Alternative Forages - Garth Ruff, OSU Extension, from the 2020 Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference, held March 3-4, 2020, Ada, OH, USA.

1. Alternative Forages
Allen Gahler, ANR Educator, Sandusky Co.
Gahler.2@osu.edu
Jason Hartschuh, ANR Educator, Crawford Co
Hartschuh.11@osu.edu
Garth Ruff, ANR Educator, Henry Co.
Ruff.72@osu.edu

2. Analysis worth the $
• Lab Dry Matter
• Crude Protein
• NDF-Lower the better, estimates intake
• NDFd30hr- Amount digested, passage rate
• Ash-Soil typically 6-8% internal samples 10%

3. Higher Forage Fiber Usually Reduces Feed
Intake
Forage NDF, %
IntakePotential
Grass
Alfalfa
Corn silage

4. What is my Feedstuff worth?
CP NDF NDFd Ash Fat
12 60 55 9 3
Mcal/kg Mcal/lb Nutrient$ valu
DEcp DEndf DEother DE ME-3X NEL-3x NEL-3x TDN per ton DM
0.62 1.15 0.87 2.33 1.91 1.26 0.57 53.0 265
The value of the sum of its parts: Energy, Protein, Fiber
Nutrient values published every other month in Buckeye Dairy News
Published in the off month in Progressive Dairyman
December values used in this presentation:
Dollar value based on SESAME prices from Dec 2019 Buckeye dairy
news (MP = 0.35, NEL =0.068, NDF = 0.117)

5. Livestock requirement
• Sheep-
– Maintenance DMI-1.69% TDN-57.69% CP-9.62%
– Lactating DMI-4% TDN-64.52% CP-14.84
• Beef cows (1400lbs)
– Maintenance DMI-1.7% TDN-50 CP-7.1%
– Lactating DMI-2.6% TDN-59% CP-10.6

6. Selecting Your Crop:Species Grazing Value Harvest Value
Annual Ryegrass Very Good Good
Barley Very Good Very Good
Oats Good Good
Rye Good Fair
Wheat Very Good Good
Sorghum-Sudangrass Very Good Excellent
Mustards Good Poor
Radish/Turnips Good Good
Rapeseed Good Fair
Berseem Clover Excellent Excellent
Cowpea Good Good
Crimson Clover Excellent Excellent
Field Pea Very Good Excellent
Hairy Vetch Good Fair
Red Clover Excellent Excellent
Subterranean Clovers Very Good Very Good
White Clover Excellent Very Good

8. 2019 Cover Crop Forage Trials
Multi-species
1. Corn
2. Soybeans
3. Wheat
4. Rye
5. Oats
6. Sorghum
7. Pearl Millet
8. Peas
9. Teff Grass
• Planted July 2 and July 29
• Great plains no-till drill
• 50 lbs of Urea at planting
• Wheat stubble
• 1 pass with disk and
finishing tool
2019 Efields
Pg. 180

9. 2019 Cover Crop Forage Trials
Multi-species Planting Rates – Pound per acre
1. Corn 25
2. Soybeans 90
3. Wheat 80
4. Rye 80
5. Oats 80
6. Sorghum 30
7. Pearl Millet 15
8. Peas 100
9. Teff Grass 12

10. 0
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9/29/2019
Rain Fall in Fremont Ohio
Planting Harvest Precip Total precip 7/29 precip
Normal rain fall 10.2 inches total rain fall 2019 8.6
7/2 planting-6.94 inches
7/29 planting- 5.3 inches

11. Soybeans
Planted 7/2, 64 days Planted 7/29, 60 days
Yield 1.5 ton/ac 1.6 ton/ac
Protein 13.5% 12.6%
TDN 50.9 16.6 (ASH 46%)

