Cereals for winter grazing on the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales

Abstract

In field experiments conducted over three years at Armidale, New South Wales, the total winter forage production by barley, oats, wheat and rye was similar. However, barley and rye tended to outyield wheat and oats at early harvests, the reverse applying at late harvests. It is suggested that these characteristics of the cereals could be exploited to meet specific seasonal requirements for dry matter production more effectively than is possible with a single species. Response to high seeding rates in forage production was similar in all cereals and was confined to a late sowing. Significant differences in in vitro digestibility over the winter period were recorded and differences were also apparent in subsequent grain yield.