oats, which adds difficulty in making either hay or silage.

* If farmers grow more than one type of small grain, they may need or want to prioritize their harvest.  Hall noted that barley generally makes the highest quality small grain forage, followed in order by wheat, oat, triticale, and rye.
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Contact: Bob Hall, (605) 688-4760; Vance Owens, (605) 688-6088
** For links to other sites showcasing SDSU's work in teaching, research, and Extension, visit http://sdces.sdstate.edu.

Lance Nixon, Editor
AgBio Communications Unit
South Dakota State University
ACC, Box 2231, Rm 200
Brookings, SD 57007
Telephone: (605) 688-4653
Lance_Nixon@sdstate.edu