If you are looking to establish a new hay crop or pasture, a Purdue Extension expert encouraged you to take the time needed to research and evaluate the attributes of the forage variety before you make that investment.
Dr. Keith Johnson, Purdue Forage Specialist, recently authored an article that began with a story of his frustration with selecting beans from multiple shelves of options at the grocery store, where he ultimately made a snap decision. Then, he said, “I hope you take more time evaluating what forage species and variety of that species should be purchased than the time taken to buy a vegetable at the grocery store.”
“I perceive that way too often a person walks into a farm store and purchases an inferior forage variety because they don’t start the evaluation process soon enough and the top varieties have already been sold, they are novices and don’t realize that there are variety choices within a forage species, or the farm store employee is not a forage seed expert and is not fully informed on the differences among species and varieties,” he said.
Johnson encouraged producers to order seed at least a month before the expected planting date. “Do not wait until the week or day before seeding to start the process,” he said.
“The most important thing I can convey today about forage species/variety selection is to seek the help and advice of a seed company employee, consultant, or educator that has a passion for forages and has an understanding of forage agriculture,” he said.
Johnson said that these considerations should be made when selecting a forage variety:
Seed source – Select a seed company that has personnel that understands the product they have to sell and can give specific information about forage species and species within a variety.
Named variety – Select a named variety and not one with “Variety Not Stated” or “VNS” on the seed tag. The genetic attributes of unnamed varieties are not known.
Yield – See if yield data is available for performance comparisons among varieties. Put more trust in true yield differences among varieties when statistical analysis has been done and are part of the data tables.
Seed Quality – Be aware of germination and purity of the seed before it is purchased. Low germination, high hard seed count in legumes, and low purity seed are not desired. Note whether there are weed seed and other crop seed with the desired forage seed species. The following link provides useful information about reading seed tags. https://extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/AY/AY-375-W.pdf.
Forage Quality – Less likely to be found than yield data, but consider selecting a sorghum-sudangrass or pearl millet with the brown midrib trait for improved digestibility when used as a summer-time crop. Less lignin alfalfa varieties are now available, too.
Resistance – Diseases that are problematic in your area should be considered when selecting varieties. Genetic resistance to diseases is an important step in reducing yield and forage quality losses, and improving persistence of the forage. Potato leafhopper resistant alfalfa varieties are available to lessen damage caused by this sap-sucking insect. Orchardgrass leaf diseases can be reduced by selecting varieties with high resistance.
Persistence – Perennial forage varieties that are economically sustainable through many seasons are preferred to short-lived ones.
“Excellent management skills are necessary to exploit the value of improved varieties,” he said. “Use ‘Best Management Practices’ as it relates to soil fertility, seeding date, seeding rate, harvest date, grazing intensity, and scouting to get the most from purchased varieties.”
For more information, find a publication authored by Johnson and others entitled, “Forage Selection and Seeding Guide for Indiana,” at www.edustore.purdue.edu. Find Johnson’s original July 26, 2024 article at https://extension.entm.purdue.edu/newsletters/pestandcrop/.