Winter cereal crops provide forage for livestock, soil health benefits

The use of winter annual cereals to promote soil health properties and suppress annual weeds has become more of the normal for many farmers in U.S., says North Dakota State University Extension specialists. Winter cereals provide green, active-growing plants during the fall and early-winter periods and are the first to green up in the spring. Winter cereals extend the growing season of living plant roots in the soil – feeding the soil microbiome – while providing an armor for the soil.

“Winter cereals also provide excellent forage for livestock either for grazing or to be hayed for roughage,” says Kevin Sedivec, NDSU Extension rangeland management specialist and Central Grasslands Research Extension Center director. “In fact, winter cereals were a livestock forage well before soil health became a concern.”

“Livestock grazing on cropland is becoming a more popular tool to enhance soil health and has been identified as one of the six principles of soil health,” says Miranda Meehan, NDSU Extension livestock environmental stewardship specialist. “The beauty of cover crops, including winter cereals, is they provide soil health benefits while creating excellent feed for livestock.”

Winter cereal options

The most common winter cereal used for planting green is winter rye, but other options are available. When thinking about which winter cereal to plant, determine the planned use and the crop that will follow it. Always plant a winter forage cereal – versus grain type – as they tend to be more winter hardy, leafier and more palatable for livestock feed, says Sedivec.

If the plan is to graze the winter cereal in the fall and again in the spring, the best options are winter rye or winter triticale, advises Sedivec. Both emerge fast in the spring and provide grazing in May, depending on where you’re located.

Winter wheat is a slower-growing crop and matures three to four weeks later than rye. Winter triticale is about three to four days later than rye as it relates to maturity. However, there are varietal differences in maturation, so visiting with your local NDSU Extension agent or seed sales representative on which variety works best for your area is recommended.

Never plant a small grain crop after a winter cereal crop, as contamination of the grain with the winter cereal grain can occur, cautions Meehan. If the plan is to follow the winter cereal with corn or canola, terminate the winter cereal crop two to three weeks prior to seeding the cash crop. This is especially recommended when using winter rye. Soybeans are safe to plant into winter cereals anytime, but be careful with water management, as winter cereals use water and in times of drought can suppress the yield.

Grazing winter cereal before seeding a crop

If the goal is to graze the winter cereal in the fall, spring or both, the best option is winter rye or winter triticale, depending on subsequent crop. Although the recommended time for seeding winter cereals is early to mid-September, if soil moisture conditions are good, seeding in August also is an option.

Fall grazing can occur once the plant reaches heights of six to eight inches. The longer producers wait to turn out livestock, the more forage will be available to graze. It is safe to graze winter rye down to a stubble height of one to two inches, but only graze winter triticale to a stubble height of three inches.

Research at NDSU found the fall grazing of winter rye did not impact the forage production of ground cover or stands the following spring. Winter rye is more winter hardy than winter triticale in the northern states.

Spring grazing should start when the plants reach a height of 6 to 8 inches. Once winter rye or triticale reach this stage, growth is fast and can reach the heading stage within three weeks. Cattle will become more selective and performance declines once the plants reach the heading stage. Strip grazing is recommended to increase harvest efficiency and distribution of manure and urine.

Haying winter cereal before seeding a crop

Although all winter cereal options can be hayed, winter wheat provides the best quality feed with good tonnage, says Sedivec. Winter wheat is higher in crude protein and lower in lignin, creating a more palatable, high quality feed for livestock. Winter triticale tends to be higher in digestible energy, while winter rye is lowest in protein and energy. Both winter rye and triticale should be harvested at the early heading stage to maintain quality. When harvested at the seed development stage, both are best fed as a grinding hay.

Although winter wheat is the best option for hay, it reaches the heading stage two to three weeks later than rye and triticale. With the later maturity, producers will be limited in options to seed a second crop, especially in the northern states with a shorter growing season.

Good crop options following winter wheat include warm-season forages such as sorghum-sudan hybrids and foxtail millet, and a full-season cover crop. These options create an opportunity for a second hay crop or late summer grazing.

“Although the grazing and haying season for 2024 is well underway, planning winter cereal options should begin soon,” says Meehan. “Base your decision on your planned use (graze versus hay) and subsequent crop to follow. Winter cereals are a great option to supplement your forage system while building and protecting the soil.”

For more information on annual forage options that can be used in cover crop mixtures for livestock grazing and/or hay production, visit ndsu.ag/wintercereals.