Forages

1
Forages
2
Introduction

• Definition plant consumed by livestock
• Legumes
• Grasses
• Ruminants animals with multiple stomachs to
  break down cellulose
• 25 of land in production

3
Introduction

• Types
• Pasture grazing
• Hay
• Soilage
• Silage
• Ground cover
• Green manure

4
Introduction

• Characteristics in selecting a forage
• Yield (tonnage per acre)
• Quality
• Nutrition
• Palatability
• Digestibility
• Environmental tolerance
• Temperature
• Moisture
• Resistance to insects and diseases
• Seasonal yield distribution

5
Introduction

• Characteristics in selecting a forage
• Stand establishment
• Seed production
• Species compatibility
• Longevity
• Use flexibility

6
Dangers of forages

• Bloat
• A swelling of the rumen or intestinal tract of
  cattle and domestic animals that is caused by
  excessive gas formation following fermentation of
  ingested watery legumes or green forage.
• 100 million in losses
• Grass tetany
• Cattle illness caused by eating grass deficient
  in magnesium. Soils high in potassium can produce
  grass deficient in magnesium.
• Prussic acid

7
Legume forages

• Alfalfa
• High yield
• High quality
• Widely adapted
• Clovers
• Red
• White
• Crimson
• Alsike
• Strawberry

8
Legume forages

• Others
• Birdsfoot trefoil
• Lespedeza
• Sweetclover
• Vetches

9
Grass forages

• Bluegrass
• Bluestem
• Sideoats grama
• Lovegrass
• Bermudagrass
• Ryegrass
• Kleingrass