Growing Small Grains for Forage in Virginia

Cereal crops are used throughout the world for livestock feed. When they are managed properly they provide excellent grazing and high-quality silage or hay. It is important to remember that grazing should occur during the vegetative stage and silage or hay harvest should occur during flowering to early seed fill. Corn is one of the few annual crops that will provide quality forage after seed maturity. In fact, some ask why cereal crops are even considered for silage production given the high yields and high quality of corn. The following figure provides one answer to this question for Virginia where year-to-year variation in precipitation can have a huge impact on corn silage yield. Data presented is the yearly average corn silage yield for the commonwealth. Cereal Grains as Forages Cool-season cereal crops form the backbone of many farm enterprises in the United States, and Virginia is no exception. However, except for rye, Virginia producers make limited use of the tremendous forage potential provided by cereal crops. This publication provides an overview of the major cereals and how they can fit into a forage system.