Unit 22 Forage and Pasture In the U.S. there are over 475 million acres of pasture and range Land. There is an additional 61 million acres in hay production. Much of the range land is in the western part of the U.S. and is made Up of land that is not suitable for cultivation. Montana itself has 93 million acres of rangeland. By using this land for livestock Production we receive agricultural benefit from it.

Legume crops Alfalfa is sometimes called the queen of forage crops. It adds nitrogen To the soil and its feed is high in protein. Forty percent of all hay Produced in the U.S. is or contains alfalfa. True Clovers – there are over 300 species of true clovers but only 25 Are economically important. Red, White, Crimson, Ladino, and Alsike Make up most of the production in the U.S. They also add amounts of Nitrogen to the soil. Sweet clovers are drought resistant and are found all over the U.S. Biennial yellow, Biennial white, and annual species are found. Honey Producers like the nectar that they produce. Birds foot trefoil has been grown in Europe for many years. It has feed Value equal to alfalfa but produces lower yields. It is a newer crop to the U.S.

Lespedeza is a crop grown in the southern U.S. on poorer soils. It has Annual and perennial species. Peanut hay is a by –product of the peanut industry. It is a product that Is very low in protein.

Grasses Bromegrass is grown in northern areas. It can grow 2 to 3 feet tall And spreads by rhizomes. Orchard grass is a cool season grass that produces a lot of early spring Growth. It is seeded with many legume forages. Timothy is a cool season grass that makes excellent horse hay as It is not as dusty as legumes and other grasses. Reed Canary grass grows in very wet conditions and can get seven Feet tall. Kentucky bluegrass is a cool season grass grown in some areas for Pasture production. It goes dormant during hot weather. Fescues are fine grasses that are grown in some areas for pasture. They Are low in palatability and quality

Bermuda grass is a warm season grass grown in the southern U.S. Because of its growth habits it is considered a weed in most areas. Dallis grass is another grass grown in warmer parts of the country. It must be rested after intense grazing. Johnson grass is strongly rhizometious and is considered a noxious Weed in most areas.

Corn and oats These crops can also be grown for forage production instead of cereal Production. Oats may be planted and harvested as a nurse crop. A nurse crop Protects another crop that it is seeded with. Care must be taken not To use to high of seeding rates with oats as it will compete with the Other crop Corn for this purpose is often called field corn. It is grown for large Ears and stalks. It usually is chopped for silage right out of the field.

Main reasons for selecting forage varieties Intended use Expected yields Nutritional value Climatic conditions Life of the crop Special equipment need

Seedbed preparation The seedbed for forage crops must be a finer texture and firmer than Seedbeds used for field crops. The seed is smaller so must be in Contact with the soil better to absorb water.

Planting Regular grain drills can be used to plant forages. Care must be taken not To plant the seeds to deep. Some grain drills have especial boxes for Forages that have special metering devices. There are special drills for forages especially smaller seeds like grasses that pack after seeding. If seeds are broadcast many time a corrugated roller is passed over the Field to pack and cover the seeds. Overseeding is done in an existing crop. It may be used to get a fall Crop started in an existing crop.

Pest control Because of the many growing conditions pest control is very hard In the growing crops. These types of crops require attention the Whole year not only when it gets time to harvest. An Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is used in many parts of the country. Control of pests in harvested and stored forage products is essential to keep the quality of the product high.

Harvesting and storage Pastures are harvested by animals eating the product and is usually Measured in the carrying capacity of the pasture. Another measure Would be Animal Unit Months or AUM. Hay is harvested best by the maturity of the crop. In the boot stage Alfalfa has the most protein and the moisture. In the pre-bud stage It has less protein and less moisture. Most producers try to target the 1/10 th bloom stage it contains a good amount of protein an the moisture Contest is low enough to dry quickly. Sickle bar mowers or swathers are used to harvest forage crops. They Work best in standing crops. Rotary mowers have circular cutting Blades and work on standing or crops that are laying down.

Conditioners are mechanical devices that crush the stems on forage Crops so the moisture will exit and they will dry quicker Raking is sometimes done to help the crop dry quicker, remember Every time you move the crop you will loose leaves and that is where Most of the protein is. Balers of many kinds and shapes are used to compact the forage Product. A lot depends on personal preference, labor requirements, And if you sell the product. Some producers put forage products up Loose or in special stacking units. While others will cube forage Right in the field. Cubing is expensive but it hauls easy and livestock Use it better.

Silage production is increasing in the U.S. due to new products and Better equipment. Livestock consume and use silage better than Plain forage. Most of the time forage for silage is cut and chopped To aid in the process. A flail type harvester is used to produce Haylage. It is then placed in a silo, pit, or wrapped in plastic. The Fermentation process occurs in which bacteria change the sugars Found in the forage into lactic and acetic acid. These two acids make The silage smell good. Air must be kept out during the fermentation process or it will just Spoil rather than turn into silage. The silage also gets hot during This process. If butyric acid is formed the silage will smell bad and it means that Oxygen has entered the silage and it has started to spoil.