Incorporating buckwheat into oat/pea hay

Incorporating buckwheat into oat/pea hay

Summary

Winter grains offer an opportunity as a cash crop for farmers in the northeast. This project aims to test a hay crop that will increase dairy farmers’ independence from purchased feeds while developing a rotation ideal for the production of in-demand winter grain. Building on a project done in 2010 to produce buckwheat hay, this project will incorporate buckwheat into oat/pea hay. Although the buckwheat hay produced in 2010 proved extremely useful as part of an organic rotation, the quality of the buckwheat hay was only moderate. This project aims to increase the protein content and make the hay easier to dry by oversowing oat/pea hay with buckwheat. We tested different sowing rates and timings to allow for a stand comprised of roughly half buckwheat and half oat/pea, thereby increasing protein and digestibility while maintaining the weed suppression and soil mellowing characteristics of buckwheat. The land was then sown to winter rye intended for human consumption.

8 Plots were sown to Oats/Field Peas/ Buckwheat.  During the growing season, the growth of the crop was recorded. Rainfall was recorded. Weed pressure was recorded. Measuring the value of the feed concludes the project.
One of the important goals of this project was to establish if buckwheat could successfully be grown as a palatable cattle feed in conjunction with oats and peas. Although forage analyses are still pending on the forage grown for this project, the yields of hay were consistent with other forage crops grown in our locale. Interestingly, our cattle seem to particularly relish the oat/pea/buckwheat hay. Youngstock and dairy cows are thriving particularly well this winter with the addition of the forage from this project. We have noticed that our stock in general are in better form this winter—partially because of the addition of the forage from this project. This project has preliminarily established that oat/pea/buckwheat is a viable crop for dairy farms in the northeast.

Because of the inclement weather and a delayed planting time after the hay was made, winter rye was planted instead of winter wheat. Before snowfall, the winter rye showed significantly less weed pressure than the oat/pea/buckwheat. Again, the plots where the buckwheat was planted after an interval—into the established oats/peas—performed the best in suppressing weeds in the following winter rye crop.

Objectives/Performance Targets

In the May 2012 we plowed eight acres for this project. The land received 3 acres/ton of manure prior to and the land was prepared with a field cultivator, harrow and disc. The land was be planted to oat/pea hay or oat/pea/ buckwheat hay in the following manner:

1 acre plots—

Plot 1: Sown to Oats/Field Peas/ Buckwheat at a rate of 70lbs./ 60lbs./ 40lbs. In this plot, the grain was all be sown at the same time.

Plot 2: Sown to oats/ field peas at a rate of 70lbs/ 60lbs. Two days later, buckwheat was sown at a rate of 40lbs. per acre.

Plot 3: Sown to oats/ field peas at a rate of 70lbs/ 60lbs. Four days later, buckwheat was sown at a rate of 40lbs. per acre.

Plot 4: Sown to oats/ field peas at a rate of 70lbs/ 60lbs. Six days later, buckwheat was sown at a rate of 40lbs. per acre.

Plot 5: Sown to oats/ field peas at a rate of 70lbs/ 60lbs. Eight days later, buckwheat was sown at a rate of 40lbs. per acre.

Plot 6: Sown to oats/ field peas at a rate of 70lbs/ 60lbs. Ten days later, buckwheat was sown at a rate of 40lbs. per acre.

Plot 7: Sown to oats/ field peas at a rate of 70lbs/ 60lbs. Twelve days later, buckwheat was sown at a rate of 40 lbs. per acre.

Plot 8: Sown to oats/ field peas at a rate of 90lbs/ 80lbs. Control

In general the goal of this project was to determine the feed value, weed control, and growth habits of oat/pea/buckwheat for dairy forage. During the growing season, the growth of the crop was recorded. Rainfall was recorded. Weed pressure was recorded. Measuring the value of the feed concludes the project. In addition, the project aimed to evaluate the ways in which the oat/pea/buckwheat crop prepared the ground for winter grain. The winter grain was also evaluated for weed pressure following the forage crop.

