Trends in the industry: acreage, yield, research
Tame hay,
harvested
area by
province,
1970-2012
Source: Statistics Canada. Table 001-0010 - Estimated areas, yield, production and
average farm price of principal field crops, in metric units, annual (accessed:
November 08, 2014)
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
198
1198
2198
3198
4198
5198
6198
7198
8198
9199
0199
1199
2199
3199
4199
5199
6199
7199
8199
9200
0200
12
00
22
00
4200
5200
5200
6200
7200
8200
9201
0201
1201
2201
3
Rye Beans OatsSpring wheat Barley Winter wheatCorn (grain + fodder) Soybean
% harvested area 1981-2013 (OMAFRA, Field statistics 2014)
Gaudin A et al., PLOS one (2014) DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0113261
% total harvested areas USDA-NASS, 2014
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
19
81
19
83
19
85
19
87
19
89
19
91
19
93
19
95
19
97
19
99
20
01
20
04
20
05
20
07
20
09
20
11
20
13
Michigan
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%19
81
19
83
19
85
19
87
19
89
19
91
19
93
19
95
19
97
19
99
20
01
20
04
20
05
20
07
20
09
20
11
20
13
Minnesota
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
19
81
19
83
19
85
19
87
19
89
19
91
19
93
19
95
19
97
19
99
20
01
20
04
20
05
20
07
20
09
20
11
20
13
Iowa
Corn/soybean rotation is associated with • Reduced yield and greater yield instability
• Lowest soil organic matter/poorest soil structure
• Increased nitrogen requirement
• Reduced input use efficiency
• Increased GHG emission
• Reduced opportunity to incorporate cover crops
• Reduced opportunity for sustainable biomass removal
• Reduced profitability
Meyer-Aurich et al, 2006a; Meyer-Aurich et al 2006b; Sanscartier et al, 2013;
Munkholm et al, 2012; Munkholm et al, 2013; Muellera et al, 2009; Gaudin et al,
2013; Gaudin et al. 2014; Gaudin et al. 2015, Kludze et al. 2013.; Van Eerd et al..
2014
Why Cover Crops for Forage?
• Perennial Forages are Best Option
– Feed
– Soil Health
• Finding the Best Fit for Your Farm
– Soil Type
– Feed Needs – class of livestock
Why Cover Crops for Forage?
• Living Soil Cover is Beneficial
– Soil microbial activity
– Reduced erosion – ground cover
• Opportunity for Extra Feed
– Stored feed
– Pasture – all nutrients stay in field
FALL SEEDED WINTER CEREAL
WINTER CEREAL
EARLY JUNE
MID JUNE
LATE JULY
MID AUGUST
MID SEPT
0
10
20
30
40
SEASONAL DISTRIBUTION OF PASTURE YIELDS
BARLEY
OATS
ITALIAN RYEGRASS
WINTER CEREALS
OF ANNUALS
#1 Red Clover under-seeded to wheat
• Inexpensive
• N credit
• Good for soil quality
• Single cut vs double
cut
• Yield – 0-3.0 t ha-1
• Non-uniformity risk
• Crop insurance
Single cut vs double cut
• Double cut:
– early blooming
• Single cut:
– late blooming
– higher root to
shoot ratio
– less competitive in
thin wheat stands
Non-uniform red clover stands
• Still a grazing
opportunity
• Limited impact of
grazing on
subsequent N
credit
• Yield determined by species, N
rate, date of planting and
harvest date
• Oats(2.6t)>oats/peas (2.5t)>
triticale(1.8t) > barley(1.0t)
• Oats – yields as high as 6.0 t
ha-1 reported
• 50 kg N ha-1 - 30-40% yield
increase
• 0-40% yield increase with
delayed harvest flag to
boot/anthesis
• Soil benefits
• Uncertain N credit the
following year
• Oilseed radish vs
brand names
• Planting timeliness
• Large N response
• Winterkills
• Potential to enter tiles
• Yield 1-3.5 t ha-1
Oilseed radish vs
Tillage Radish, Nitro
Radish….
• Oilseed radish goes
to seed in approx. six
weeks … production
and quality decline
• Brand name radish -
does not go to seed in
the fall
Corn
• Herbicide residual?
Soybean
• More consistent than pre
leaf drop planting
• Herbicide residual?
Grazing/forage and soil
and N benefit
• Overwinter
• Delayed planting of next
crop
Spring forage/grazing - must overwinter
and delay subsequent crop planting
• Biomass at year end
– Corn or soy harvest date
– Planting timeliness
– Fertility
• Snow cover and temp?
• Annual ryegrass type
–Westerwold < Italian
- diploid Italian > tetraploid Italian
• N application in spring
• Delay planting
Corn
• Herbicide residual?
Soybean
• More consistent than pre
leaf drop planting
• Herbicide residual?
Grazing/forage and soil
and N benefit
• Overwinter
• Delayed planting of next
crop
Cereal Rye • Can be planted later
• Excellent nitrogen
scavenger
• Won’t head out until
following spring
• Will not winter kill
• Requires tillage prior to
sorghum-sudan or corn
Great Spring Growth
Pasture or Silage
#6 – Annual ryegrass or red clover inter-
seeded into corn /corn silage
Corn
• V6-V9
• Restricts herbicide options
• Special equipment required?
• Variable stand and biomass in fall,
particularly after grain corn
Overwintering, grazing/forage,
soil and N benefit
• Generally better with interseeding
than post harvest planting
Yield estimates
• Triticale (3.4t) > rye=wheat (2.5t)
• Boot (2t)<flag (2.4t)<anthesis (3.5 t)
• 75-80% moisture
• Lots of interest in multispecies cover crops,
proposed advantages include over-yielding,
enhanced soil benefits, increased N
credit…benefits are largely unproven although
they probably exist, BUT magnitude of benefit
may not exceed the added cost