Cover crops can provide valuable livestock forage as well as soil cover, but success begins with a specific goal. Alberta producer and forage adviser Graeme Finn recommends deciding whether the priority is summer grazing, winter feed, a relay crop after silage or simply keeping a living root in the soil longer.
Start simple and local
Finn’s experience is a warning against expensive, overly complicated seed mixes. Species that perform well in another country or climate may disappoint during a short Prairie growing season. New users can reduce risk by starting with a few acres, choosing familiar species and learning from producers working in the same district.
Triticale, oats, peas, forage rape, turnips, sorghum, millet and sunflowers can all have a role, but competition within a mix matters. Some warm-season grasses need to be the dominant component if they are expected to produce meaningful forage. Drought outlook, soil moisture, seed cost and the next cash crop should guide the choice.
The value is measured in grazing days
A successful annual forage can lower the cost of carrying cattle by extending grazing and reducing harvested feed. Livestock return manure and nutrients to the field, while plants protect soil and keep roots active. Under irrigation, a second crop after silage can create several additional months of grazing.
Cover crops are not automatically better than a productive perennial pasture. Finn notes that a well-chosen perennial stand may last a decade or more and can be the stronger investment in some situations.
The practical message is to work backwards from the livestock need. Estimate the grazing window, feed value, establishment cost and risk of poor moisture. Then choose the simplest crop or mix capable of meeting that goal.
Read Heather Smith Thomas’s full report in The Western Producer.