12. Corn
Planted 7/2, 64 days Planted 7/29, 60 days
Yield 3.5 ton/ac 1.7 ton/ac
Protein 5.1% 10.3%
TDN 55.1 47.4

13. Wheat
Planted 7/2, 64 days Planted 7/29, 60 days
Yield 0.0 ton/ac 0.0 ton/ac
Protein n/a n/a
TDN n/a n/a

14. Peas
Planted 7/2, 64 days Planted 7/29, 60 days
Yield 1.2 ton/ac 0.7 ton/ac
Protein 11.2% 16.6%
TDN 33.5 45.3

15. Oats
Planted 7/2, 64 days Planted 7/29, 60 days
Yield 1.35 ton/ac 1.2 ton/ac
Protein 8.9% 17.2%
TDN 40.3 (Ash 16%) 42.7 (ASH 21%)

16. Rye
Planted 7/2, 64 days Planted 7/29, 60 days
Yield 0.0 ton/ac 0.0 ton/ac
Protein n/a n/a
TDN n/a n/a

17. Sorghum
Planted 7/2, 64 days Planted 7/29, 60 days
Yield 2.4 ton/ac 2.2 ton/ac
Protein 5.1% 13.7%
TDN 42.5 (ASH 15.3) 46.4 (ASH 18.5)

18. Pearl Millet
Planted 7/2, 64 days Planted 7/29, 60 days
Yield 0.7 ton/ac 1.6 ton/ac
Protein 6.1% 9.6%
TDN 46.9 (ASH 15.3) 43.5 (ASH 22.7)

19. Teff Grass
Planted 7/2, 64 days Planted 7/29, 60 days
Yield 1.15 ton/ac 1.71 ton/ac
Protein 6.9% 8.3%
TDN 39.2 34.6

20. Statewide Forage crop Survey
TDN
Tons/Acre Crude Protein Range
Range Average Range Average Max Min Average
Oats 0.45-1.37 0.88 6.4-26.2 15.9 55.9 40.3 50.0
Oats/Peas 0.36-0.76 0.59 21.3-23.5 22.5 62.8 59.9 61.2
Oats/Radish 0.27-1.1 0.73 11.5-16.4 13.5 57.3 52.9 54.9
Oats/Rye/Turnip 0.70-0.87 0.80 21.7-23.8 22.6 65.6 62.9 64.4
Spring Triticale 1.02-1.19 1.11 10.2-12.3 11.3 48.4 46.9 47.6
Wheat 0.80-1.11 1.51 15.2 55.8 55.8 55.8
Cereal Rye 0.33-1.09 0.66 17.6-18.3 18.0 53.0 51.9 52.4
Teff 1.15-2.49 1.93 6.6-9.6 9.0 48.4 34.6 42.8
Italian Ryegrass 0.81-0.89 0.85 11.9 11.9 53.9 52.7 53.3
Corn 1.78-14.29 7.40 5.1-10.3 6.8 63.8 47.5 57.4

21. Statewide Forage crop Survey
2019 eFields-Pgs. 156, 159,160-162,170-179
TDN
Tons/Acre Crude Protein Range
Range Average Range Average Max Min Average
Forage Sorghum 2.2-3.24 3.07 5.1-13.7 8.1 50.3 42.5 46.3
BMR Sorghum Sudan 1.14-4.07 1.96 6.8-10.8 9.2 53.9 48.6 51.9
Sorghum Sudan 0.99-4.6 2.50 5.2-11.7 8.1 57.6 47.9 53.0
Millet 0.56-2.57 0.94 6.1-9.6 7.5 58.7 43.5 50.8
Corn/Soybean 0.54-3.46 1.50 10.9-18.4 13.8 67.1 59.8 63.3
Soybean 1.05-3.04 1.94 12.6-28.6 24.4 65.6 16.6 56.7
Peas 0.72-1.15 1.13 11.2-16.6 14.3 55.8 33.5 44.9
12 Way Mix 0.18-0.36 0.29 12.1-28.3 17.6 62.9 42.5 53.9
Barley/Rye 0.39-0.80 0.55 16.1-1.5 17.6 60.7 59.1 60.0
Crimson Clover 0.15-0.70 0.31 15.9-23.7 20.4 69.8 62.2 66.6
Crimson Clover, Radish, Turnip 0.13-0.98 0.47 10.3-20.5 15.5 73.2 49.0 61.4

