Many fields of small grains are harvested for forage including winter wheat, cereal rye, triticale and oats. They may be harvested as hay or silage.

Often, we wait too long to harvest resulting in poor quality forage. Harvesting in the boot stage results in crude protein about 18%. However, if you delay harvest until the dough stage, crude protein will drop to 10%.

Early harvest before small grains matures, results in high forage quality and energy.  Growers often want to delay harvest as forages will yield more, however, the quality is poor as small grains become like straw. Also, by early harvest, a second crop may be planted giving more time it to grow and mature, such as soybeans.

For more information, contact Wayne Flanary, Field Specialist in Agronomy, University of Missouri Extension at 816-279-1691.