LUARS Research 2023 – Results from Forage Experiments
Dr. Tarlok Singh Sahota CCA
This note summarizes research on forage crops at LUARS (https://www.lakeheadu.ca/centre/luars)
Thunder Bay. The note doesn’t include results only from this year, but also from the previous years,
if the experiments were conducted for more than one or two years. I am sure the farmers will find the
note useful.
Spring Barley Varieties for Forage Production:
Eighteen varieties were evaluated for forage production.
Highest forage dry matter yield was registered by CH1209-1 (15.4 MT/ha; 8.8 % protein).
Next two best yielding varieties were Boroe (13.0 MT/ha; 8.5 % protein) and AB Cattelac
(12.5 MT/ha; 12.5 % protein). Amberly, last year’s top yielding variety, yielded 11.5 MT/ha
(with highest protein content – 13.8 %) this year.
AB Hague (12.9 % protein) and AB Wrangler (12.4 % protein) were the next best varieties to
Amberly in the protein content (13.8 %).
Averaged over 2021-2023, Amberly/Oceanik (10.16 MT/ha), Boroe (9.87 MT/ha) and AB
Tofield (9.81 MT/ha) were the four top forage producing varieties.
Averaged over 2021-2023, AB Hague (12.5 %), AB Tofield (11.5 %) and AB Advantage (11.4
%) were top ranking varieties for protein content.
RFV was highest in Esma (151) followed closely by Oceanik (147) and Amberly (146).
Averaged over 2021-2023, Oceanik had the highest RFV (155). Two next best varieties in
RFV were Chambly (134) and AB Wrangler (133).
Considering the dry matter yield, Amberly, Oceanik, Boroe and AB Tofield (6 row barley; a
dual purpose grain and forage variety) can be recommended for forage production! AB
Tofield seed can be obtained from SeCan.
Malting Barley Varieties for Forage Production:
Fifteen varieties were evaluated for forage production.
Highest forage dry matter yield (12.6 MT/ha) was obtained with CDC Fraser/and CDC
Copper followed closely by CDC Kindersley (12.0 MT/ha) and CDC Copeland (11.94
MT/ha).
Averaged over 2021-2023, CDC Copper (11.45 MT/ha) and Torbellino (10.41 MT/ha)
produced the highest forage dry matter yields. Dry matter yield from CDC Fraser yield
(10.18 MT/ha) was more or less the same as that from Torbellino.
Butta 12 (13.4 %), AAC Goldman (12.6 %) and CDC Kindersley/KWS Kellie (11.8/11.7 %)
had higher protein content than the other varieties (8.3 % to 10.9 %).
Averaged over 2021-2023, AAC Goldman (11.3 %), CDC Fraser (10.8 %) and CDC Bow
(10.4 %) had higher protein content than the other varieties (9.2 % in AAC Synergy to 10.3 %
in TR14617 and CDC Copper).
UC Capay had the highest RFV (171) followed by UC Tahoe (147).
Averaged over 2021-2023, Torbellino had the highest RFV (149) followed by CDC Copper
(133)
Considering the dry matter yield and RFV over three years, CDC Copper can be
recommended for forage production! CDC Copper is a dual-purpose variety (grain and
forage production) and its seed can be procured from FP Genetics.
Evaluation of Urea, ESN, Urea SuperU, Their Blends, and Urea Treated with Anvol for forage
production of winter wheat:
Forage dry matter yield of winter wheat without N application was 16.7 MT/ha.
ESN @ 120 kg N/ha produced the highest forage dry matter yield of winter wheat (22.2
MT/ha; 5.5 MT/ha higher than in No N check), followed by urea @ 90 kg N/ha + urea
superU @ 30 kg N/ha (21.4 MT/ha). Dry matter yield with urea @ 120 kg N/ha was 19.8
MT/ha.
The treatments that gave higher protein content than all other treatments were, urea superU
@ 120 kg N/ha (8.9 %), urea treated with Anvol @ 120 kg N/ha (8.8 %), urea @ 120 kg N/ha
(8.3 %), and urea @ 60 kg N/ha + ESN 60 kg N/ha (8.2 %).
RFV was highest with urea @ 60 kg N/ha + ESN 60 kg N/ha (128), and urea treated with
Anvol @ 120 kg N/ha (127). Next best treatment for high RFV was urea @ 160 kg N/ha
(121).
Alfalfa Varieties (Seeded in 2020): Two cuts were taken!
Two western alfalfa varieties (Revolution MD and Response WT) were compared with two
Atlantic Canadian varieties (AAC Trueman and Elite); WL319HQ (RR alfalfa) was a check
variety.