22. Statewide Forage crop survey
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
DollarsperAcre
* Values have not been corrected for DMI
**Values are on a DM Basis not AF Basis
Per Acre value to July planted forage cover crops 47-102 days of growth
All harvested in Vegetative stage
MixCool Season Winter annual Warm season

23. Statewide Forage crop survey
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Yield of July Planted Forage crops 47-102 days of
growth
Harvest at maximum vegetative growth

24. Statewide Forage crop survey
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
PercentCrudeProtienDMBasis
July Planted Forage Cover Crop 47-102 days of growth
Harvested Vegetative stage - Crude Protien
Crude Protien Sheep CP Maintenance Sheep lactating Beef Mid Gestation Beef Lactating

25. Statewide forage crop survey
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
TDN of July Planted forage crops harvested at 47-102 days
Nutrient requirements of Beef and Sheep
TDN Sheep Maintenance Sheep Lactation Beef Mid gestation Beef Lactation

26. A
A
B
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
1.6
92 46 0
TonsPerAcre
Nitrogen Rates Per Acre
Summer Annual Forage Oats Yield
Pg. 164

27. 0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
92 46 0
Nitrogen Rate
July 15th planted Oats-Crude Protein
Harvested at 45 and 60 days
45 days 60 days
B
C
A

28. A
A
AB
A
B
B
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
45 days 60 days
July 15th Oats harvested at 45 or 60 days
TDN
92 46 0
Mean separation N rate by only for individual harvest days
not between days

29. A
A
BC
AB
ABC
C
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
92T 46T 0T 92U 46U 0U
TonsperacreDry
Nitrogen Rate and Fungicide Treatment
CV=26.83
July 29th planted Oats Yield
Pg. 166

30. Pg. 166
B
B
A
A
C
AB
AB
AB
C
AB
CD
CD
A
AB
BC
BC
BC
B
D
CD
C
AB
D
D
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
CP NDF TDN ME
Crude protien-CV-8.8 NDF- CV-3.31 TDN- CV- 6.14 ME-3x -CV- 8.66
July 29th Oats 60 Day harvest quality
92T 46T 0T 92U 46U 0U

31. Pg. 166
AB
BC
C
A
C
C
215
220
225
230
235
240
245
250
255
92T 46T 0T 92U 46U 0U
Dollarspertondry
Nitrogen rate and Fungicide treatment
CV- 2.41
Nutrient Value on a dry matter basis

32. Oats – Planted 7/15 at 76 days
Not treated Treated with fungicide

33. Oats – Planted 7/15 at 76 days
Not treated Treated with fungicide

34. Harvest Considerations
• Primarily looking at grass crops!
• Roll creates a crushing action
• Impeller creates a stripping
action
• Impeller has greater capacity
• Impeller tends to have higher
losses
• Roll with rotary mower will
leave strips in light crops
(Limited air through rear of
machine)

35. Harvest Considerations
• Primarily looking at grass crops!

36. • Proper DM is essential: 40-55%
– 30-40% DM = Caramelization
• Make tight bales
• Wrap quickly (immediate is best)
• Use enough (~ 4 wraps of 1.5 mil plastic)
• Size bales correctly (feedout rate and moving)
• Rotate stock (plastic has limited lifespan)
Forage Storage and Preservation - Baleage

37. Helpful Information
OSU Extension, Sandusky County
– Allen Gahler 419-334-6340 gahler.2@osu.edu
OSU Extension, Crawford County
– Jason Hartschuh 419-562-8731
hartschuh.11@osu.edu
OSU Extension, Henry County
- Garth Ruff 419-592-0806
ruff.72@osu.edu
beef.osu.edu
Forages.osu.edu
Digitalag.osu.edu