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Alfalfa/Grass Mixtures and Cover Crop Options
Craig SaxeJuneau County UW-Extension
Special thanks to:
Dr. Dan UndersanderUniversity of Wisconsin
For providing slides
Special thanks to:
Paul PetersonUniversity of Minnesota
For providing slides
Cover Crops for Alfalfa
Why cover/nurse crop?
Erosion control
Weed suppression
Drying wet soils
Nitrogen management
Improving soil quality
Changes in Alfalfa Establishment Practices
Prior to 1990, greater than 90% of alfalfa seed with oat cover cropNow less than 40% of alfalfa is seeded with oat cover crop
Planted Oat Acreage in Wisconsin
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
Acr
eage
(thou
sand
s)
General Considerations
Too much competition to the young alfalfa seedlings can stunt their growth and or kill them.
Alfalfa stressed in the seeding year will never yield as well in future years
Higher than necessary plant populations of the cover crop add to establishment cost without producing additional return.
Cover Crop - Oats
establishes easilygrows well under a wide range of conditionsAvoid high seeding rates to reduce competion to alfalfa
recommended seeding rate is 1 bu (32 lb) per acre.This provides about 12 seeds per square foot. Higher seeding rates will increase grain yield (but not forage yield). higher seeding rates will add stress on the alfalfa seedlings and may reduce stands and hurt the alfalfa yield in future years.
Effect of cover crop competition on alfalfa yield
1.531.67
1.78
1.02 0.96
1.54
0
0.3
0.6
0.9
1.2
1.5
1.8
Drilled
with
Pursuit
Drilled
with
Poast
Drilled
contro
lOats
for s
ilage
Oats fo
r grai
nOats
with
Poast
Conventional oat nurse crop
Roundup oat takeout
Cover crop - Oats sprayed at 6-inch height
oats seeded at 1 bu/acrewill provide good ground cover, early weed control,when sprayed at 6 inches will die leaving alfalfa to yield the same as if no cover crop had been planted The oats has been taken out with Poast+ and SelectCan use roundup ready alfalfa
Roundup oat takeout
Conventional oat nurse crop
2.01.41.11.80.7Alfalfa
2.02.22.02.32.0Oat
4.03.63.14.12.7(3) Alfalfa + Oat haylage
3.13.01.72.33.0(2) Oats sprayed at 6 inches
3.53.02.32.42.8(1) Alfalfa seeded direct
20052004200520042003Treatment
Rosemount, MNArlington, WI
Forage yield of alfalfa either seeded direct (1), with oats over-seeded and sprayed at 6 inches (2)or oats harvested at boot stage (3).
Cover Crop - Barley
is somewhat more difficult to grow. Forage yield is less than oats crude protein is slightly highermatures a week or more earlier than oats.
Cover Crop - Small grain/pea mixes
Improve palatability and forage quality over pure small grain cover crops.
Peas, seeded alone or with too few small grain, will lodge and smother the alfalfa.
Pea seed is also much more expensive than oats so must balance the benefit against the cost.
Peas do not dry as fast after cutting as small grain forage
Cover Crop - Italian ryegrass
Good rapid ground coverHigh quality and palatable forage Choose a variety that does not head in the seeding year Plant at a sufficiently low seeding rate to reduce competition with the alfalfa (4 lb/a of Italian ryegrass) Does not do well on course textured soil especially in dry conditions
Effect of cover crop competition on alfalfa yield
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
Arlington Marshfield
Yie
ld (t
/a) 0
24816
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Arlington Marshfield
024816
Italian Ryegrass seeding rate lb/a
Italian Ryegrass seeding rate lb/a
Seeding year yield First production year yield
Grass-Legume Mixtures
At one time grass-legume mixtures were the norm
Herbicides and adoption of NIR testing using NDF and ADF reduced grass-legume mixtures
Grasses don’t always reduce quality and yield
Presently over 80% of alfalfa grown in New York State is grown with a companion crop, Wisconsin is probably closer to? (20%).
Alfalfa-Grass Mixtures: Going Backwards?