Response WT (8,508 kg/ha), Elite (8,406 kg/ha) and Revolution MD (8,319 kg/ha) gave
around 1 MT/ha higher dry matter yield than AAC Trueman (7,367 kg/ha) and Roundup
Ready WL319HQ (7,337 kg/ha). However, the yield differences between the varieties were
non significant.
Averaged over three years (2021-2023), Response WT produced the highest (7,632 kg/ha) and
AAC Trueman the lowest (6,789 kg/ha) dry matter yield. Plant/stem count over the years in
AAC Trueman had come down, which probably resulted in its lower yield.
In the first cut, Elite recorded the highest (21.4 %) and AAC Trueman (18.0 %) the lowest
protein content. Protein content in Response WT, the highest yielding variety, was 18.3 %.
In the second cut, Response WT (22.5 %)/and AAC Trueman (22.4 %) had the highest and
Revolution MD had the lowest (20.9 %) protein content.
RFV was highest in Elite (128) in the first cut and highest in AAC Trueman (140) in the
second cut, followed closely by Response WT (137). Higher RFV could mean higher milk
yield.
Third cut was also taken this year. Yield trend with the three cuts was the same as that with
the two cuts.
Considering the dry matter yield, protein content and RFV, Response WT, Elite and AAC
Trueman can be recommended for cultivation on farms.
Alfalfa Varieties (Seeded in 2021): Two cuts were taken!
Six alfalfa varieties were compared for their forage yield and quality.
Revolution MD gave the highest (6,867 kg/ha) and Evermost (5,615 kg/ha) the lowest dry
matter yield.
Protein content in the first cut ranged from 16.9 % in Dynasty to 21.3 % in SW 4107.
Second cut protein content didn’t vary much with the varieties (22.2 % in SW 4107 to 23.3 %
in Shockwave BR).
Evermost had the highest RFV (122) in the first cut and Revolution MD/and SW 4107 had the
highest RFV (134) in the second cut.
Averaged over 2022 and 2023, Revolution MD gave the highest dry matter yield (5,421
kg/ha), followed by SW 4107 (5,199 kg/ha) and Shockwave BR (5,028 kg/ha).
Alfalfa Row Spacing and Rates of Sulphur (S) Application (Seeded in 2020):
Pre seeding S test in this experiment was 8 ppm S.
Seed rate was kept the same with all the row spacing treatments. In the previous years,
highest alfalfa dry matter yield (4,982 kg/ha) from two cuts was obtained with missing one
row after every two rows and application of S @ 36 kg/ha. This year, regular seeding at 15
cm spacing (8,877 kg/ha) or missing alternate rows (8,710 kg/ha) with S @ 36 kg/ha gave the
highest dry matter yield.
Averaged over rates of S application, dry matter yield didn’t vary significantly (7,756 to
8,241 kg/ha) with the row spacing/geometry, though missing alternate rows produced the
highest dry matter yield (8,241 kg/ha) numerically.
Averaged over rates of S application and years, dry matter yields from regular seedings at 15
cm, missing alternate rows and missing one row after every two rows were similar; 6,291,
6,053 and 6,284 kg/ha, respectively.
Averaged over row spacings/geometry, application of S @ 36 kg/ha recorded the highest dry
matter yield (8,528 kg/ha), which was significantly higher than the yield at 24 kg S/ha
(~7,700 kg/ha). The trend was similar when the yields were averaged over row
spacings/geometry and years; 6,589 kg/ha at 36 kg S/ha and 6,006 kg/ha at 24 kg/ha. Clearly
alfalfa needs 36 kg S/ha.
Averaged over S rates and years, missing one row after every two rows had a little bit higher
protein content in the first cut (19.5 %) as compared to the other treatments (19.1 or 19.3 %).
The second cut protein content (21.3 to 21.5 %) varied little with the treatments.
Averaged over row spacings/geometry and years, 24 kg S/ha improved the protein content in
the first cut by ~2 % points. However, increasing S rate above 24 kg S/ha didn’t improve the
protein content further. In the second cut, application of S @ 24 to 48 kg S/ha didn’t increase
the protein content over the check (no S treatment).
RFV was the highest in both the cuts with application of S @ 24 kg/ha.
Making all considerations, alfalfa could be seeded at regular row spacings or by missing
alternate rows or preferably by missing one row after every two rows (that gave better yield
in 2 out of 3 years) and should be supplied with 36 kg S/ha.
Comparative Performance of Alfalfa and Galega (Seeded in 2011): Two cuts were taken!
Galega gave 670 – 1,240 kg/ha higher dry matter yield than alfalfa, which was more grass
than alfalfa. Alfalfa stand had become scanty over the years.
Averaged over 2012 to 2023, Galega (6,690 kg/ha/year) produced higher dry matter yield
than alfalfa (6,135 kg/ha/year).
