2008 Year in Review

From the Fields

Northern Illinois producers needing a late-summer annual forage crop that could be baled, ensiled, or grazed may want to consider seeding spring oats. By mid-August air temperature is beginning to moderate and soil moisture is more available for this cool-weather crop.

Based on a 3-year study (2005-2007) at the Northern Illinois Agronomy Research Center, Shabbona (DeKalb County), the average yield of four varieties seeded in mid-August, late-August, and early-September and harvested in October was 1.8, 1.3, and 0.6 tons dry matter per acre, respectively.

The four oat varieties were Blaze, ForagePlus, Jerry, and Spurs. The oats were drilled at three bushels per acre in a prepared seedbed following winter wheat harvested as grain. 50 pounds of nitrogen per acre were applied prior to seeding. The oats were harvested in late October using a flail-type forage harvester.

Crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, and relative feed value reflected the traditional plant maturity-quality relationship when harvested, especially with the first seeding. No statistical differences existed in these quality factors between the second and third seeding dates. Averaged over the three seeding dates, there were variety differences in dry matter yield and in several of the quality factors, but not in crude protein. Relative feed value was acceptable (range of 142 to 182) across varieties and seeding dates.

The study documented forage yield and quality of late-summer seeded spring oats in northern Illinois. Details are available from Jim Morrison, University of Illinois, Rockford Extension Center, morrison@uiuc.edu; phone 815-397-7714.

by  Editor, theCity1.com
August 22, 2008