Alfalfa is losing ground; grasses may helpPersistence and ground cover
Greater snow catch; better insulation w/ or w/o snowReduced alfalfa heavingInsurance where alfalfa does winter kill
Greater harvested yield and qualityMore rapid hay/haylage drying (with some grasses)RFV vs. RFQ (higher fiber digestibility of grass)Less potential for traffic damage, wider harvest windowsDecreased need for long-term persistence
What quality do modern dairy rations need? Straw?Diversification, nature’s model
Why Mix Grasses with Legumes
More rapid hay dryingHigher yield potentialLess weed encroachmentInsurance against legume winterkillHelps to fill in areas of field that are not suited for legumesGreater traffic toleranceGreater response to manure
Forage Quality of Alfalfa Grass Mixes
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
% o
f Com
pone
nt (D
M b
asis
)
63 63 73 93Percent Legume
NDFNDFD
Higher NDF with grass
But higher NDFD
Forage Quality of Alfalfa Grass Mixes
0
50
100
150
200
250
RFV
or
RFQ
Val
ue
63 63 73 93Percent Legume
RFVRFQ
Yield of alfalfa-grass mixtures in 2006
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Arlinigton Marshfield Spooner
alfalfa A + OGEA + OGLA+ PRA+ Tim
SeedingSite Year Arlington 2005Marshfield 2004Spooner 2003
Including grass had no effect on total season yield
Issues with grass
There’s great variation among grass species, thus it’s difficult to make general statements about grasses
Re-growth characteristics, seasonal distribution, response to cutting and fiber digestibility all vary
Have been limited feeding studies in the USABest suggestion is probably to consider some on-farm research and experiment with grasses on a small scale on your own farm
Selecting grasses
YieldPalatabilityMaturityRust Resistance
OrchardgrassTall FescueRyegrass
Yield distribution if grazing
Yield Difference between top and bottom entry in grass variety trials
Orchard grass
Timothy
Smooth Bromegrass
Tall Fescue
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Palatability of Grass Species
0 1 2 3 4
Orchardgrass
Smoothbromegrass
Timothy
Tall Fescue
PerennialRyegrass
Palatability
Palatability of Different Orchardgrass Varieties
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
ALPIN
EBARID
ANABENCHMARK
CAS-EG23
CONDORDAW
NDGL N
89-A
DP 6508
DUKEEASTWOOD
ELSIE
HAYMATEIO
WA OG-1KAY
MAMMOTHMEGABITE
MOW TOL GRAY
OG9501
POTOMACPROFILE
PROGRESSSTAMPEDE
TAKENATEKAPOWARRIO
R
Pala
tabi
lity
Rust on orchardgrass
Need Rust ResistantOrchardgrassRyegrassTall Fescue
Seasonal Distribution of Cool Season Grass Yield
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Months
Tons
/acr
e
Grass Options
Cool-season annualsItalian and annual ryegrassSmall grains
Cool-season perennialsTimothy, smooth brome, K. bluegrassOrchardgrassReed canarygrassTall and meadow fescue, perennial ryegrass
Italian Ryegrass in Stearns Co., Aug. 2004
Italian Ryegrass vs. Oats at Dan Miller Farm, 2004
Italian Ryegrass vs. Oats at Dan Miller Farm, 2004
Oats vs. IRG vs. Perennial Grass
Sod-forming Grasses
Smooth Bromegrass
Sod-forming Grasses
Smooth Bromegrass
PROsVery winterhardySod-forming (loose)Persists through heat and droughtPalatable
CONsVery uneven yield distributionSlow regrowthPoor summer productivityPoor persistence under continuous grazing
Bunch Grasses
Timothy
Bunch Grasses
Timothy
PROsVery winter hardyLate maturing - broad window for good quality and palatabilityDoes well in cool, moist areas
CONsVery uneven yield distributionSlow regrowthPoor heat/drought toleranceOver-rated as horse feed
Sod-forming Grasses
Reed Canarygrass
Sod-forming Grasses
Reed Canarygrass
PROsSod-forming (loose)Flooding tolerantRelatively productive during heat/droughtCompatible/even with alfalfa
CONsRelatively coarse/unpalatable when matureSlow to establishAlkaloids (use low-alkaloid Venture, Palaton, Chiefton)
Bunch Grasses
Orchardgrass
Bunch Grasses
Orchardgrass
PROsRapid regrowthLeafyGood early/late season growth
CONsVery competitive with legumesMarginal winterhardinessw/o snowcoverBunchy
Perennial Ryegrass in Ireland
Perennial RyegrassPROs
Rapid regrowthLeafy (highest quality grass)High palatability when vegetativeHigh seedling vigor/easy to establish
CONsMarginal winter hardinessLimited heat/drought toleranceRust susceptibility
Ryegrass and Festulolium Winter Injury at Grand Rapids, MN, Spring 2003
Tall Fescue
Bunch Grasses
Tall Fescue
PROsGrazing- and traffic-tolerantExcellent fall productivity (“stockpiling”)Becomes “turfy” via short rhizomes in monoculture
CONsMarginal winter hardinessRelatively low palatability (coarse, waxy leaves)Bunchy in mixturesPurchase “low-endophyte”seed
Tall Fescue – Wilting Challenge?
