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Last Reviewed: June 1, 1998
Reference: Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food
Harvest Maturity
Stage of maturity at harvest is the most important factor determining the yield and quality of a cereal crop when used as forage. In both oats and barley, forage yield increases by 90% to 110% as maturity changes from the boot stage (head beginning to emerge from the leaf whorl) to the soft dough stage. At the same time, crude protein drops by about 40 to 50%, ADF and NDF levels increase by only 15% to 25%. This results in only a modest decline in energy content of the forage as the cereals mature and indicates that maximum yield of energy per acre will occur when the cereal is at the soft dough stage of development. With earlier (boot stage) harvest, a second cutting is possible if moisture conditions are favourable for good regrowth. The following table summarizes cereal silage yield and quality data from single-cut systems at New Liskeaard in 1995 and 1996.
Table 2. Summary of cereal forage yield and quality (2 yr. Average)
|
|
Boot
|
Headed
|
Milk
|
Dough
|
|
Forage Yield (kg/ha)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Oats
|
4298
|
5389
|
6424
|
8504
|
|
Barley
|
4319
|
5664
|
6878
|
7676
|
|
Oats + Peas
|
3541 (14)1
|
4689 (15)
|
6997 (28)
|
7270 (35)
|
|
Barley + Peas
|
3532 (24)
|
4633 (28)
|
5925 (38)
|
8080 (42)
|
|
Forage Crude Protein (% of D.M.)
|
|
|
||
|
Oats
|
16.4
|
13.5
|
10.1
|
8.4
|
|
Barley
|
16.6
|
13.3
|
10
|
6.9
|
|
Oats + Peas
|
18.2
|
15.4
|
12.2
|
10.3
|
|
Barley + Peas
|
18.6
|
15.9
|
14
|
11.3
|
|
Forage ADF (% of D.M.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Oats
|
35.2
|
40.9
|
43.5
|
43.3
|
|
Barley
|
35.5
|
39.8
|
40.1
|
45.8
|
|
Oats + Peas
|
37.2
|
41
|
42.1
|
43.5
|
|
Barley + Peas
|
36.4
|
38.9
|
38.7
|
42.5
|
|
Forage NDF (% of D.M.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Oats
|
53.7
|
60.1
|
61.2
|
62.4
|
|
Barley
|
56.1
|
61
|
58.8
|
68.8
|
|
Oats + Peas
|
52.6
|
57.7
|
57.8
|
59.8
|
|
Barley + Peas
|
53.3
|
57.5
|
54.3
|
60.3
|
1 Percent peas in the harvested forage