Cultivation of perennial grasses for fodder purposes. What is the secret of magical herbs

Practice has proven the feasibility of mixed legume-cereal crops. Due to the expansion of the botanical composition of grasses, which affects the nutritional and palatability of the feed, a higher yield of grasses and hay is also obtained than from crops of pure single-species grasses.

Mixed grass fields tend to be less weed-infested and more tolerant of adverse weather conditions. Grass mixtures can be double when they consist of one legume and one cereal grass.

But it is more expedient and more efficient to sow from a triple mixture - from two cereal grasses and one legume, and vice versa.

In the forest-meadow zone, red clover is often sown in a mixture with timothy grass or meadow fescue. Legume-grass mixtures allow you to get consistently high yields for 2-3 years. On well-cultivated fertilized soils, a triple grass mixture is sown, which may consist of clover, alfalfa and timothy. In this case, no matter what summer it is in a given year, a high harvest is guaranteed.

For the steppe zones, grass mixtures of alfalfa, sainfoin and one of the cereals, or from a triple mixture of alfalfa with wheatgrass and awnless fire, are most appropriate. As already mentioned, seeds of the best landraces and breeding varieties should be used for sowing perennial grasses.

Perennial grasses are sown under the cover of spring crops. When sowing grass mixtures for winter crops, it is better to sow perennial cereal grasses in autumn in the first days of winter crops sowing. Leguminous grasses for winter are sown in the spring at the earliest and shortest possible time in a scattered way on frozen ground, immediately after the snow has melted.

perennial herbs for spring grain crops, they are sown at the same time at the earliest possible date within 3-5 days. With late sowing, unfriendly shoots are obtained. In the steppe zones, alfalfa is sown both in pure form and in a mixture without cover in spring or early summer with mandatory pre-cultivation. In steppe zones with sufficient moisture, sainfoin and alfalfa are sown under the cover of spring wheat or barley.

Experts consider the best method of undercover sowing of perennial grasses to be the method of hitching two seeders, the front of which sows a grain crop, and the second, in the aisle of the first, grass seeds. This method provides a better state of the quality of the herbage.

Seeds are sown to a depth of 1-2 cm on heavy soils and 2-3 cm on light and loose soils. In arid zones, with rapid drying of the soil surface, grass seeds are deepened to 4-5 cm. When sowing seeds of a cover crop and grasses with one seeder from one coulter, sowing is carried out very early with a embedding depth of no deeper than 3-4 cm.

In the year of sowing, grasses grow slowly, so after harvesting cover crops, grasses are fed with phosphorus and potash fertilizers. 2 quintals of superphosphate and 1 quintals of potash fertilizers are applied per 1 hectare. In the early spring of the following year, grass crops are harrowed. For better care behind the grass crops, the cover crop is mowed at a height of 15-20 cm, which will ensure better snow retention in the coming winter. It is undesirable to graze cattle on the harvested stubble of a grass field because of the possible disturbance of the root system of grasses.

perennial herbs hay is harvested in the budding phase and the beginning of flowering of legumes or in the heading phase and the beginning of flowering of cereal grasses. After each mowing, for a better regrowth of the aftermath, top dressing is immediately carried out with phosphates and potash fertilizers on the legume herbage, and on the cereal - nitrogen, after which the field is harrowed. A good effect on the condition of the grasses will have subsequent watering. The last mowing of the grasses in the year is carried out at such a time that they have time to grow before winter and get stronger for overwintering.

Own forage base for a small farm is an economically profitable thing: all experts say that buying hay “on the side” is unprofitable, and you never know the characteristics of the feed, its composition and drying quality. Each farm must develop own way efficient cultivation of perennial grasses. We were puzzled by this question.

In Russia, there are practically no problems with the quality and quantity of fertile land, so the peasants, and today farmers, historically grew grass for fodder on their own. True, this technologically complex process, under the influence of an acute crisis in the industry in the 90s of the XX century, was actually crushed and forgotten. In Yuryevsky, the only farm in the Pervomaisky district, where sheep breeding is professionally developed, the technology for creating highly productive long-term grasses in the field has been restored.

