Fall dry matter yield and nutritive value of winter rye, whea and triticale cultivars in Wisconsin

Although grazing vegetative winter annual cereals is common throughout the Southern Plains, it generally has not been considered in the northern United States. This research aimed to evaluate the fall forage yield and nutritive value of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), rye (Secale cereale L.), and triticale [x Triticosecale Wittm. ex A. Camus (Secale x Triticum)], cultivars in central Wisconsin. The trial was conducted over 3 yr in a randomized complete block design. Plots were established on 15 Aug. 2017, 13 Aug. 2018, and 1 Aug. 2019. Treatments consisted of a factorial arrangement of three winter cereal species (rye, triticale and wheat) and four targeted fall harvest dates (15 October, 1 November, 15 November, and 1 December). Fall yields ranged from 1,819 to 1,994, 465 to 957, and 1,144 to 1,357 lb dry matter (DM) acre(-1) across species during 2017, 2018, and 2019, respectively, but consistent advantages for any species were difficult to discern. There was little evidence that fall yields were improved by delaying the harvest date beyond 15 October. Although the nutritive value of winter cereals was excellent, variations in net energy of lactation (NEL) were positively correlated with water-soluble carbohydrates for 2018 (r = 0.57) and 2019 (r = 0.46). Whole-plant ash was negatively associated with NEL, yielding significant correlations for 2017 (r = -0.97), 2018 (r = -0.88), and 2019 (r = -0.66). Spring yields of cereal rye were reduced compared with other species in 2019 and 2020 but no differences were detected in 2018.