Profitable forage systems: Is double cropping BMR sorghum followed by a winter grain a viable cropping system alternative in the Northeast?

Profitable forage systems: Is double cropping BMR sorghum followed by a winter grain a viable cropping system alternative in the Northeast?

Summary

The 2014 activitiy for this project was to harvest and evaluate cover crop contribution in the rotation with forage sorghum. Only 1 of the 4 cooperating farms was able to plant the fall seeded triticale. Late harvest and wet soil conditions were the main roadblocks to establishment.

Objectives/Performance Targets

This SARE project chronicled 4 farms’ experiences with bmr-sorghum, a warm season crop. It was followed by a winter grain to maximize production.  The cooperating farms grew and harvested the sorghum and planned to plant the small grain cover crop. The final report will evaluate whether this cropping combination was cost effective and the performance of the crop’s yield and feed quality.

This project allowed us to gain experience with a crop that has not been grown traditionally in the Northeast. Sorghum appeared to be a reasonable substitute for corn silage offering similar yields, at a lower cost and an equally efficient harvest as a single chop system.

• Sorghum Forage Analyses

Accomplishments/Milestones

In 2014 the fall seeded small grain cover crop was harvested.  Of the 4 farm cooperators only 1 successfully established a cover crop.  Triticale was seeded on the Birdsall farm on October 11, 2013.  Wet soil conditions and other farm duties precluded planting at the Dawson and Tuning farms.  Late harvest at Stows made cover crop planting unfeasible.  

The triticale was harvested as grain August 12, 2014.

Outreach
This objectives and results of this project were presented at the Cornell Cooperative Extension annual Agricuture & Food Systems Inservice in November, 2014.  The group consisted of NYS CCE faculty and field crop educators.

A summary article will be published in our regional extension newsletter in the winter of 2015.

The quality reports of the harvested sorghum are attached as well  as a promotional  flyer for the in-season workshops.

• Sorghum Field Day Flyer 2013

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Collaborators: