Winter cereal species, cultivar, and harvest timing affect trade-offs between forage quality and yield

Volatile feed costs and extreme weather events are contributing to greater economic risk precarity throughout much of the United States dairy industry. These challenges have prompted farmers seek ways reduce imports without compromising milk production. For organic farmers, need produce more homegrown forage is exacerbated by high cost limited supply feed. Integrating winter cereals for as part a double-cropping system potential solution, but increasing amount in cow rations can production if forages not managed optimal quality. Organically field experiments Maryland (MD) New York (NY) were conducted address two primary objectives: (1) determine yield quality cereals—four cultivars each barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.), cereal rye Secale cereale triticale (× Triticosecale Wittm. ex A. Camus.)—grown harvested at different crop growth stages, (2) evaluate trade-offs between relation phenology harvest date. Mean commonly stage, swollen boot (Zadoks 45), was 1.3, 2.2, 2.2 Mg ha −1 MD 1.8, 2.5, 2.9 NY barley, rye, triticale, respectively. relative (RFQ) same stage 180, 158, 163 179, 156, 157 three species. Overall, reached earliest, produced highest RFQ retained longest, yields. Based on these results, should consider priority winter-hardiness concern; an early most important; schedule flexibility would be valuable. findings used better meet needs enhance performance, improve synchronization timing with specific lactating cows, dry heifers, calves.