source: Farm and Food Report
Yellowfeed is the name given for a new alternative method of harvesting an annual cereal crop for hay that is showing some promise, according to Lorne Klein, a Forage Development Specialist with SAFRR.
“The traditional method of harvesting annual cereals for hay or greenfeed is to cut and crimp the crop at the milk-soft dough stage, and allow the material to dry in the windrow before baling. With yellowfeed, glyphosate is applied at the milk-soft dough stage and the crop is then allowed to stand until dry. Once dry, the crop can be cut and baled immediately.”
There are a number of advantages to yellowfeed over greenfeed. For instance, there is no weathering loss should it rain while the crop is drying in the windrow, and no need to turn the windrow after a rain.
In addition, producers can schedule their harvest, much like they do with silage. Plus, it offers perennial weed control, and the crop can be cut with a swather rather than a haybine.
There are a couple of significant disadvantages, however, with the yellowfeed method. Producers require access to a high clearance sprayer and they need to factor in the cost of the glyphosate and the lack of re-growth for fall grazing.
Klein explains what methodology was used during yellowfeed trials:
“During the period between 2001 and 2003, forage samples of oats and barley were collected to determine the effect of glyphosate on yield and quality. These were monitored from the time of spraying until seven to 10 days past the point of being dry enough to cut and bale. The rate of glyphosate was one litre/acre.”
Findings indicate that yellowfeed appears to be a viable option for drying annual cereals prior to baling; that application of glyphosate does not significantly reduce forage yield or quality — in fact, forage yield increases initially after spraying, likely due to the crop continuing to grow for a period of time after spraying.
“There is an initial decline in the percentage of protein after spraying,” says Klein, “possibly due to dilution from increased yield or the normal decrease in protein level from later maturity, but the overall total digestible nutrients (TDN), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) remained constant.”
Glyphosate products currently registered for pre-harvest use on livestock forage are Credit, Maverick, Vantage, Vantage Plus, Renegade and Roundup.
“After glyphosate is applied, barley dries about four to seven days sooner than oats. Barley stands well after spraying, but the heads tend to curl over close to the soil surface after it has dried. Oats tend to lay over horizontally at a height of about 12 to 18 inches. This does not interfere with cutting because the swather's cutter bar can be set below this height. The leaves and kernels of both crops remain attached, even after the crop is left standing seven to 10 days after drying.”
Palatability of yellowfeed is reported as good. Most producers believe the palatability of yellowfeed is equal to or greater than regular greenfeed.
The trials suggest that economics of yellowfeed should be studied further in terms of expected changes in forage yield and quality from spraying to harvest; cost of herbicide and application; cost of swathing compared to crimping; and also in terms of the potential benefit of perennial weed control.
Lorne Klein is of the opinion that “a comparison of the value of yellowfeed and greenfeed could change from year to year, based on weather conditions after spraying and cutting.” But, he adds that “greenfeed harvest and forage quality losses can be relatively high in years when there is significant rainfall after cutting … something that appears to be avoided with yellowfeed,” he concludes.
For more information, contact:
Lorne Klein
Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization
(306) 848-2382
Agriculture Knowledge Centre
1-866-457-2377
Yellowfeed is the name given for a new alternative method of harvesting an annual cereal crop for hay that is showing some promise, according to Lorne Klein, a Forage Development Specialist with SAFRR.
“The traditional method of harvesting annual cereals for hay or greenfeed is to cut and crimp the crop at the milk-soft dough stage, and allow the material to dry in the windrow before baling. With yellowfeed, glyphosate is applied at the milk-soft dough stage and the crop is then allowed to stand until dry. Once dry, the crop can be cut and baled immediately.”
There are a number of advantages to yellowfeed over greenfeed. For instance, there is no weathering loss should it rain while the crop is drying in the windrow, and no need to turn the windrow after a rain.
In addition, producers can schedule their harvest, much like they do with silage. Plus, it offers perennial weed control, and the crop can be cut with a swather rather than a haybine.
There are a couple of significant disadvantages, however, with the yellowfeed method. Producers require access to a high clearance sprayer and they need to factor in the cost of the glyphosate and the lack of re-growth for fall grazing.
Klein explains what methodology was used during yellowfeed trials:
“During the period between 2001 and 2003, forage samples of oats and barley were collected to determine the effect of glyphosate on yield and quality. These were monitored from the time of spraying until seven to 10 days past the point of being dry enough to cut and bale. The rate of glyphosate was one litre/acre.”
Findings indicate that yellowfeed appears to be a viable option for drying annual cereals prior to baling; that application of glyphosate does not significantly reduce forage yield or quality — in fact, forage yield increases initially after spraying, likely due to the crop continuing to grow for a period of time after spraying.
“There is an initial decline in the percentage of protein after spraying,” says Klein, “possibly due to dilution from increased yield or the normal decrease in protein level from later maturity, but the overall total digestible nutrients (TDN), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) remained constant.”
Glyphosate products currently registered for pre-harvest use on livestock forage are Credit, Maverick, Vantage, Vantage Plus, Renegade and Roundup.
“After glyphosate is applied, barley dries about four to seven days sooner than oats. Barley stands well after spraying, but the heads tend to curl over close to the soil surface after it has dried. Oats tend to lay over horizontally at a height of about 12 to 18 inches. This does not interfere with cutting because the swather's cutter bar can be set below this height. The leaves and kernels of both crops remain attached, even after the crop is left standing seven to 10 days after drying.”
Palatability of yellowfeed is reported as good. Most producers believe the palatability of yellowfeed is equal to or greater than regular greenfeed.
The trials suggest that economics of yellowfeed should be studied further in terms of expected changes in forage yield and quality from spraying to harvest; cost of herbicide and application; cost of swathing compared to crimping; and also in terms of the potential benefit of perennial weed control.
Lorne Klein is of the opinion that “a comparison of the value of yellowfeed and greenfeed could change from year to year, based on weather conditions after spraying and cutting.” But, he adds that “greenfeed harvest and forage quality losses can be relatively high in years when there is significant rainfall after cutting … something that appears to be avoided with yellowfeed,” he concludes.
For more information, contact:
Lorne Klein
Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization
(306) 848-2382
Agriculture Knowledge Centre
1-866-457-2377
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