The work went on for several years, because a small farm does not have extensive material and technical resources and a whole team of people dealing exclusively with hay. But even in such conditions it is possible to do a lot.

Soil preparation

So, it all started with a field where reclamation work was carried out in 2013-2015, and then sowing and incorporation of plants that enriched the soil with organic matter and nutrition. They are called green manure in a professional language, noting that such herbs are an excellent substitute for manure.

Field view

Next, we started pre-sowing preparations in the early spring of 2016. Harrowing took place in two tracks (that is, each pass of the machine - the AT2,7R disc cutter - was carried out at a different angle in order to level the field relief). Harrowing should be planned as the soil ripens, approximately in the third decade of April, in order to preserve the moisture reserves in the ground, to destroy the seedlings of weeds and shrubs. After these works, the surface is planned with a long-base planner. As a planner, we set in motion a hitch of heavy tooth harrows. Finally, in the second decade of May, the soil was fertilized with nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium fertilizer grade 15:15:1:15. The NO 14/6 spreader helped to cope with the task.

Primary sowing

Perennial grasses cannot be sown immediately on a prepared site: it will be difficult for them to germinate and gain strength due to weeds. Therefore, a cover crop is first sown to protect the seeds from the negative effects of the environment.

We sowed treated seeds - a mixture of annuals from the following calculation: vetch - 0.70 c / ha + oats - 1.05 c / ha. We used a pneumatic seeder SPU-4D. The cover crop kept the weeds from growing wild and also served as good fresh fodder for the sheep. Excess grass went to compost.

Sowing perennials

Growth period of perennial grass under cover crop

On May 1-3, it's time to sow future perennial grasses. The zoned seeds of higher reproductions were selected from the following calculation: red clover (Smolensky 29) 8 kg/ha + alfalfa (Nakhodka) 10 kg/ha + meadow timothy grass (Leningradskaya 204 and Pskov local 50 to 50) 4 kg/ha + meadow fescue (Shokinskaya ) 8 kg/ha. Pneumatic seeder, the same that worked on the sowing of annuals, was sown at an angle of 90 degrees with respect to rows of cover grasses. That is, annuals were sown across, and perennials were sown along.

Cover crop harvest

Perennial grasses under not yet cut cover

Annual grasses should be harvested approximately 60 days after germination to brighten the perennials and not interfere with their intensive development. If the cover is removed early and the weather is favorable, forage grass crops will grow back quickly. Overgrown grasses should be mowed at the level of the remnants of the cover (stubble) no later than 30 days before the cessation of their growth and development. This should be done around the end of August-mid-September.

Field view after cover crop harvest

If the deadlines are missed, the grasses will have to be harvested in the third decade of October, after the cessation of seasonal development and growth. Moreover, if you get to work earlier, at the end of September-beginning of October, the grass will use up reserve nutrients for growth, but will not have time to accumulate them for a successful wintering. To mow down perennials means to ensure a good wintering, to avoid the decay of plants, and to reduce the likelihood of disease damage.

Our first experience turned out to be difficult, although in terms of manufacturability they worked well. The weather was not good, there were not enough people and equipment, the time of harvesting the cover crop coincided with the time of intensive haymaking. Therefore, cover grasses were removed out of time, and in order to competently grow perennial grasses, it is worth listening to the instructions above. We still hope for the planned result - next year we will get a powerful herbage from sown perennials.

Perennial grass grows after mowing

Thus, it is not necessary to buy hay at exorbitant prices every year. Subject to simple instructions, a small farming able to grow perennial grasses for hay.

Field two weeks after cover crop harvest

Field three weeks after cover crop harvest

View of the field at the end of October 2016

This is how grasses go in winter

View of the field in early May 2017

Field harrowing

The field was harrowed in order to clean crop residues and improve the aeration of the grass root system.

The border of the treated area with the untreated

Sowing methods and sowing rates for seeds of perennial grasses are determined by the biological characteristics of the species, natural conditions, soil fertility, farming culture, and the provision of farms with the necessary equipment.

