If your forage inventories are running low heading into fall and winter, consider seeding forage crops in late summer. These options not only boost forage production but also provide valuable cover crop benefits for your soil.
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
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
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
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
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 in the fall, depending on your needs
