Alternative Use of Seasonal Forage Crops: Triticale, Field Peas, and Brassicas

View the project final report

• 1999 annual report

Commodities

• Agronomic: peas (field, cowpeas), triticale
• Animals: bovine

Practices

• Animal Production: feed/forage, pasture fertility
• Education and Training: farmer to farmer, on-farm/ranch research
• Production Systems: integrated crop and livestock systems

I want to demonstrate a method of pasture management that will provide a high quality forage crop for Northeastern livestock/dairy producers. I plan to grow successive alternative season crops for the following benefits to long reason growing beef cow/dairy producers. 1)Reduction of soil compact on resulting from fall/early winter growing. 2) Reduction in the need of primary tillage used to reseed pastureland. 3)Reduction of herbicide use. 4)Resulting in earlier 1st cutting of baylage for winter seed 5) Resulting in later fall growing to extend grazing season. The climate in the Northeast seldom allows for pasture growing of mature plants into early winter. Developing alternative growing systems will allow livestock and dairy producers to reduce feed costs by producing late in the season forage. Using crops that will increase soil quality and prepare the soil for re-seeding in the following spring.