Cornell Alfalfa vs. Tall Fescue Silage Feeding Trial (Cherney et al., 2002)
0102030405060708090
Milk, kg/d DM Intake,kg/d
Forage, % Corn, %
Kg
/day
or
%
100% Alf2/3 Alf, 1/3 TF1/3 Alf, 2/3 TF100% TF
Diets 1.1% BW Forage NDFAlf 34% NDFTF 56% NDF
2007 Total-Season DM Yields (4 Harvests) and Species Composition of Alfalfa-Grass Mixtures at Rosemount, MN - seeded August 2006
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
2:1 B
arca
rella
TF
1:1 B
arca
rella
TF
1:1 B
arca
rella
TF+
160N
1:2 B
arca
rella
TF+
160N
2:1 B
arian
e TF
1:1 B
arian
e TF
1:1 B
arian
e TF
+160
N
1:2 B
arian
e TF
+160
N2:
1 BG-3
4 PR
G1:
1 BG-3
4 PR
G
1:1 B
G-34
PRG+1
60N
1:2 B
G-34
PRG+1
60N
2:1 W
HxTQ P
RG
1:1 W
HxTQ P
RG
1:1 W
HxTQ P
RG+1
60N
1:2 W
HxTQ P
RG+1
60N
1:1 P
rade
l MF
1:1 P
rade
l MF+
160N
w/ Orch
argr
ass
w/ Ree
d Can
aryg
rass
Bara
lfa a
lone
Vern
al alo
ne
Oneida
VR a
lone
Barc
arell
a TF
+160
N
Baria
ne T
F+16
0N
BG-3
4 PR
G+160
N
Barid
ana O
G+160
N
Palat
on R
CG+160
N
DM
Yie
ld (T
on/a
c, w
eed-
free
)
GrassAlfalfa
Season-average RFQ of alfalfa-grass mixtures at Rosemount, MN, in 2007
100
110
120
130
140
150
160
170
2:1 B
arcar
ella T
F
1:1 B
arcar
ella T
F
1:1 B
arcar
ella T
F+16
0N
1:2 B
arcar
ella T
F+16
0N2:1
Bari
ane T
F
1:1 B
arian
e TF
1:1 B
arian
e TF+1
60N
1:2 B
arian
e TF+1
60N
2:1 B
G-34 P
RG
1:1 B
G-34 P
RG
1:1 B
G-34 P
RG+160
N
1:2 B
G-34 P
RG+160
N2:1
WHxT
Q PRG
1:1 W
HxTQ P
RG
1:1 W
HxTQ P
RG+160N
1:2 W
HxTQ P
RG+160N
w/ Orch
argra
ss
w/ Ree
d Can
aryg
rass
Bara
lfa 42
alon
eBa
rcarel
la TF
+160
N
Barian
e TF+
160N
BG-3
4 PRG+1
60N
Barida
na O
G+160
N
Palat
on R
CG+160
NVe
rnal
alone
1:1 P
radel
MF
1:1 P
radel
MF+16
0NR
FQ in
dex
Season-total Milk per Acre potential of alfalfa-grass mixtures at Rosemount, MN, in 2007
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
18,000
2:1 B
arcar
ella T
F
1:1 B
arcar
ella T
F
1:1 B
arcar
ella T
F+16
0N
1:2 B
arcar
ella T
F+16
0N2:1
Bari
ane T
F
1:1 B
arian
e TF
1:1 B
arian
e TF+1
60N
1:2 B
arian
e TF+1
60N
2:1 B
G-34 P
RG
1:1 B
G-34 P
RG
1:1 B
G-34 P
RG+160
N
1:2 B
G-34 P
RG+160
N2:1
WHxT
Q PRG
1:1 W
HxTQ P
RG
1:1 W
HxTQ P
RG+160
N
1:2 W
HxTQ P
RG+160
Nw/ O
rchar
grass
w/ Ree
d Can
aryg
rass
Baralf
a 42 a
lone
Barca
rella
TF+1
60N
Baria
ne T
F+16
0N
BG-34 P
RG+160
N
Barid
ana O
G+160
N
Palat
on R
CG+160
NVer
nal a
lone
1:1 P
radel
MF
1:1 P
radel
MF+16
0NM
ilk p
er a
cre
(lb/a
c)
Team Forage Web Page
http://www.uwex.edu/ces/crops/teamforage/index.html
http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cwas/