In this case, two methods of sowing are used: coverless or under the cover of other crops. Sowing of a coverless culture is carried out in spring, and in summer and autumn - under cover (in autumn along with winter crops). To obtain full-fledged seed yields from grass stands of the 1st year of use, alfalfa, oriental goat's rue, awnless brome and hedgehog should be sown without cover. Clover, meadow timothy grass, wheatgrass, meadow fescue and perennial ryegrass tolerate undercover crops well, providing good harvests seeds for next year.

For sowing, seeds of zoned local and promising varieties are used, according to the main indicators that meet the categories of OS and ES of the national standard Russian Federation. Seeds of perennial grasses are sown for fodder purposes in a crop rotation system, for grassing natural fodder lands and creating long-term cultivated pastures. Seeds of quarantine weeds are not allowed in the seed material.

Seeds are sown simultaneously with the cover crop or immediately after it has been sown across the rows on packed soil. On weed-free fields with a sufficient supply of moisture, the best time for undercover sowing is spring on well-prepared soil.

With cover crops, the yields of grass seeds are 10–15% less than with uncovered crops. For decreasing negative impact cover crop, its seeding rate is reduced by 20 ... 30%, nitrogen fertilizers are not applied under it. As cover crops, winter, early and late spring crops are used, as well as annual legume-grass mixtures, which are harvested early for fodder. To reduce the oppression of sown grasses, the varieties of crops used must be resistant to lodging.

The best time for coverless sowing is from May 15 to June 10. When sown after June 15, grasses, especially legumes, do not have time to complete the branching phase. As a result, low seed yields are obtained. In weedy areas, sowing should be postponed to summer time. In this case, the field is treated as pure fallow in order to destroy weeds and accumulate moisture in the soil. Summer crops of grasses should be carried out in moist soil after rainfall.

Eastern goat's rue requires at least 120 days to form root offspring and wintering buds, so spring sowing is advisable for it.

Seeds are sown in well-leveled and rolled soil, which ensures their uniform placement at the optimum depth, increases field germination by 10-15% and creates conditions for friendly, simultaneous emergence of seedlings.

The width of the row spacing used (15, 30, 45 or 60 cm) is set depending on the moisture supply and fertility of the soil: the drier the conditions and the arable layer is poorer in nutrients, the more expedient it is to increase the row spacing. The seed productivity of such plants as alfalfa, eastern goat's rue and awnless brome is higher in wide-row crops.

For sowing seeds of grasses, seeders SZT-3.6 are used; CO-4.2; SPU-3; SPU-4; SPU-6, as well as SST-12B and SUPN-8, equipped with sowing units for small seeds.

The seeding rate for each crop is set depending on the method of sowing, and the depth of their placement - on the granulometric composition of the soil.

Seeds of goat's rue, clover and alfalfa often have a reduced field germination due to their hardness. If there are more than 15% of hard-stone seeds in the seed lot, to improve germination, they violate the tightness of the shell by applying micro-scratches in the scarifiers SS-0.5, SKS-30, SKS-1, STS-2 or clover grinders K-ZYuA and K-0, 5 1…1.5 months before sowing, as scarified seeds quickly lose their germination capacity. Difficult-flowing perennial grass seeds can also be scarified to increase flowability, but this operation is performed immediately before sowing.

To stimulate the development of nodule bacteria, the seeds are treated with nitragin or rhizotrophin on the day of sowing. This is especially effective in areas where seeds are sown for the first time.

Seed treatment with disinfectants and bacterial fertilizers is carried out with PSSh-5 treaters.

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Good predecessors for perennial grasses are winter and spring cereals, fallow, tilled, except for beets, annual fodder grasses. It is economically advantageous to place seed plants in pairs.

SOIL TREATMENT

Most types of perennial grasses develop a powerful root system from 1 to 3 meters, so the main tillage is done from autumn to a depth of 25-30 cm, moldboard or non-moldboard. Plowing with preliminary stubble processing after stubble predecessors is of better quality.

