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PUBLICATION 1181

FEBRUARY 1963

> *3£

CANADIAN AGRICULTURE LIBRARY

530.4
3212

D 1181
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>A DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

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KEYS TO BETTER FORAGES

Dairying is the most important type of farming on Vancouver Island.
In dollar value it accounts for more than 36 percent of all agricultural produc-
tion. Locally grown hay and pasture provide the roughage for feeding the
dairy herds. Most of the concentrate feeds are imported. Successful dairying
depends on abundant production of high-quality herbage.

For high production and quality:

• Select the proper mixture to suit the climate and soil. Use alfalfa
on well-drained, deep, friable soils and reed canarygrass on soils subject
to prolonged winter flooding. Use late-maturing grass varieties in combination
with red clover for hay, and early-maturing types for pasture and early silage.
Use a mixture of Ladino clover, orchardgrass and perennial ryegrass for
irrigated pastures. See page 2 for recommendations on seeding.

• Follow the fertilizer schedules given in this publication (page 15).
Irrigated pastures fertilized as recommended have outyielded unfertilized
plots by two tons of dry herbage per acre.

• Harvest hay early, cure it rapidly and store it quickly. High carotene
and vitamin A content, indicated by the green color, are easily lost through
overmaturity or weathering. Store hay as soon as curing is completed to
avoid loss of leaves and color. Make silage when conditions are unsuitable
for curing hay, and so save a larger percentage of the leaves, the green color
and nutrients.

• Rotate pastures to prevent overgrazing. Mow after grazing to remove
mature herbage and weeds. Chain-harrow to spread the droppings for the best
possible return from improved pastures.

Cover photo

Herbage obtained from plots that were fertilized
alike: left, grass alone; right, grass and clover.

Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2012 with funding from

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http://www.archive.org/details/growingforagecroOOturl

GROWING

FORAGE
CROPS

R. H. Turley and E. F. Maas
Experimental Farm, Saanichton, B.C.

Forage crops are grown on 90 percent of the improved agricultural land
on Vancouver Island and are used mainly for livestock feed. As dairying is
the main source of farm revenue in this area, hay and pasture are the most
important crops in the agricultural economy.

This publication deals with hay and pasture management. The
recommendations are based on research conducted at the Experimental Farm,
Saanichton, and on its experimental project farms at Cobble Hill, Duncan,
Nanaimo, Courtenay and Alberni,

Vancouver Island has a mild marine climate with low summer tempera-
tures and a long frost-free growing season that is particularly favorable for
the growing of grasses and legumes. From March to May there is adequate
precipitation for hay, silage and pasture production. The summers are dry
and irrigation is necessary for optimum growth of forage crops.

Almost all the soils of Vancouver Island were developed under forest
cover and most of them are low in organic matter and natural fertility. Culti-
vation depletes the organic matter rapidly and so causes the soil structure
to deteriorate and also reduces moisture-holding capacity and availability of
plant nutrients. Adequate manuring helps to maintain organic matter and
returns some nutrients to the soil. Forage crops, because of their extensive
root systems, are particularly useful for maintaining soil organic matter.
In addition, legumes enrich the soil by fixing nitrogen from the air.

SUITABLE GRASSES AND LEGUMES

Grasses

Orchard, perennial rye and reed canary grasses are the only grass species
recommended for hay and pasture crops. Many others, such as brome, meadow
and tall fescues, have been found inferior to those recommended. It is best

not to include "bottom grasses in a mixture. If they survive they reduce the
yield of the more productive forage species by excessive competition.

Orchardgrass. — Over a wide range of soil and climatic conditions on
Vancouver Island, orchardgrass is the most productive hay and pasture
species. It is a bunch-type perennial that resumes growth early in the spring,
carries well into the dry summer season and revives in the fall more quickly
than most other grasses. It is the most shade-tolerant of the forage grasses
in common use and one of the most productive under irrigation.