Galega had 2.6 % point higher protein content in the first cut and 1.7 % point higher protein
content in the second cut as compared to alfalfa.
RFV was a bit higher in alfalfa (132) than in Galega (127) in the first cut, whereas in the
second cut RFV was more or less the same in alfalfa (136) and Galega (135).
Higher yield and higher protein content in Galega than in alfalfa, could make Galega a
better fodder choice than alfalfa!
Alternate Forage Legumes (Seeded in 2020): Two cuts were taken!
Galega, sainfoin, alfalfa and red clover were compared for their production potential and
forage quality. Sainfoin and Red Clover didn’t survive after 2021.
Dry matter yields from Galega, alfalfa and Trefoil were 5,946, 9,025 and 6,997 kg/ha.
In the first cut, Galega had 3.8 % point higher protein content than alfalfa and Trefoil had 2.5
% point higher protein content than alfalfa.
Second cut protein content was in the order of Trefoil (22.6 %) > Galega (22.0) > alfalfa
(19.9 %).
RFV in the first cut (162) as well as in the 2 nd cut (148) was the highest in Trefoil.
Corn Silage Varieties:
Thirteen silage corn varieties were evaluated for their forage production potential.
DKC30-07RIB (14.6 MT/ha), MS 6902 R (14.3 MT/ha) and DKC29-89RIB (13.7 MT/ha)
recorded higher dry matter yield than the other varieties (10.5 – 13.1 MT/ha).
Protein content was relatively low and ranged from 6.5 % in MS 7420R to 7.8 % in
P7417AM. MS 6902 R which gave high yield had 7.7 % protein content. Protein content in
DKC30-07RIB was 7.0 %.
DKC29-89RIB (212) and P7211AM (208) had considerably higher RFV than the other
varieties (112 – 178).
Based on two years (2021 and 2023) averages, DKC26-40RIB (18.5 MT/ha), DKC29-89RIB
(18.4 MT/ha) and DKC30-07RIB (18.0 MT/ha) gave significantly higher dry matter yield
than the other varieties.
Considering the yield from the two years, DKC26-40RIB, DKC29-89RIB and DKC30-07RIB
could be recommended for cultivation on farms!
Sorghum Sudangrass Varieties:
Four Sorghum Sudangrass varieties were tested for their production potential.
SS2 BMR registered the highest dry matter yield (10.8 MT/ha) followed by 9.4 MT/ha by
Pacific Grage Brand Hybrid. Dry matter yield in the two other varieties were 8.8 MT/ha in
BMR and 8.7 MT/ha in Summer Select. However, the yield differences between the four
varieties were not significant.
In the first cut, BMR recorded the highest (19.2 %) and Pacific Grage Brand Hybrid the
lowest (14.8 %) protein content.
In the second cut, SS2 BMR had the highest (20.9 %) and BMR had the lowest (16.5 %)
protein content.
In the first cut, RFV was the highest (147) in BMR, whereas SS2 BMR had the highest (123)
RFV in the second cut. We need to repeat the experiment for two more years to make any
recommendation.
Union Forage (Seeded in 2021): Two cuts were taken!
Twelve treatments involving forage legumes alone or blends of legumes/and grasses were
evaluated for forage production and feed quality.
Dry matter yield from two cuts ranged from 3,583 kg/ha with grasses blend (50% Timothy,
42.5% Brome Grass, 7.5% Orchard Grass) to 6,394 kg/ha with legumes blend (75% Grazing
Alfalfa, 25% AAC Sainfoin) – same trend as last year. Two next best treatments, with legumes
blends, were Grazing Alfalfa alone (5,612 kg/ha) and NirtoMaster – SA + Barricade (5,354
kg/ha).
AC Langille Trefoil had the highest protein content in the first (22.8 %) as well as in the
second cut (23.8 %). Two other treatments that had reasonably good protein content in the
first cut were Grazing Alfalfa alone (19.4 %) and 75% Grazing Alfalfa + 25% AAC Sainfoin
(19.2 %). In the second cut, 75% Grazing Alfalfa + 25% AAC Sainfoin (22.3 %) and
NitroMaster – V + Barricade (22.2 %) were the next best in the protein content.
RFV was the highest (137) in AC Langille Trefoil in the first cut, whereas in the second cut
RFV was 1 point higher in AC Bruce Trefoil (166) than in AC Langille Trefoil (165).
Averaged over 2022 and 2023, 75% Grazing Alfalfa + 25% AAC Sainfoin produced the
highest dry matter yield (5,106 kg/ha).
Combined cultivation of alfalfa and sainfoin could therefore be recommended!
Please feel free to contact me at tssahota@lakeheadu.ca/or at 807-707-1987 if you have any questions.