With non-moldboard cultivation, a higher stubble (15-18 cm) will contribute to a greater accumulation of snow. Early spring harrowing is necessary to retain moisture in the spring. Small (3-4 cm) cultivation before sowing should be carried out with cultivators with flat-cutting paws, as they create a dense sole, cut weeds well, and do not turn the moistened soil layer to the surface.

Perennial grasses have very small seeds, so the soil must be well leveled. Pre-sowing cultivation is combined with harrowing and rolling. It is better to perform all these operations with combined units in one go.

SOWING

Perennial fodder crops are often sown under the cover of annual crops, this is due to the fact that perennial grasses in the year of sowing are slow to develop and have low productivity. In the first year, a cover crop produces a full crop, and perennial grasses - starting from the second year of life.

The advantage of cover sowing is that slowly developing grasses are not able to resist weeds, and under cover they are less clogged. Cover crop stubble is better at retaining snow. But from the point of view of developmental biology, grasses under cover lack light, water, and nutrients, so in the spring of next year they grow back worse, more sparse compared to uncovered crops.

To minimize these negative effects of cover crops, you need to choose the right cover crop, which should minimize the shade of perennial grasses. In this sense, winter crops are worse than spring crops, as they tend to bush more strongly, often lie down, and greatly shade the grasses.

Among spring crops, oats as a cover crop can be somewhat worse than wheat, barley, since oats are more bushy, oat leaves die off later, and in wet autumn it can regrow.

The cover crop should be harvested early so that the grasses, emerging from under the cover, have time to develop enough to accumulate nutrients for a successful overwintering. These can be legume-oat mixtures for green mass - for early sowing and millet crops for green mass (fodder millet, Sudanese grass) - for late sowing.

Of great importance is the method of sowing perennial grasses. It is important that grass seeds do not fall in the same row with cover crop seeds, so it is better to sow in an inter-row way using grain-grass planters (NWT - 3.6), in which the cover crop and perennial seeding is carried out from different boxes and coulters with alternating cover crop rows and herbs after 7.5 cm.

In the absence of such seeders, it is possible to sow cross-sown: first, a cover crop to a depth of 6-7 cm, and then grasses to a depth of 1-2 cm along the rolled soil.

FERTILIZERS

Perennial grasses respond very well to fertilizers. Legumes good conditions for nitrogen fixation, they react less to nitrogen fertilizers and are more demanding on phosphorus and potassium.

Phosphorus and potassium are applied under the main tillage from autumn at the rate of 60 kg/ha for each element. When sowing in a row, it is effective to apply phosphate fertilizers of 10-15 kg a.i./ha. If fertilizers were not added to the stock, then fertilizing is effective for the second and subsequent years in early spring.

It is better to feed leguminous grasses with phosphorus and potash fertilizers at 30-40 kg of ai/ha, but not in a scattered way, but by cutting them into the grass turf with flat-cut fertilizers.

Cereals can be fed with either complete mineral or nitrogen fertilizer also 30-40 kg a.i./ha. It is necessary to fertilize grass mixtures, taking into account the proportion of components. If the legume component predominates (more than 50%), then in order not to suppress the nitrogen-fixing activity of nodule bacteria, fertilizers should be applied as under legumes. If the cereal component predominates, fertilize like cereal grasses.

CARE OF CROPS

Rolling before and after sowing. Destruction of the soil crust by rotary organs. Pre-emergence harrowing with light harrows. Timely harvesting of a cover crop on a high cut (15-20 cm). When harvesting for grain, the straw must be removed immediately. Top dressing and harrowing after mowing.

CLEANING AND FODDING

The optimal cutting height for fodder purposes is 5-6 cm, and for high-stem ones (for example, for sweet clover) - 12-14 cm. A higher cut of 8-10 cm is recommended in the first year of life, and also if the herbage is supposed to be harvested next year for seeds.

