Article by Matt Laevens
Crop Sales Specialist
AGRIS Co-operative - TUPPERVILLE/THAMESVILLE NORTH
Planting a cover crop after a summer grain or vegetable harvest is an excellent way to grow high-quality forage while maintaining your land’s productivity. By selecting the right cover crop species and following best management practices, you can improve forage yield, enhance soil health, and optimize nutrient availability without sacrificing cash crop acres.
Choosing the Right Cover Crop Blend
Selecting the correct species or blend is essential for maximizing forage quality. Common cover crop choices include:
- Oats – Less heat- and drought-tolerant than barley or sorghum but lower risk for nitrate poisoning in frosty conditions. Works well when blended with forage peas for a cost-effective, high-yield forage option.
- Barley – Can be used instead of or in combination with oats to add diversity to the mix. Seed oats and barley at 50-100 lbs/acre (adjusting rates if part of a blend).
- Sorghum-Sudan Grass – Fast-growing and highly drought-tolerant but challenging to dry down in the fall, affecting dry matter percentage and feeding rates. Seed at 10-15 lbs/acre.
- Forage Peas – Excellent protein source that pairs well with cereal crops. Typically 30-50% of the total blend for best results.
Fertilization for Forage Quality
Proper fertilization improves both yield and nutritional value. For an oat-pea blend, applying 50-60 lbs of nitrogen (N) per acre boosts crude protein levels. If sorghum is included, increase to up to 100 lbs of N per acre. Low-testing soils may also benefit from phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) applications. As a minimum, apply crop removal rates either before seeding or after harvest to replenish soil nutrients.
Best Practices for Quick Establishment
To maximize forage yield and maintain digestible fiber levels, focus on rapid establishment:
- Weed Control: Eliminate volunteer cereals and weeds before planting. A shallow tillage pass post-harvest can encourage weed emergence for better pre-seeding control.
- Seeding Method: Use a no-till drill for direct seeding or broadcast and incorporate with light tillage. After cultivation, rolling or packing the field helps improve seed-to-soil contact and smooth harvest conditions.
Protecting Forage Yield from Disease
For oat forage, applying fungicide at the flag leaf stage helps control crown rust, which can reduce forage yield by up to 40% and cause premature ripening. Preventative measures like variety selection and fungicide applications are key to maintaining forage quality.
Plan Your Forage Strategy Today
By choosing the right cover crop blend, managing fertility, and optimizing establishment, you can maximize forage production without sacrificing cash crop acres. Reach out to your AGRIS Crop Sales Specialist for tailored recommendations to get the most out of your cover crop investment!