# Teff



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

More Teff....

Regards, Mike

http://www.progressiveforage.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4159:teff-grass-quality-forage-fast&catid=83ther-forage&Itemid=137


----------



## T&LSkaarfarms (Dec 11, 2011)

_Thanks for the article! It got me pretty excited when I saw the picture of the 30 Teff vs Timothy. Huge difference! Almost unbelievable. I am way up here in northcentral WI and am wondering if that may be a good option up here. We have been in the hot/fairly dry summers up here the past number of years and it seems that after I harvest 1st crop I have a heck of a time getting a decent 2nd and 3rd crop. Was wondering what some peoples personal experiences were with growing Teff. Especially in the northern climates._
_Thanks again,_
_Tom_


----------



## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

Interesting article. I tried a small 2 ac patch of teff some years back and didn't have any success, but there may have been many other factors at play.

The first thing I noticed in this article was that, taking the 35-50 day from germination to first cut, and using my last frost date of Apr. 15th, this puts my first cutting around June 1st. With a 28-35 day cutting cycle, I'd be cutting about the first week of each month, 4 cuttings by Sept. 1st--I like this!

But I wonder about the low nitrogen requirements. 30-60 units seems awfully light for that amount of tonnage. My experience has been that nitrogen and yield go hand in hand!

Second, comparing a new stand of teff against a new stand of timothy doesn't seem to be a fair comparison. IMHO, spring planted timothy takes a full year to get really well established and be productive. Teff is an annual and has to be replanted each year; timothy is a perennial and a good stand, well taken care of, will last 2-4 years. But, it is true that you may only get 1 cutting, possibly 2, off of a timothy stand (in the midwest).

Third, being fined stemmed, how well does it behave in round and big square balers? Do you have to make special adjustments for pickup, bale density, etc.? How does it handle in sm. squares?

I'm always game on trying something new, but I like to have a reasonable chance of success by knowing as much as possible when going in to it.

Right now, I'm a little leery of teff.

Ralph


----------



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Ralph, I think the variety of "Tiffany" has helped improve Teff. I have seen Teff in small squares and it really looks nice. I don't think it would be any trouble rounding as it is usually cut about 18" high or better and if tedded it would be mixed up well and should be not trouble for the baler pick-up even with the fine blade. The low N requirements go back to it being a "african" forage that was well adapted to that harsh environment. As I understand it, there are two main challenges with teff, germination and drying. Poor germination results from not having a very firm seedbed and the seed gets planted too deep and 2nd it takes a little longer to dry than most grasses....needs tedding more than once. I will try a few acres this spring.

Regards, Mike


----------



## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

Please keep me posted on how it goes. I'm interested in doing something different.

I was not aware of the Tiffany variety.

I have heard about germination issues because of planting too deep. I was careful to plant my test stand very shallow and it appeared to germinate nicely, but it just didn't have any yield.

I'm surprised that a finer stemmed plant would be tougher to get dry. I was thinking the opposite would be true.

Ralph


----------



## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

_Here is some info on Tiffany Teff,I do have it available.If you would like a brochure I could mail you one._

_http://www.producerschoiceseed.com/products/teff-grass/tiffany-teff-grass-2/_


----------



## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

Our third cutting orchard hay is very fine stemmed and it takes longer to dry, but that is mostly due to shorter days at the end of the season. Our 3rd cutting orchard looks as fine stemmed as in the pictures I've seen of Teff and it bales up nicely in large squares. My cousin baled some a couple years ago in small bales and said it was no different baling and for our area was no different drying the orchard grass.


----------



## T&LSkaarfarms (Dec 11, 2011)

How are you guys planting this? Grass seed on a drill? Airseed? Broadcast spinner? Do you roll the ground first so the seed does not get to deep, then roll after seeding? Are you fertilizing after each crop harvested or just before planting?
Thanks,
Tom


----------



## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

_Brillion seeder is recomended.You want the ground packed well.50-90 lbs of N or split applications of 30-50 lbs after each cutting.1/8-1/4" planting depth.Deeper then 1/2" and it is likely of stand failure._


----------



## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

swmnhay said:


> _Here is some info on Tiffany Teff,I do have it available.If you would like a brochure I could mail you one._
> 
> _http://www.producers...y-teff-grass-2/_


What is the planting rate for Tiffany? And the cost/lb? Shipping? (PM me if you'd like.)

Ralph


----------



## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

6-


rjmoses said:


> What is the planting rate for Tiffany? And the cost/lb? Shipping? (PM me if you'd like.)
> 
> Ralph


6-8 lbs per acre.35% coated seed.
$2.60 per lb
Shipping $25 per 50 lb bag,(estimated)
Pallet shipping up to 2500 lbs $100(est)


----------



## Goatman (Jun 11, 2010)

I have a small 5 acre patch that I need to get planted to hay next year. It has a CSR rating of 40-45 and sandy...so it's not too great. How would Teff do on this? I'm located in east central Iowa. Would I be better off getting an alfalfa stand started? (the deeper rots would get into the better soil in the long run) I would love to try teff, but should I try it on some better ground?


----------



## prairie (Jun 20, 2008)

Goatman, I would try it on a better field. It does not like sandy sites, and is fairly shallow rooted so it will not likely get down to the good fertility below your site.
A word about coated seed. I have been selling and planting both coated and uncoated teff seed since it was reintroduced as a forage crop a few years ago. The main reason that teff seed is coated is to make the seed larger and easier to calibrate through seeding equipment. The coating is usually nothing more than a clay or lime coating that offers little, if any benefit to establishment. I have yet had anybody who couldn't get there Brillion seeder calibrated, with uncoated seed, @ 4-5 lbs /acre, most drills can get down to the 4-7 lbs/acre range
My teff seed customers and I, over several years, have concluded that coated seed is not needed or beneficial. The critical factors to obtaining good establishment are seeding depth and very tight seed to soil contact. Coated seed has had little if any effect on establishment, and may even be detrimental in some situations.
I inventory and sell uncoated Pharaoh and Excalibur teff seed @ $2.95/lb. When requested, I order in coated Tiffany teff seed @ $2.65/lb. It costs more to plant coated seed than uncoated, when compared on an actual seeds basis.
Suggested seeding rates, costs, and actual lbs seed/acre as follows.
Uncoated seed @ $2.95/lb 35% coated seed @ $2.65/lb
4#/acre = $11.80 6.15#/acre (4# actual) = $16.30
5#/acre = $14.75 7.70#/acre (5# actual) = $20.41 
6#/acre = $17.70 9.23#/acre (6# actual) = $24.46
7#/acre = $20.65 10.77#/acre (7# actual) = $28.54
We have found that more lbs of uncoated seed at less cost is better.
You can plant 7 lbs/acre uncoated seed for about the same cost as 7.7 lbs 35% coated seed and have 2 lbs more actual seed per acre.
50% coated seed is an the market also, at about the same price as 35% coated seed, making the price comparison even worse!
If shipped, you also need to factor in the extra shipping cost for the 1/3 more seed needed.
As far as varieties go, there isn't a lot of difference in yield or quality of currently available varieties when you compare a lot of trials spread over several years and locations. That will likely change as seed companies and growers select and breed new varieties.


----------