Akaroa and Oron are vigorous, early varieties recommended for pasture.
Aberystwyth S.143 and Hercules mature later than Akaroa. They mature at
the same time as red clover and combine well with it for a hay mixture.

Perennial ryegrass, — This is also a bunch-type grass. Its bunching,
however, is not as pronounced as in orchardgrass and it forms a more compact
turf. It establishes very quickly from seed but is short-lived. This grass gives
good yields of nutritious* forage but is usually not as productive as orchard-
grass. It is more tolerant of wet conditions than orchardgrass and produces
an abundance of spring pasture.

Thirty-two varieties of perennial ryegrass have been tested at
Saanichton in recent years and none was markedly superior to the ordinary
commercial type.

Reed canarygrass. — This is a long-lived perennial that spreads by
underground stems to form a dense, strong turf. It is useful for areas subject
to prolonged flooding in winter or with a high water table in summer. Since
this grass is slow to become established it should be seeded as early in the
spring as possible. When used for hay, the first cut should be made early
to avoid coarseness.

Six varieties tested at Saanichton during the past few years yielded no
more hay than the ordinary commercial type.

Legumes

Red, alsike and white clovers, and alfalfa, are the only legumes
recommended for forage production on Vancouver Island. Alfalfa and red and
alsike clovers are used principally in hay mixtures, and white clover is used
mainly for pasture.

Alfalfa. — Alfalfa is a tap-rooted perennial adapted only to well-drained,
deep, friable soils. It is drought- resist ant and yields an abundance of highly
nutritious forage under suitable conditions. Yields on unirrigated land at the
Experimental Farm averaged 4.5 tons of hay per acre over a four-year period.

Thirty-four varieties have been tested at Saanichton over the past seven
years. Vernal and Du Puits are recommended.

Double-cut red clover. — This clover is the most widely used legume in
hay mixtures on Vancouver Island. It is adapted to the climate and all the
main soil types except where severe flooding occurs. As the name "double-
cut' implies, two crops can be harvested in one year. Being a biennial, red
clover produces the heaviest yield of forage the second year after planting
and then dies.

Twelve varieties have been tested in recent years. La Salle is recom-
mended.

Alsike clover. — Alsike, a short-lived perennial, is more persistent in
hay mixtures than red clover. It requires more moisture than red clover and
thrives in wetter locations. Only under wet conditions does it outyield red
clover.

White clovers. — The white clovers may be separated into dwarf and tall
types. Wild white and white Dutch clovers are dwarf. They are persistent
perennials recommended for unirrigated dryland pastures in all areas of
Vancouver Island not subject to prolonged flooding. They are drought-resistant
and stand up well under close grazing. They provide a highly palatable and
nutritious forage and the stand usually thickens when pastured.

Ladino clover, on the other hand, is a tall strain of white clover. It is
not as drought-resistant as the dwarf white clovers but is more productive
under irrigation. Ladino is recommended in all mixtures for irrigated pasture
and hay.

Mixtures are more desirable for forage production than pure stands of
either grasses or legumes. Legumes increase the yield of grasses by increas-
ing the supply of nitrogen in the soil. Grasses in a mixture make the turf more
durable and reduce the incidence of bloat. Recommended mixtures with rates
and dates of seeding are shown in Table 1.

ESTABLISHING THE STAND

Preparing the Land

A fine, firm and moist seedbed facilitates seeding at the proper depth,
and favors rapid and uniform germination and establishment of the forage
seedlings. It should be free from weeds to keep them from competing with the
seedlings.

Seeding

Choosing the seed. — Use only top-quality graded seed of the recom-
mended variety. Grades are established under the Seeds Act and guarantee

purity, germination and general quality. Ungraded, cheap seed gives dis-
appointing stands of forage and introduces weeds.

Sowing, — Sow grass and legume seed at a depth of half an inch or less
on a moist, firm and well-prepared seedbed.

