Forage Production

Vocab

100

Vegetation fed to livestock.

Forage

200

Green plant material that has been cut and dried for use as livestock feed.

hay

300

silage that contains less than 50 percent moisture.

Haylage

400

Large, open areas of land.

Ranges

500

plants with life cycles of more than two years.

perennials

Forage Grasses

100

Pasture, hay, haylage, or silage, Very high palatability, Good winter hardiness, good drought tolerance, Rhizomatous growth habit; 20-40 inches tall, Does well in poorly drained, highly fertile soils  (pH 5.8 to 6.5), produces more regrowth than timothy, making it a better selection when one or more harvests can be pastured.

Smooth Bromegrass

200

Used for pasture and hay, high palability, poor winter hardiness, poor drought tolerance, bunchgrass, poorly drained soil, med/high fert., may be seeded alone or with legumes.

Perennial Ryegrass

300

Pasture, hay, haylage, Fast-recovering; intensive pasture programs, Low palatability, Good winter hardiness and drought tolerance, Rhizomatous grass; 24 - 72 inches tall, Poorly drained soil; med/high fertility (pH 5.8 - 8.2)

Reed

400

Pasture and hay, Mixed with alfalfa, red clover, trefoil, High palatability, Good winter hardiness and poor drought tolerance, bunchgrass; 20 - 40 inches tall, Poorly drained soil; med fertility (pH 5.4 - 6.2)

Timothy

500

Pasture and hay, Four cut system with alfalfa, Medium/high palatability, Fair winter hardiness and fair drought tolerance, Bunchgrass growth; 24 - 48 inches tall, Poorly drained soil; med fertility (pH 5.5 - 8.2)

Orchardgrass

Forage Legumes

100

Pasture and hay, High palatability, Good winter hardiness and fair drought tolerance, Grows 12 to 36 inches tall, Suited to poorly drained sites – medium fertility, pH 6.0 – 6.5

Alsike clover

200

Pasture, High palatability, Fair winter hardiness; poor drought tolerance, Grows 12 to 14 inches tall, Poorly drained fertile soil, pH 6.0 – 6.5

Landino Clover

300

Hay, silage, pasture, green manure, Very high palatability, Good winter hardiness and drought tolerance, Grows 15 to 36 inches tall, Best in fertile, well-drained soil, pH 6.6 - 7.2

Alfalfa

400

Pasture and hay, High palatability, Fair drought tolerance, Grows 2 to 34 inches tall, Somewhat poorly drained sites – low fertility, pH 5.5 – 6.2

Lespedeza

500

Pasture and hay, Very high palatability, Good winter hardiness; fair drought tolerance, Grows 15 to 44 inches tall, Somewhat poorly drained medium fertile soil, pH 6.0 – 6.8

Birdsfoot Trefoil

Vocab 2

100

improved or unimproved plant material on land areas where animals graze.

Pastures

200

chopped plant material that has been fermented

silage

300

upright or horizontal facilities that maintain the quality of the silage

Silos

400

plant materials refer to silage and haylage

Ensile

500

plants that typically have leaves with parallel veins and stems that are hollow or solid.

grasses

Misc.

100

Stems of the grass plants

culms

200

Above ground creeping stems

stolons

300

Leaves of the grass plant

blades

400

Pasture and hay, Medium palatability, Fair winter hardiness and fair drought tolerance, Growth habit – bunchgrass; 24 - 48 inches tall, Somewhat Poorly drained soil; medium fertility (pH 5.4 - 6.2), Long-lived

Tall Fescue

500

Pasture renovation, short term hay, High palatability, Good winter hardiness; fair drought tolerance, Grows 12 to 36 inches tall, Poorly drained medium fertile soil, pH 6.2 – 6.8

Red Clover