Stacy Campbell

K-State Research & Extension

Forages, forages seem to be the buzz word this coming fall. With the drought we have experienced for the last 2 to 4 years depending where you live. Livestock producers need more forage to supplement less grass and hay production.  Last week’s article went over the more traditional options for fall grazing or haying of using small grain cereals or oats, but also there are many other options today with the advent of cover crops in replacing fallow. There are so many different plant species now for cover crops which could also be utilized for forages as well that there would be no way to even briefly cover part of them.

One plant species that has gained some popularity are brassicas, such as canola, turnips, kale, rape, and rutabagas, are highly productive and high quality forage options for the fall and winter in Kansas. Brassicas can be utilized on crop fields that would otherwise remain fallow. They can also be mixed with small grain cereals for a forage blend.

Nitrogen rates of 50 lbs/acre will increase fall forage production. Brassicas are high nitrate accumulators, so if excess nitrogen is in the soil producers should not add additional fertilizer. It is important to use a soil test for this reason. Producers should also test the forage for nitrates prior to grazing. Brassicas are very high in quality and have high moisture content. When grazing brassicas, cattle will often become loose and will require some roughage in their diet. Dry hay should always be available to cattle grazing on brassicas and should be about one-quarter of the ration.

Canola which is more commonly grown in South Central Kansas should be planted in our area by the middle of August or early September at the rate of 5 lbs/acre. If the stand is adequately established, grazing is generally available starting in mid-October through December. Energy content and digestibility generally increase after a hard freeze, and cattle will quickly devour the forage.

Top growth of canola in the fall is highly palatable for grazing purposes. Stocking rates in Kansas have been as high as 1,000 pounds of animal per acre if ample precipitation and thus forage is available. The quality is excellent. Protein levels are normally more than 20 percent. The relative feed value can be 400, compared to about 200 for rye/wheat forage. A typical average daily gain is about 2 lbs/head/day, but some ranchers have recorded over 3 lbs/head/day.

If producers wish to harvest canola for grain, expect lower grain yields with a graze-and-grain program. Canola crowns rest on top of the soil surface and when grazed, plants may be physically damaged by hoof traffic. Reductions in grain yield of 25 to 50% are not uncommon. Also remember that if canola seed is treated, the forage cannot be grazed. Canola that is grazed is currently uninsurable.

Turnips like canola, are a brassica crop that is high in protein and digestibility. The advantage of turnips compared to canola is that once the top growth of turnips is killed by a freeze, the cattle will utilize the bulb until it is frozen. Turnips should be seeded in late July or August at a rate of 3 lbs/acre. The seed can be drilled or broadcast. Many producers have had turnip seed applied aerially into a standing corn crop, as long as little to no atrazine had been applied to the corn.

Turnip top growth can be grazed from late September until the first killing frost with temperatures below 18 degrees. Bulbs will continue to be utilized into January as long as they remain intact. Turnip forage quality is very high, ranging from 17 to 22 percent protein while the protein in the bulb will usually exceed 8 percent protein.

Cattle stocking rates for turnips are often very high, ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 pounds of beef/acre, depending on available forage. Turnips can be blended with a small grain cereal crop. Cattle will initially seek out the cereal before utilizing the turnip tops until later in the season when the brassica forage becomes more desirable.

Information provided by Doug Shoup, and John Holman, K-State Research & Extension Agronomists, and Mike Stamm, Canola Breeder.