Preferably use a grass seeder with a V-type packer. If you broadcast
the seed or use a grass seeder attachment on the grain drill, follow the seeder
with a harrow and a packer.

The proper time to seed grass and grass— legume mixtures depends on
weather and soil moisture conditions.

On well-drained soils, sow the grass or the grass part of a mixture in
early September, when there is adequate moisture for germination and estab-
lishment. Broadcast inoculated clover seed when the soil is honeycombed by
frost early in February. When the soil thaws, the honeycomb will break down
and cover the clover seed.

On moderately or poorly drained soils, sow both grasses and clovers in
the spring as soon as a good seedbed can be prepared.

Alfalfa has more exacting seeding requirements than most forage crops.
Failure to meet these requirements will give disappointing stands. Strict
observance of the following points should ensure establishment:

• Sow only on a deep, well-drained soil. Alfalfa will not tolerate wet

feet.

• Sow only on a firm, clean seedbed. Alfalfa seedlings do not stand

competition from other plants. Mow off weeds that appear above the alfalfa.

• If you use a mixture, sow the alfalfa in the spring and overseed with
the grasses in the fall. This eliminates competition between the two kinds of
seedlings.

• Always inoculate the seed with the proper inoculum.

Nurse Crops

Nurse crops can be used to advantage if they are removed while soil
moisture is still abundant. If you let a nurse crop grow to maturity, all the
forage seedlings may die. On well-drained, droughty soils, nurse crops are
not recommended.

Harvest the nurse crop for silage only or graze it very lightly. To aid
establishment of the forage crop, irrigate the field as soon as you remove the
nurse crop.

LIME FOR FORAGES

A light dressing of lime increases the yields of irrigated and dryland
legumes on most of Vancouver Island. However, little response can be expected

from lime on the Saanich peninsula.
Use of lime helps to:

• Reduce soil acidity.

• Increase the availability of soil nutrients.

• Improve the physical condition of the soil.

• Increase the yield of the legume in a grass— legume mixture.

Broadcast lime at 1 ton per acre six months before seeding a grass-
legume mixture. Repeat the application at the same rate every four years on
long-term pasture or hay fields, at any time of the year when machinery can
be driven over the fields.

MANURE

Barnyard manure is particularly valuable for maintaining soil organic
matter and improving the soil structure. It is important to take proper care of
manure and so return to the soil as much humus and plant food as possible.
Restoring humus to mineral soils increases their ability to retain chemical
fertilizers and helps to ensure uniform release of nutrients to the plants.

On organic soils, manure should be applied in the early years of develop-
ment to provide minor elements and to introduce microorganisms that decompose
the peat. Continued manuring is not recommended as it causes excessive
decomposition, breakdown of the soil structure, and increased subsidence or
settling and therefore drainage problems.

CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS

Dryland Mineral Soils

For unirrigated mineral soils south of the Malahat, use only nitrogen
fertilizers since phosphate and potash fertilizers usually increase the yields
very little. Broadcast ammonium nitrate in early March at 200 pounds per acre
or the equivalent, to supply 66 pounds of nitrogen per acre.

In the Duncan, Nanaimo, Courtenay and Alberni areas, use a complete
fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium for grass— legume
mixtures. For new plantings, drill 350 pounds of 13-16-10 per acre in with the
seed. For first-year and established stands, broadcast 13-16-10 in March at
the same rate. Detailed fertilizer instructions are given in Table 2.

Irrigated Mineral Soils

Nitrogen. — Nitrogen substantially increases the yields from pure grass
stands. Three applications totaling 270 pounds of nitrogen (810 pounds of

33-0-0) per acre gave yields of 6,400 pounds of dry matter per acre per year
in comparison with 1,300 pounds for unfertilized plots. With a good stand of
inoculated legume, however, a hay crop requires only 90 pounds of nitrogen
per acre while pasture may profitably use up to 145 pounds per acre per year.

