Trial Site: Fairview Research Farm
Research Coordinator: Dr. Akim Omokanye
From: Peace Country Beef & Forage Association 2017 Annual Report
Triticale has the potential to introduce valuable economic benefits to forage production systems. Triticale is a very important alternative forage crop to increase cultivated forage crop areas, due to its great adaptation capacity. Triticale can be used for silage and swath grazing, and can be included in cocktail mixtures for beef cattle production. Earlier studies by McCartney & Vaage at AgCanada showed that a silage yield advantage of around 10% over barley and oats under dryland conditions could make triticale an excellent choice for livestock producers. Triticale also does well under stress, showing good yields in marginal lands, or in drought conditions. Several years of studies by PCBFA & SARDA in parts of the Peace Country have shown that triticale generally ranks between barley and oats for silage quality. In studies comparing to a general purpose or feed wheat or barley, triticale showed superior yields. In addition to the report presented here, results from this site and other parts of the province will also be reported in the Alberta Seed Guide (www.seed.ab.ca).
Objective
The objective of the present study was to determine forage yield and quality of different triticale cultivars for beef cattle production.
Methods
Project Site: Fairview Research Farm (NW5-82-3W6) on RR #35, MD of Fairview.
Previous crop: Alfalfa for over 10 years before spraying out in 2016 (chemical fallow)
Site soil information (0-6” depth): Soil tests done at Exova laboratory (Edmonton) prior to seeding showed pH = 5.8 and soil organic matter = 7.0 %.
The field was cultivated (disked and harrowed) before seeding.