Forage Options Following Early Crops

1. SUMMER ANNUALS

• For quick, single-cut forage production in late summer, heat-tolerant crops like Sorghum x Sudangrass (SxS), Sudangrass, Pearl Millet, and Teff offer reliable performance and rapid growth
• Photoperiod-sensitive (PPS) SxS won’t transition to reproductive growth until the days shorten to around 12 hours and 20 minutes
• Address nitrate and prussic acid risks appropriately in regions prone to frost, whether for grazing or mechanical harvest
• In certain regions, it may be necessary to use frost to assist with dry-down

5. SOIL FIRST® COVER CROP MIXTURES

• Planting a Soil First® cover crop mix after harvest is a great way to increase wet forage storage heading into winter
• Provides an opportunity to graze livestock this fall depending on your needs

The best Soil First® Cover Crop mixtures to use after early crop harvest are:

2. ANNUAL/ITALIAN RYEGRASS

• Known for high feed quality, palatability, and ease of establishment
• An excellent option for high-quality fermented forage, including baleage or haylage
• With an early wheat harvest there is potential for more than one cut this fall and possibly another in the spring, provided winterkill is not an issue

3. RYEGRASS-TYPE FESTULOLIUM

• Cross between Meadow Fescue and Italian Ryegrass
• Generally has higher yields, drought tolerance, and better persistence than ryegrass alone
• Offers short-term yields comparable to Italian ryegrass, with better winter survival and the potential for extended growth into spring

4. CEREAL CROPS

• Pea or spring cereals mixed with winter cereals offer dual-purpose forage potential - high yield and quality in the fall, with regrowth for spring harvest
• If planting spring cereals with winter cereals, seed the winter cereal at 100% rate and the spring cereal at 50% to ensure full winter cereal performance the following spring