By Aaron Berger
With limited water availability this summer for irrigators dependent on canal water, summer annual forages may provide an opportunity to grow cover crops on prevent plant acres that will likely have significant value as a forage resource due to drought conditions.
Summer annual grasses can produce about 1 ton of forage for every 2.5 to 3.5 inches of water available to the crop. Summer annuals such as pearl millet, sudangrass, sorghum, sorghum-sudangrass, Japanese millet, foxtail millet, proso millet, teff, and grain sorghum or milo are all options. Looking to include other species in the mix? Consider other broadleaf plants, such as brassicas, legumes and sunflowers.
When evaluating the annual forage to plant, begin with the end in mind. Is this to be grazed, hayed, or harvested for silage? Is a diversity of species desired? Soil health benefits? What is the intended use of the site for a crop in 2027? How might annual forages planted this year impact future crop production? Will the irrigation water be delivered through a pivot or by furrow?
For locations where stock water is available, grazing may be a good option to retain nutrients on the land by directly grazing the standing crop or by windrowing the crop at an optimal quality stage and then grazing the windrows through the fall and winter.
Source : unl.edu