Nitrogen is rapidly depleted by the forage plants and little remains a
month after application. For uniform, summer-long forage production, apply
nitrogen and irrigate after each cutting or grazing cycle.

Phosphorus, — In the areas north of the Malahat, Vancouver Island soils
are low in phosphorus, and the addition of 60 pounds of phosphate (P2^.e;^
per acre has increased forage yields markedly. Higher rates have not given
any additional increase.

Potassium. — Potassium fertilizers are essential for all irrigated forage
crops on Vancouver Island. In long-term tests, potash-treated plots have given
higher and higher yields than untreated plots each year as the untreated plots
became more deficient. Three applications totaling up to 200 pounds of muriate
of potash (120 pounds of K20) per acre have given profitable returns.

Nutrient balance. — A proper balance of nitrogen, phosphorus and potas-
sium is essential for best returns from fertilizer. Little response can be
expected from fertilizers if one of the major nutrients is lacking. To ensure
balance, apply these nutrients as follows:-
For irrigated grass-legume hay:

For new seedings, apply 13-16-10 at 350 pounds per acre drilled in
with the seed.

On first-year and older stands, apply 13-16-10 at 350 pounds per acre
in early spring. After the first cut, apply 150 pounds of 33-0-0 per acre and
irrigate.

For irrigated grass— legume pasture:

For new seedings, apply 13-16-10 at 350 pounds per acre drilled in
with the seed.

On first-year and older stands, apply 13-16-10 at 350 pounds per acre
in early spring. On June 1, apply 33-0-0 at 100 pounds per acre and 0-0-60 at
50 pounds. On July 1 and August 1 apply 33-0-0 at 100 pounds per acre.
Irrigate after each fertilizer application.

Organic Soils

Organic soils need heavy applications of chemical fertilizers for maxi-
mum production of forage. Tests so far indicate that more nitrogen and potas-
sium are needed than are provided in 450 pounds of 4-10-10 per acre for
infertile peats, 300 pounds of 2-15-15 per acre for moderately fertile peaty

mucks and 300 pounds of 0-15-15 per acre for highly fertile mucks. Since the
organic soils vary greatly in the nutrients available, use test strips to deter-
mine the best rates for your land.

IRRIGATING FORAGE CROPS

About 3,000 acres of forage crops are under irrigation on Vancouver
Island and 500 acres more are planned. Irrigation improves:

• Yields,

• Survival of Ladino clover,

• Feed value,

• Soil structure.

Adequate irrigation doubles the yields of most crops. A dryland pasture
on the Experimental Farm at Saanichton yielded 2.5 tons of dry matter per
acre, produced mainly during May, early June and late September. A total of
5 inches of water in five applications increased the yield to 3.7 tons and a
further 5 inches increased it to 5.2 tons.

Without irrigation, forage production is extremely poor from June 15 to
September 15. Irrigation ensures good pasture throughout the summer, a very
important factor in a fluid-milk producing area.

In a grass— clover mixture, Ladino clover survives only under irrigation
or in areas otherwise supplied with adequate summer moisture. See "Nitrogen
on page 9 on the importance of the legume in the mixture.

Irrigated forages usually contain a higher percentage of protein than do
unirrigated forages. Also, a higher legume content increases the protein
content further, and irrigated forages can be cut earlier and at a more nutri-
tious and digestible stage.

Heavy yields of irrigated forage crops allow a large return of farmyard
manure to the soil. This improves the soil structure, which in turn means
better tilth, easier cultivation and higher moisture-holding capacity. When
manure and chemical fertilizers are both used and legumes are grown, the
extra moisture provided by irrigation ensures maximum yields.

