# Highly Palatable Annual



## Jake_NEIA (Dec 19, 2008)

Hey guys,

Was wondering if you guys had any recommendation on an annual crop I could plant this spring for just weaned dairy calves. I'd need it in the 16-18+% CP range and highly palatable...not stemmy. I would harvest as dry hay.

Ideally I would plant an Alf/Orchardgrass mix, but a perennial won't work in my situation.

Oats would make the most sense, but feed man says they would mature to fast and I'd have trouble getting them harvested at the right stage. Even if I was lucky and got them cut right it would be hard getting them dry.

I'm in NE Iowa.
Jake


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## Jake_NEIA (Dec 19, 2008)

So I emailed Welters Seed in Onslow, IA and they said I could plant Berseem Clover (10-12 lb/ac) or Hi Nitro Alfalfa (8-10 lb/ac) both are basically a plow down crop as neither will survive a freeze. I could plant either of them as a stand alone or with Rival Brand Annual Ryegrass. She said I could plant Italian Ryegrass, but it could survive a mild winter.

Here are links to literature on each of them....

Welter Seed & Honey Co. >> Berseem Clover
Welter Seed & Honey Co. >> Hi-Nitro Alfalfa
Welter Seed & Honey Co. >> Rival Brand Annual Ryegrass

Any thoughts on that info?

Thanks again,
Jake


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Hey Jake,

The Berseem Clover sounds interesting,maybe what you are looking for.Lower bloating than the alfalfa,more tonnage and faster growing and would be cheaper than a 1 yr Alfalfa.I've never planted any myself but may try some.

http://www.calwestseeds.com/products/documents/cw9092BerseemClover.pdf

The annual Ryegrass would probably make a nice mix and help tone down the protien.First cutting will probably be alot more grass than later cuttings and prly be better for bigger calves.You should be able to get 3 cuttings if we ever get this snow melted and get in the field.The 2nd and maybe 3rd cuttings would prly be what you are looking for in protien and palitability.

Annual Ryegrass can be hard to get dry.A tedder would be nice to use on it.Don't put it in windrow behind swather it will never get dry.


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## Jake_NEIA (Dec 19, 2008)

Thanks Cy, was hoping you would reply on the Ryegrass. Yes it is a bugger to get dry, found that out myself this past season!

Not sure what to do just yet. I have heard clovers a tough one to get dry also. It says in the literature it takes 1/2 day longer then alfalfa. Never really baled much clover outside of the few patches that grow in waterway hay. Was leaning more towards the alfalfa because I'm familiar with it's habits, but at $190/bag that's kind of a turn off for an annual. One bag is all I would need.

Decisions, decisions,







If only we could program Mother Nature.....

Jake


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## steve IN (Jan 13, 2010)

You might try Teff grass. Very palatable and soft . Similar to Timothy. This would be better on the young calves stomachs. Fine stemmed so it will dry fast and yields wekll even in dry weather. Also it dies with the frost so it wont pose a problem in next crop.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

steve IN said:


> You might try Teff grass. Very palatable and soft . Similar to Timothy. This would be better on the young calves stomachs. Fine stemmed so it will dry fast and yields wekll even in dry weather. Also it dies with the frost so it wont pose a problem in next crop.


Thought of Teff grass also as an option.The only thing I disagree with is it drying fast.From what I've heard it is tough to dry.Probably should have a tedder to even think about growing it around here.


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## steve IN (Jan 13, 2010)

I hadnt heard that about it drying hard. I have never grown it myself. Just know of one guy and he said it was fair this year. I took that to mean it would be better in a normal year. This summer was tough here in NW IN.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Thought some one else would jump in here I know a few have grown it on HERE.


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## MikeRF (Dec 21, 2009)

I would agree that Teff sounds like an excellent fit in this situation. Nutrient levels and palatability should be ideal for calf rearing.
Having grown the crop with varied success in Southern Ontario for the last 2 years, my word of advice would be to do your homework on establishment practices. Alfalpha, clover and/or ryegrass would be significantly easier crops to get going imo. 
Once established we found it an OK crop to manage as long as you can keep it from lodging. Dries down similar to Timothy in our experience.
Mike


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## UpNorth (Jun 15, 2009)

I would really look into the ryegrass option berseem option. There are varieties out there that will yield more evenly throughout the year and not just mostly in the first cutting--they have a beta value of near zero or positive. That rival ryegrass in your link hasn't been entered in the WI variety trials, but here's the link to show some other varieties will more even (and less even) growth.

http://www.uwex.edu/ces/forage/resdata/grass_table.htm

You said you had trouble with the rye drying last year--how wide did you spread the swath and did you tedd/rake/invert the swath?


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## Jake_NEIA (Dec 19, 2008)

Well the first time I mowed I had a neighbor mow it w/ a little 7' NH cycle machine. It was super thick the first time. The windrows were about 4-5ft wide. I raked it with our side delivery rake 2 times, and still poured acid on it to beat the rain.

Second cutting I mowed w/ our 12' gehl cycle mower. It was still thick, but not as bad. Dropped the deflector down to make about a 10' windrow, but couldn't set the tractor tires out that far so ran some of the windrow over. Dried better except where it was ran over. Raked it once and small squared it. No acid, had a few green ones. Calves loved it and did well on it.

Maybe I should just take the risk and plant the clover/rye...

Jake


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## UpNorth (Jun 15, 2009)

If you're always racing to beat the rain would you consider doing wrapped round-bales as silage?

I liked that you put that second cutting down wide, the tractor tires running over would be more of an issue in alfalfa, but still it's one of those things you'd like to avoid if possible--not the easiest thing to do.


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