Michigan has one of the highest percentages of large dairies in the country. Michigan dairy farms also have the most efficient cows, making the most milk per cow. This advantage is powered by the environment, diet and management of their herds. While we have spent time discussing alfalfa for dairies, today we transition into the other forages that can be a part of a successful diet.
While corn silage is usually first to mind when we consider forages other than alfalfa for dairy nutrition, today we are going to cover some of the lesser known forage options. Triticale is one of the top forages to keep an eye on for additional tons of feed. Triticale is a wheat x rye hybrid.
Triticale can be planted in the fall after chopping corn and can be chopped in the spring before it heads out, in time to follow it with another crop of corn or seeding alfalfa. This rotation allows time for manure, lime and other management tactics.
Forage Sorghum or Sorghum X Sudan are other great options for feed. Soil temps need to be 60 degrees or higher to plant, as these genetics are bred in southern areas. They are not encouraged for baling because they can be hard to dry down but a great alternative for chopping. Forage Sorghums are a single cut forage where Sorghum X Sudans will grow back. They are harvested at 40 days or 40 inches, which ever comes first.
To learn more about these forage options, and how they can fit into a successful feed and cropping rotation, tune into the full podcast episode with Leta. It is important to loop in both feed and agronomy members when creating a well-rounded plan for your herd. Ceres Solutions is proud to be able to close the loop for their customers. Learn more at Ceres.Coop.