Sources of Irrigation Water

Irrigation water may be supplied from lakes, streams, dams, dugouts or
groundwater sources. The Water Rights Branch of the British Columbia Depart-
ment of Lands and Forests issues licences to regulate the use of irrigation
water from lakes, streams and dams. Expansion of irrigation from these sources
is being studied, but at present irrigation on Vancouver Island can expand

Personal communication from A. Hall, B.C. Electric Co., Victoria, B.C.

only by impounding local run-off water or by the use of groundwater sources
such as occur in the Koksilah area.

Irrigation Requirements

Summer rainfall is inadequate for forage crops on the east coast of
Vancouver Island. In the Duncan area, the irrigation requirements of grass-
clover pastures on various soil types were determined in a four-year test. The
alluvial Chemainus sandy loam, fine sandy loam and very fine sandy loam
required an average of 7.5 inches, and Fairbridge clay loam and Cowichan
clay required 10.5 inches. The yields on these irrigated pastures under
recommended fertilizer practice averaged 9,000 pounds of ovendry forage
per acre.

Drainage and height of the water table also affect irrigation require-
ments. Organic soils have a low requirement because of their large reserve
of available moisture and often a high water table. Gravelly soils, because
of their low moisture-holding capacity, need more frequent and lighter irriga-
tions than do loam soils.

Irrigation requirements were estimated from weather records for various
sites as follows: Sidney, 10.2 inches; Duncan, 9.7 inches; Nanaimo, 8.6
inches; Parksville, 9.0 inches; Courtenay, 7.7 inches; and Alberni, 5.7
inches.

When to Irrigate

Start the first irrigation cycle of the season early enough so that you
reach the last field before it begins to suffer from lack of moisture. Start
subsequent cycles as soon as a sample of soil taken at a depth of one foot
and squeezed into a ball does not retain its shape when bounced lightly on
the palm of the hand. To make an auger for taking soil samples, weld a 3-foot
extension with a T handle to a 1-inch wood bit. Electrical resistance blocks,
tensiometers and evaporimeters are also useful for determining when irrigation
is required.

HARVESTING AND GRAZING

Hay

Hay is the basic feed for the dairy and livestock industry on Vancouver
Island. The value of the crop depends on quality. High-quality hay must be
highly nutritious and palatable to livestock. To ensure quality, hay must be

2
The irrigation requirement is the total amount of water needed during the growing season

for normal plant growth beyond that supplied by rainfall and soil-moisture reserves.
3
Day, J. H., L. Farstad and D. G. Laird. Soil survey of southeast Vancouver Island.

B.C. Soil Survey Report No. 6, 1959.

properly harvested and stored.

It is important to harvest hay at the proper stage of growth as it rapidly
loses quality as it matures. The best time to cut grass is just after the pollen
starts to fly. It is best to cut legumes when a tenth of the flowers have opened.

To preserve the quality of hay, cure and store it as quickly as possible.
Quality is lost mainly from weathering, which causes leaves and stems to
deteriorate, or from too much handling, which causes loss of leaves. The
quicker hay can be raked, cocked or baled, the better the quality. In good
haying weather this can be done in two or three days.

Silage

As the weather on Vancouver Island is often unfavorable for curing
early-cut hay, the first cut is commonly ensiled. Silage is stored moist and
does not require the same degree of curing as hay. The recommended moisture
content for storing silage is 65 to 75 percent whereas for hay it is below
20 percent.

For silage, harvest legumes in the early-bloom stage, and grasses
during the early heading or pre-flower stage. At this stage of maturity the
forage has about 80 percent moisture. A short wilting period in which the
crop loses 10 to 15 percent moisture puts the forage in an ideal condition for
ensiling.

To obtain high-quality silage, the degree of packing varies according
to the moisture content of the crop. In very young, lush crops, the high
moisture content is offset by a longer wilting period, by a longer length of
chop and by a moderate degree of packing. As the crops become more mature
and the moisture content decreases, increase the packing to eliminate the
air. At full bloom, compaction becomes extremely important and difficult to
obtain but is facilitated by using a shorter length of chop.

