Forages: Mixture Selection

Excerpt from Agronomy Guide for Field Crops (Chapter 5)

Order OMAFRA Publication 811: Agronomy Guide for Field Crops

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Recommended Forage Mixtures for Stored Feed and Pasture - Table 5-3
3. Updates of Forages: Mixture Selection
4. Related links...

Introduction

Soil conditions are often important in determining which species are suitable in a mixture. Usually the legumes are selected first, followed by the grasses, because legumes are often more sensitive to drainage and pH. Soil conditions such as slope or stoniness may make it desirable to seed a legume that has long-term persistence. Consult the section Perennial Legumes, for more information on legume tolerance to various soil conditions (see Figure 5-1. Soil Drainage Requirements of Forage Species).

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Figure 5-1. Soil Drainage Requirements of Forage Species

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Legumes are usually grown in a mixture with one or more grasses. The major advantages of a pure legume stand are that the protein and energy levels of the feed will likely be greater, quality will decline more slowly with advancing maturity, and quality will vary little from cut to cut. Unless well managed, pure legume stands can have these disadvantages:

• weedier stands
• complete loss of feed supply if winterkill is severe
• slower drying in the windrow
• more lodging
• under some conditions, less palatable feed

When selecting the grass, a major consideration should be the maturity of the grass. If early heading species such as orchardgrass and reed canarygrass are used, then harvesting must be early, or quality and palatability suffer. If harvesting will be later, a later-maturing grass such as timothy is more suitable. Since there is a range in maturity among different varieties within many species, variety maturity may also need to be considered.

Consider the ratio of grass to legume desired in the mixture. If more grass is desired and a lower protein level is acceptable, as it would be, for example, for beef cow-calf forage, use a higher grass seeding rate. Higher grass rates tend to reduce weed invasions, particularly by dandelions. If conditions for legume survival are marginal, use higher grass rates for stand insurance. More aggressive grasses, such as orchardgrass, will give more grass in the mixture than less aggressive species even when similar seeding rates are used.

Table 5-3. Recommended Forage Mixtures for Stored Feed and Pasture summarizes the characteristics of the perennial forage species and mixtures grown in Ontario.

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¹For early seeding on a fine, firm seedbed, these rates jmay be reduced by 25% except where coated seed is being used.
²Use endophyte-free seeds.

Legend
X - recommended
- - not recommended

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For many years, timothy has been the grass of choice when grown in mixtures with alfalfa, red clover and birdsfoot trefoil. This reflects the ease of seeding, relatively low seed cost, lack of crowding of the legume and later maturity of timothy, which make it easy to manage in mixtures. In specific situations, the other grasses can give better results than timothy but often require somewhat different management.

Timothy does not crowd alfalfa, in fact, under a three-cut system, it often declines in the stand and provides very little forage in second or third cuts. Orchardgrass provides more midsummer grass in alfalfa mixtures than timothy. If a strong grass component is desired in the mixture, particularly in second and third cuts, then orchardgrass should be used; it is an aggressive grass and will crowd alfalfa as the stand gets older. Bromegrass and reed canarygrass are intermediate in aggressiveness (between timothy and orchardgrass).

Management can effect the competitiveness of grasses with legumes. Late harvest, when grasses are in bloom, favours the grasses relative to the legumes. This is particularly true with reed canarygrass. Cut at the boot stage, reed canarygrass does not crowd legumes. But if allowed to fully head, it rapidly takes over the stand. It is particularly important in birdsfoot trefoil mixtures, if bromegrass or reed canarygrass are used, to harvest promptly at the grass boot stage. If this is not possible or practical, then timothy is a more suitable grass.

Grasses are not usually grown in pure stands because they are low yielding without heavy applications of nitrogen (See the section Fertility Management.). Even with adequate fertility, some grass species produce low yields under hot, dry midsummer conditions. However, if soil conditions such as poor drainage make mixtures with legumes impractical, pure grass stands can be very productive with proper fertility programs and species selection. Pure grass stands may be more productive than grass-legume mixtures in some areas of northern Ontario.

For stored feed, usually only one grass species is recommended. When two or three different species are used together, cutting at the proper stage of maturity for all grasses may be impossible. Timothy is often included with slow-establishing grasses such as bromegrass and reed canarygrass.

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Updates on Forages: Mixture Selection

No updates available at this time.

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Related links...

• Forages
• OMAFRA Publication 19, Pasture Production

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