Ohio State University FactSheet

Department of Horticulture and Crop Science

2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, Ohio 43210-1044

Winter Rye for Extending the Grazing Season

AGF-026-00

David H. Samples
Extension Agent, Agriculture & Natural Resources ,Jackson County
R. Mark Sule
Associate Professor and Extension Forage Agronomist

Synopsis

Grazing rye and other winter annuals provides a high-quality forage alternative to traditional winter-feeding programs that rely heavily on stored forages. Rye varieties developed for high forage yield allow valuable grazing time in late fall and early winter and again in early spring. Rye pastures in combination with stockpiled perennial pastures can reduce reliance on high-cost stored feeds. The time of rye seeding, variety selection, site selection, and grazing management are critically important for successful implementation of this program. Use of winter rye is most appropriate for classes of livestock with high nutritional needs. Top-grazing rye in late fall and early winter and rotationally grazing in early spring offer the greatest advantages.

Introduction

Livestock farms in the Midwestern United States generally have excess available pasture for grazing three months of the year, moderate amounts for another five months, and a deficit the remaining four months. The available pasture deficit is usually overcome with the use of conserved (stored) feed, primarily in the form of hay; however, the cost associated with use of conserved feed usually comprises a substantial share of the total livestock-enterprise expense. Extending the grazing season can reduce reliance on costly stored forages and improve the profitability of livestock operations.

Winter rye is a cool-season, annual cereal grain that can be used to extend the grazing season. It can provide high-quality forage in late fall/early winter (about 80 days after seeding and again in the following spring). Rye is the most winter-hardy cereal crop and the first to break dormancy in the spring. Rye is easy to establish and is characterized as being the best cereal for absorbing unused soil nitrogen. This fact sheet outlines management practices to maximize the return from winter rye in extending the grazing season.

Site Selection

Selecting the right field is very important if you are planning to graze rye in late fall and again the following spring. Well-drained soils and good management are especially important when conventional tillage is used. Good drainage is important to allow good footing for grazing livestock during late fall and early spring, which are typically higher rainfall periods. It is also very important to consider the whole farm system when selecting sites. Planting rye in fields coming out of other annual crops provides a good opportunity for gaining additional grazing acreage. While rye may be established into sod and used as part of a pasture-renovation process, careful consideration must be given to the cost and the means for renovating or returning that acreage to productive forage production after the rye crop.

Rye grows best on fertile, light-loamy or sandy soils. Most rye varieties will be more productive than other small-grain species on heavy clay, poorly drained, or acidic soils (pH 5.0-6.0) that are generally low in fertility. But to achieve good production, maintain soil tests at or above the following levels: pH of 6.0, 25 ppm of phosphorus (Bray P1), and potassium at 75 ppm plus 2.5 times the CEC (cation exchange capacity). Yield reductions can be expected if soil tests fall below these levels. At these critical soil-test levels, fertilizer applications equal to crop removal of phosphorus and potasium will be needed to maintain yields. Nutrient removal for small grain forage ranges from 20-25 pounds of P₂O₅ and 75-90 pounds K₂O per ton of dry matter removed, depending on the growth stage when removal occurs. Nutrient removal will be approximately 20% of those values when the rye is grazed (80% of nutrients are returned in animal urine and manure). With good management and early seeding, rye can produce as much as 2.5-3 tons of dry matter per acre combined over the late fall and spring grazing periods. Thus, the highest maintenance fertilizer applications based on crop removal of grazed rye will range from 13-18 pounds of P₂O₅ per acre and 35-50 pounds of K₂O per acre.

Since rye is a tremendous scavenger of nitrogen (N), little, if any, fertilizer N will be needed on fields where high levels of fertility have been maintained. In fields where little or no N has been applied or where crop removal has depleted soil N levels, application rates of 40-50 pounds of actual N per acre will stimulate growth and produce desirable yields.

Variety Selection

In recent years, plant breeders have developed rye varieties with greater forage-production potential. Replicated trials in Jackson County, Ohio, demonstrated significant differences in forage yield among rye varieties (Table 1). Some varieties produced more fall growth while others produced more spring growth relative to other varieties (Figs. 1 and 2). Therefore, variety selection can be used as a tool to help match forage production to when it is most needed. In the Ohio trials the varieties with the greatest fall growth were Pastar, Wheeler, Oklon, Winter King, and Aroostook. The varieties Elbon, Aroostook, Oklon, and Winter King had the most early-spring growth. Although there were some differences among varieties in crude-protein (CP) and neutral-detergent-fiber (NDF) content, all varieties produced high-quality forage in December and when harvested in a timely manner in late March. The May 1996 harvest demonstrates how forage quality declines with the rapid onset of maturity when rye is not harvested or grazed in a timely manner in the spring. (Table1.)

Figure 1. Comparison of late-fall (December 14) and early-spring (March 31) yields of winter rye, wheat, and tritical varieties planted September 23, 1994, in Jackson County, Ohio.

Figure 1. Winter rye varieties differ in the amount of late fall growth availible for grazing in Jackson County, Ohio.

Of the varieties included in two or more trials, Aroostook, Winter King, and Pastar performed above average. Aroostook was developed in the New England area, Winter King in Kentucky, and Pastar in South Dakota. Elbon, Oklon, and Maton were developed at the Noble Foundation in Oklahoma and are a part of their seed stocks and are available on a limited basis. All varieties tested have the capability of producing high yields of excellent-quality forage. Since availability of seed varies, locate and secure seed well in advance of the planned seeding date.

Establishment Methods

Rye can be established by drilling into conventionally tilled fields or with minimum tillage following corn, tobacco, or other crops. With adequate moisture, rye can be no-tilled into existing sod, although this can be risky during hot and dry periods. When no-tilling into sod, burn-down existing vegetation with recommended rates of Gromoxone Extra or Roundup. Direct drilling will give the best stand establishment, but in emergency situations rye can be overseeded by air before leaf drop in soybeans or prior to corn being harvested for grain. Broadcast seeding, alone or with fertilizer, following the removal of summer annual crops may also be successful.

In all seeding situations, there must be some coverage of the seed to provide protection and good seed to soil contact. This can be accomplished with a drill, or with shallow disking or dragging when seed is broadcast. When overseeding into standing row crops, the leaf litter normally fulfills this requirement for seed coverage. Attention must be given to potential herbicide carryover or recrop restrictions from previous herbicide applications to the field. For more information refer to the current Weed Control Guide for Ohio Field Crops, (Bulletin 789) and current herbicide labels. Rye demonstrates tolerance to the triazine herbicides.

Seeding Rates

Recommended seeding rates vary depending on establishment method. Drilling into tilled soil will require 60-110 pounds of seed per acre. When no-tilling into an existing sod, rates should range between 90-120 pounds per acre. When broadcasting or seeding by air, rates as high as 150 pounds per acre may be needed for a suitable stand.

Seeding Dates

Seeding date will have a major impact on when rye can be grazed. If the goal is to graze in late fall or early winter, seeding should be completed by late August or early September in Northern Ohio, and by mid-September in Southern Ohio. Rye seeded in late September in Southern Ohio yielded 2,000 pounds of dry matter per acre or more when harvested 80 days later (Table 1). Seeding can be delayed if fall grazing is not needed or is not possible due to poor soil drainage or other conditions. In general, seeding should be completed by October 15 in Northern Ohio and by October 20 in Southern Ohio.

Rye in the Grazing Program

Rye can be fall grazed when growth is sufficient to support livestock. Fall growth can be limited by dry and cold conditions. With good moisture, rye will grow until air temperature drops to 39°F. In late fall, begin grazing when 6 inches of growth is available. Remove livestock when 3-4 inches of growth remain, to maintain sufficient leaf area for continued growth and recovery. In a wet fall, grazing on poorly drained soils can result in crown damage, stand loss, and reduced spring growth. Managed rotational grazing is important for maintaining a healthy stand into late winter and early spring. Rotational or strip grazing will also greatly improve utilization efficiency of the available rye forage.

Spring grazing can be a challenge depending on the site, soil conditions, and the weather. Rye is probably not utilized well once cool-season grass growth begins with warming temperatures. But rye is the earliest of the small grains to break dormancy and thus allows very early spring grazing before cool-season pasture grasses have significant growth. Normally it is fairly wet at that time, and problems can develop with livestock cutting up the field. A rotational grazing system should be developed so livestock are not on the rye paddock for an extended period of time–this will allow several rotations of livestock through the paddocks during the spring. Stocking density must be aggressive in the spring to prevent the rapidly growing rye and other cereals from becoming overly mature.

Along with the high yield potential and early-spring grazing that winter rye can offer, producers need to consider the forage quality characteristics of rye. High-quality grasses have >18% crude protein (CP), < 35% acid detergent fiber (ADF), and < 55% neutral detergent fiber (NDF). The ADF and NDF values are indicators of the digestibility and the potential intake of the forage. In Ohio studies, CP levels of rye were as high as 34%, ADF values as low as 17%, and NDF values as low as 28%. When rye is grazed in the vegetative stage, it is highly digestible and intake is not limited, making it more suitable for livestock with high nutritional needs. Supplementing rye pastures with forages having higher levels of fiber (either harvested or standing) may be desirable to slow the rate of passage through the gut and improve nitrogen utilization by the animal.

Lab analysis of forage samples from Ohio studies indicated that the mineral content was within acceptable limits. However, when grazing lactating cows on lush rye forage, precautions should be taken to prevent the occurrence of grass tetany because of a high potassium-to-magnesium ratio in the forage. The level of magnesium in rye forage is not high enough to be absorbed at the necessary level and must be supplemented. Base the supplementation on lab analysis of the grazed forage.

In a rye-grazing demonstration conducted at the Southern Branch OARDC at Ripley in Southern Ohio, 25 beef steers (average weight 723 pounds) rotationally grazed 10 acres of stockpiled winter rye/fescue pasture for 46 days beginning on March 22. The calves had an average daily gain of 1.26 pounds the previous 40 days on stockpiled tall fescue, supplemented with six pounds of grain per head per day. The average daily gain for all steers on the winter rye/fescue pasture was 2.43 pounds per head with a range of 1.39 pounds to 3.48 pounds per head per day. The average exit weight of the steers was 859 pounds with a range of 732-972 pounds. Although this was not a replicated study, producers have observed similar results with feeder cattle, feeder lambs, or other animals having high nutritional requirements when winter-rye grazing was part of their forage program.

A second demonstration was conducted at the EORDC at Belle Valley in Eastern Ohio. The cereal rye variety Aroostook was established on September 10 by broadcasting 112 pounds of seed on one acre onto disked soil. The field was then cultipacked. When the rye emerged, nitrogen was applied at 50 pounds per acre as ammonium nitrate. Seventy-four days later, 22 crossbred ewe lambs were introduced to the rye and were rotationally grazed for 30 days. The rye strips were constructed with three strands of poly-tape electric fence and step-in posts. The following spring, rye growth was again grazed May 1-3 with 40 head of heifers, average weight 896 lbs. These heifers were provided free access to the entire paddock. In the fall, the ewes consumed 1,980 lbs. of dry matter per acre. In the spring, the heifers consumed 2,670 lbs. of dry matter per acre. The cost per ton of dry matter consumed was $38.70 (not including fencing and labor).

Bibliography

Managing Cover Crops Profitably. Sustainable Agriculture Network, Handbook Series Book 3, Second Edition.

Ohio Agronomy Guide. Ohio State University Extension Bulletin 473, 13th Edition.

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the following individuals for their contributions in helping expand our knowledge and experience of rye grazing in Ohio: Milt Call and Bob Spurlock for providing sites for the rye variety trials in Jackson County; Gene Balthaser and staff at Jackson Branch OARDC for help with plot establishment; John Grimes (Highland County Ohio State University Extension), Phil Dotson, and staff for the information from the rye grazing demonstration at Southern Branch OARDC; and Clif Little (Guernsey County Ohio State University Extension), Wayne Shriver, and staff for information from the rye grazing trial at EORDC. The authors also thank Dr. Dave Barker and Dr. Jim Beuerlein, (Horticulture & Crop Science, OSU) for reviewing the manuscript and providing helpful suggestions.