Preservatives are unnecessary under ideal conditions but they are useful
when excessive moisture cannot be avoided. Some suitable preservatives are:
hay, chopped grain, molasses and sodium metabisulfite.

Pasture

Pastures provide the cheapest form of livestock feed, and careful
management pays big dividends. During the first year the pasture should not
be grazed until it is well established. If grown without a nurse crop, a light-
to-medium hay crop may be harvested or grazed lightly in the fall if the ground
is dry.

Overgrazing seriously injures established pastures, as most forage
species do not survive constant clipping. It reduces the total amount of forage

produced and favors weeds. Continuous grazing reduces the reserves of food
in the roots until the plants die. Rotational grazing allows time after pasturing
for adequate regrowth of desirable species.

Divide pasture fields into a number of paddocks, the area depending on
the size of the herd and whether or not the pasture is irrigated. Graze enough
livestock in one enclosure at the same time to remove the herbage quickly,
and change paddocks before overgrazing is apparent. Allow enough time for
recovery of the forage species before regrazing.

To keep the pasture producing at a high level:

• Let the stand get 8 to 10 inches high and then graze it off quickly,
leaving a 3-inch stubble to ensure rapid recovery.

• Mow the paddock after grazing to control weeds and to remove un-
grazed mature herbage, and so induce more young and succulent growth.

• After each grazing period, break up and distribute the droppings over
the pasture with a chain or brush harrow. This helps to avoid coarse clumps
of unpalatable forage around the droppings.

• Fertilize and irrigate immediately after each grazing period.

• Keep livestock off soggy pasture to prevent puddling of the soil and
damage to the grass and legume roots.

»NMN»NeK8!eg>C&S8>

The authors are indebted to staff of the Field Crops
and the Extension Branches of the British Columbia De-
partment of Agriculture for their helpful suggestions in
preparation of the manuscript; to the experimental project
farm operators on whose farms much of the work was done;
and to Dr. E.H. Gardner, now Assistant Professor of Soil
Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, for
his part in the research while at the Experimental Farm.

ROGER DUHAMEL, F.R.S.C.
queen's PRINTER AND CONTROLLER OF STATIONERY
6*1-29837-2:63 OTTAWA, 1962 CaU Nq# A53_H81

3 9073 00158505 0

Table 2. — Fertilizer Recommendations for Vancouver Island

Approved by Regional Co-ordinating Committee

Crop

Pounds of

plant food

per acre

Fertilizer

N P205 K20

Kind

Pounds
per acre

Remarks

SAANICH PENINSULA-VICTORIA-SOOKE

SILAGE, HAY
OR PASTURE

(not irrigated)
33-0-0 200

OTHER DISTRICTS

(not irrigated)

HAY, SILAGE

AND PASTURE

New seedings

13-16-10

350

First-year

13-16-10

350

and estab-

lished stands

Peat ana' Muck Soils

HAY, SILAGE

(A) 4-10-10

450

AND PASTURE

(B) 2-15-15

300

Irrigated Crops on Mineral Soils

350
350

HAY

New seedings

13-16-10

First-year

13-16-10

and estab-

plus

lished stands

33-0-0

PASTURE

New seedings

13-16-10

First-year

145

13-16-10

and estab-

plus

lished stands

33-0-0

0-0-60

150

350
350

300

Broadcast in the spring,
March 1 to 15. No ferti-
lizer is required on es-
tablished stands with
over 20 percent legume.

Drill in with the seed.
Broadcast in early
spring.

Use A on the infertile
peat soils, B on
moderately fertile peaty
mucks, C on highly
fertile mucks. Drill in
with seed. On estab-
lished stands, broadcast
in early spring.

Drill in with the seed.
Apply in early spring.

Apply after cutting but
before irrigating.

Drill in with the seed.
Apply in early spring.

Apply 100 lb. per acre
on June 1, July 1 and
August 1, immediately
before irrigating.
Apply on June 1.

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