Accomplishments/Milestones

One of the important goals of this project was to establish if buckwheat could successfully be grown as a palatable cattle feed in conjunction with oats and peas. Although forage analyses are still pending on the forage grown for this project, the yields of hay were consistent with other forage crops grown in our locale. Interestingly, our cattle seem to particularly relish the oat/pea/buckwheat hay. Youngstock and dairy cows are thriving particularly well this winter with the addition of the forage from this project. We have noticed that our stock in general are in better form this winter—partially because of the addition of the forage from this project. This project has preliminarily established that oat/pea/buckwheat is a viable crop for dairy farms in the northeast.

In a previous season, we grew straight buckwheat hay. Although this also was a viable feed for dairy cows, it was very difficult to produce as dry hay, particularly in our humid climate. In contrast, the buckwheat/oat/pea hay dried as easily as standard grass/legume hay. It was not as time consuming to make as the straight buckwheat hay and was not as hard on the haymaking equipment.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Yields per acre of hay:
Plot 1– 1.5 tons dry hay
Plot 2– 1.25 tons dry hay
Plot 3– 1.25 tons dry hay
Plot 4– 1.5 tons dry hay
Plot 5– 2 tons dry hay
Plot 6– 2 tons dry hay
Plot 7– 1 ton dry hay
Plot 8– 1.75 tons dry hay

Growth July 15th

Plot 1– 28”
Plot 2– 31”
Plot 3– 30”
Plot 4– 30”
Plot 5– 35”
Plot 6– 33”
Plot 7– 27”
Plot 8– 31”

In general all of the plots were shorter than similar crops grown in more favorable seasons. Plot 7, though not as weedy as some of the other plots, produced a somewhat thin stand with depressed growth. Despite the substandard height, yields were appropriate. This can be accounted for by the relatively high rate of seeding used for this project.

Rainfall— May 5.8” rain
              June 6.2” rain

The rest of the summer was excessively rainy, making weed pressure high and making hay difficult to make. Although the buckwheat/oat/pea hay suffered from a high amount of weed pressure—partially because of adverse weather conditions– it still made a suitable hay crop.

Weed Pressure OAT/PEA/BUCKWHEAT— scale of 1-10 (ten being weediest)and sample of weeds per square meter

Plot 1 (10) greater than 200 /square meter
Plot 2 (9) greater than 200 /square meter
Plot 3 (9) greater than 200 /square meter
Plot 4 (9) greater than 200 /square meter
Plot 5 (5) 100 /square meter
Plot 6 (5) 100/square meter
Plot 7 (5) 100/square meter
Plot 8 (9) greater than 200/ square meter

The weed pressure was extremely high in all of the plots. This can be partially explained by the cool rainy weather. All of the plots started out well and began the season by competing fairly well with the weeds. By the middle of June, however, growth had slowed in the oat/pea/buckwheat crop because of cool, rainy weather, allowing the weeds to take over. The plots that were sown in strips and the plot where all three forages were sown together faired the worst in competing with weeds. The plots where the buckwheat was planted some days after the oats/peas faired the best. In general, the oat/pea/buckwheat mix was significantly less effective in competing with weeds than a stand of pure buckwheat. Despite the high weed pressure, a decent crop of hay was made in all plots.

Weed Pressure– Winter Rye

Because of the inclement weather and a delayed planting time after the hay was made, winter rye was planted instead of winter wheat. Before snowfall, the winter rye showed significantly less weed pressure than the oat/pea/buckwheat. Again, the plots where the buckwheat was planted after an interval—into the established oats/peas—performed the best in suppressing weeds in the following winter rye crop.

Plot 1 (4) 20 /square meter
Plot 2 (3) 10/square meter
Plot 3 (3) 10/square meter
Plot 4 (3) 10 /square meter
Plot 5 (1) fewer than 5 /square meter
Plot 6 (1) fewer than 5 /square meter
Plot 7 (1) fewer than 5 /square meter
Plot 8 (3) 10 /square meter

Forage analysis results are pending

Collaborators: