Emergency Forage Trial Central Sands Area Adams County 2005 & 2006 & 2007 Keith Vander Velde, UW Extension Marquette County Craig Saxe, UW Extension Juneau County\ Ken Barnett, UW Extension Forage Specialist

Emergency Forage Trials Goals: What Works in Sandy Soils –Evaluate Crops Used for Summer Forage –Look at Ease of Establishment –Compare forage ability to Control Weeds –Measure Crude Protein, Net Energy and Milk Per Acre –Compare differences in forage dry down

Emergency Forage Trials

Forages Planted: 1. Sesqui Oat 2. Hybrid Pearl Millet 3. Japanese Millet 4. German Millet 5. Italian Rye Grass 6. Milo/Soybean Mix 7. Derry Soybeans 8. BMR Forage Sorghum 9. Forage Corn 10. Piper Sudan Grass 11. Grazing Composite Corn (Multi-tillering corn that can be cut and new tillers will take over)

Emergency Forage Trials Rain Fall Limited in 2005 Rain Fall Very Limited in 2006 June inch June inch June inchJune inch July 4 – 0.7 inchJuly inch July inchesJuly inch July inch Aug inches Total Rainfall, 7.5 inches 4.5 inches

Emergency Forage Plots Sesqui Oats: –Seed Cost -$5/bushel –Seeding Rate-75 lbs/acre –Seed Cost per acre-$10 –Yield-1.4 tons (50% foxtail) –Plant height-14 inches at heading –Crude Protein = 12.3% –Milk per ton=3425 lbs –Milk per acre=4,633 lbs

Sesqui Oats

Emergency Forage Plots Hybrid Pearl Millet: –Seed Cost -$35 per 50 lbs –Seeding Rate-25 lbs/acre –Seed Cost per acre-$18 –Yield-4.8 ton per acre –Plant height-34 inches at heading –Crude Protein = 10.4% –Milk per ton=3293 lbs –Milk per acre=15,690 lbs

Emergency Forage Plots Japanese Millet: –Seed Cost -$25 per 50 lbs –Seeding Rate-30 lbs/acre –Seed Cost per acre-$15 –Yield-2.7 ton per acre –Plant height-32 inches at heading –Crude Protein = 14.2% –Milk per ton=3,132 lbs –Milk per acre=8,527 lbs

Pearl Millet Japanese Millet

Emergency Forage Plots German Millet: –Seed Cost -$35 per 50 lbs –Seeding Rate-20 lbs/acre –Seed Cost per acre-$14 –Yield-5.4 ton per acre –Plant height-35 inches at heading –Crude Protein = 12.4% –Milk per ton=2,822 lbs –Milk per acre=15,366 lbs

Japanese Millet German Millet

Emergency Forage Plots Italian Rye Grass: –Seed Cost -$49 per 50 lbs –Seeding Rate-35 lbs/acre –Seed Cost per acre-$34 –Yield-2.3 ton per acre(75% foxtail) –Plant height-35 inches at heading-foxtail –Crude Protein = 10.7% –Milk per ton=3,167 lbs –Milk per acre=7,329 lbs

Italian Rye Grass

Emergency Forage Plots Milo/Soybean Mix: –Seed Cost -$11 per 50 lbs –Seeding Rate-150 lbs/acre –Seed Cost per acre-$33 –Yield-3.4 ton per acre –Plant height-33 inches at heading –Crude Protein = 12% –Milk per ton=3,034 lbs –Milk per acre=10,325 lbs

Emergency Forage Plots Derry Soybean-Forage type: R-5 –Seed Cost -$26 per 50 lbs –Seeding Rate-50 lbs/acre –Seed Cost per acre-$26 –Yield-few soybean, mostly foxtail did not compete with foxtail with no chemical control

Emergency Forage Plots BMR Forage Sorghum: –Seed Cost -$26 per 50 lbs –Seeding Rate-30 lbs/acre –Seed Cost per acre-$15.60 –Yield-4.8 ton per acre –Plant height-42 inches at heading –Crude Protein = 11.6% –Milk per ton=3,203 lbs –Milk per acre=15,260 lbs

BMR Forage Sorghum

Emergency Forage Plots Forage Fodder Corn: –Seed Cost -$45 per 50 lbs –Seeding Rate-20 lbs/acre –Seed Cost per acre-$18 –Yield-6.1 ton per acre –Plant height-40 inches at heading –Crude Protein = 11.5% –Milk per ton=3,273 lbs –Milk per acre=20,050 lbs

Emergency Forage Plots Piper Sudan Grass: –Seed Cost -$45 per 50 lbs –Seeding Rate-30 lbs/acre –Seed Cost per acre-$27 –Yield-6.8 ton per acre –Plant height-45 inches at heading –Crude Protein = 11.1% –Milk per ton=3,227 lbs –Milk per acre=21,964 lbs

Piper Sudan Grass

Emergency Forage Plots UW Grazing Corn: –Seed Cost ? –Seeding Rate-25,000 seeds/acre –Seed Cost per acre ? –Yield-4.8 ton per acre –Plant height-48 inches at heading –Crude Protein = 12.3% –Milk per ton=3,389 lbs –Milk per acre=16,146 lbs

XXX (Planted June 2, Cut Aug 6)

XXX (Planted June 2, Cut Aug 6)

What is the best forage for late planting? (Dan Undersander) After analyzing all the data, our recommendation is that corn for silage is the best crop for emergency planting at any date and location in Wisconsin where silage can be made. It was generally the highest yielding crop and was among the highest crop in forage quality. Sorghum-sudangrasses would be recommended for hay in southwestern Wisconsin and where above average temperatures are expected.

What is the best forage for late planting? From Our Trial After analyzing all the data, our recommendation is that corn for silage is the best crop for emergency planting at any date and location in Wisconsin where silage can be made. It was generally the highest yielding crop and was among the highest crop in forage quality followed closely by sorghum-sudan grass. However, if interested in baling for hay Hybrid Pearl Millet deserves a closer look. It is low in prussic acid and safe for horses, cattle and sheep.

Emergency Forage Trials Using the Data Taking it to the farm Looking at Lower Inputs Focus on Annuals Safe for Horses Regrowth after harvest

Summer Annuals in Combination Trip to Rodale Institute –Using hairy vetch and rye Vetch provides lbs of N Rye provides support for upright growth –Seed in fall-mid September –Harvest as hay-late May

Annual Forage Production Seeding Rate/Acre –100 lbs rye –20 lbs hairy vetch –Seeding date-Sept 20th –Photo-Oct 31st

Annual Forage Production Rye/Vetch Harvest –June 10 th –Yield-1.8 tons/acre –RFQ-124 –CP %-11.8

Annual Forage Production Rye/Vetch Harvest –June 10 th –Yield-1.8 tons/acre –RFQ-124 –CP %-11.8

Annual Forage Production Seed-Hybrid Pearl Millet --June 11 th --20 lbs per acre Harvest-August

Annual Forage Production Hybrid Pearl Millet --June 11 th --20 lbs per acre Harvest-August –Rainfall- June-0.4 inch July – 5.6 inches

Annual Forage Production Hybrid Pearl Millet –Yield-3.6 tons/acre –CP-12.8 % –RFQ-124 NE equal to corn silage Cattle prefer it to alfalfa/orchard grass hay

Emergency Forage Trials