Forage yield and quality for monocrops and mixtures of small grain cereals

Cereals are an important substrate for silage production in the short growi ng season of the northern Prairies. Our objectives were to determine the ef fects of seeding rate, species, and harvest date on the forage yield and qu ality of cereals. Three field studies, were conducted to evaluate the produ ctivity of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), oat (Avena sativa L.), triticale (x Triticosecale rimpaui Wittm.), and rye (Secale cereale L.) grown as monocr ops or in various mixtures, Seeding rates ranged from 250 to 750 seeds m(-2 ). Harvest times were based on the maturity of the principal cereal in each mixture, Pew effects of seeding rate on yield or quality were Pound, but w hen effects were found, higher seeding rates were associated with higher yi elds, lower moisture content, and higher fiber content. All treatments prod uced high quality forage as measured by neutral detergent fiber (NDF), from 515 g kg(-1) for early-harvested tests to 656 g kg(-1) for late-harvested tests, and acid detergent fiber (ADF) contents, from 310 g kg(-1) for early -harvested tests to 387 g kg(-1) for late-harvested tests. Protein was low, ranging from 61.5 to 101.0 kg(-1). Biomass yields ranged from 10.1 to 16.5 Mg ha(-1) the barley cultivar tests, 7.0 to 18.5 Mg ha(-1) in the spring c ereal tests, and 10.8 to 12.2 Mg ha(-1) in the winter cereal tests. Althoug h, some exceptions occurred, Forage yield and quality of cereal mixtures we re generally intermediate to monocrop production, especially for moisture a nd fiber content, suggesting that planting species mixtures could extend th e harvest period and result in higher-quality silage.