When harvesting for hay, perennial grasses are mowed in the budding phase - flowering, cereals - heading. Finish their cleaning should be at the beginning of flowering. In addition, during the flowering phase, the proportion of stems increases, the proportion of leaves decreases, while the leaves contain 2-3 times more protein. Nutrients enter more into the flowers, and they crumble more when harvested than the leaves.

Closer to flowering, diseases (powdery mildew, leaf rust) are more pronounced on plants, and the quality of the feed is deteriorating. If the first cut is delayed, then the plants grow back worse, and the yield from the 2nd cut is significantly reduced.

The phases of development of fodder crops change rapidly. Therefore, harvesting grasses for hay should begin at optimal timing and finish within 8-10 days. Delay in harvesting due to a large shortage of the most valuable nutrients. Grass mixtures are mowed no later than the beginning of flowering of the predominant component.

Mowing grasses with a high yield of green mass is best done in the swath with mowers such as KS-2.1, KDP-4, rotary KRN-2.1, etc.

The technology of withering herbs should ensure a decrease in plant moisture to a level of 45-50%, at which biochemical processes are sharply inhibited and nutrient losses are reduced. This can be accelerated by turning the mass.

For tedding grass in swaths, raking it into swaths, wrapping and spreading swaths, a rake GBK-6.0 should be used. Tedding of cut grass is especially necessary in high-yielding areas, where it lays down in an uneven dense layer.

The first tedding should be carried out simultaneously or immediately after mowing, while the mass dries better, is blown by the wind, drying is even and faster. Subsequent tedding is carried out as the upper layers dry. After that, the mass is raked and dried to the required level in rolls without tedding, depending on the preparation technology (loose, crushed, pressed)

A more advanced technology is the preparation of pressed hay. With this technology, labor costs are reduced, losses are reduced by 2-2.5 times, storage facilities are used more rationally than when harvesting loose hay.

When harvesting pressed hay technological process withering of grasses on the field is the same as when harvesting loose hay, however, the moisture content of the mass during pressing should be higher (within 22%). The drier the grass, the higher the mechanical losses.

When the moisture content of the mass is above 24%, there is a threat of self-heating and molding of hay, its quality is sharply reduced.

For pressing hay from rolls, balers PSB-1.6 are used. PS-1.6.K-422, K-453 with twine tying the bales. In favorable weather, the bales are left in the field for 2-3 days to dry. To do this, the bales are placed in a pyramid so that four lie ribs on the ground, and two on top. The pyramid of bales is well blown, and the hay dries quickly.

Hay bales with a moisture content of up to 20% can be immediately loaded onto a trailer with a baler and transported to a storage location.

An important condition for obtaining high-quality pressed hay is the use of a homogeneous plant mass with even moisture content. Otherwise, heating and molding of the feed inside the bale may occur.

Pressed hay is of higher quality, since leaves and flowers are better preserved in it, transportation is simplified, labor costs are reduced by 2-3 times. All types of hay are best harvested from legume-grass grass mixtures or from cereal grasses.

Perennial legumes:

red clover

In the spring, soil cultivation begins with the closing of moisture, pre-sowing cultivation for clover depends on the type of cover crop. When sowing under spring crops after harrowing, pre-sowing cultivation is carried out to a depth of 6-8 cm with simultaneous harrowing. After sowing, the field must be rolled.

For sowing, seeds of class I-II should be used; on the day of sowing, they are treated with special clover nitragin. Clover is sown simultaneously with spring cover crops using grain-grass seeders (SZT-3.6). The sowing depth of clover seeds is 1.5-2.0 cm. When sown under winter crops, it is sown in early spring across the direction of winter crops to a depth of 1.0-1.5 cm. The seeding rate for cereals is 14-16 kg/ha; winter crops increase it to 18-20 kg/ha.

In a grass mixture with timothy grass or meadow fescue, the seeding rate for clover is 8-10 kg/ha, for timothy grass - 5-7, for fescue - 8-10 kg/ha. The timing and methods of cover crop harvesting strongly influence the growth and development of clover in the first year of life. Cover crops are best harvested for green fodder or haylage. When harvesting them for grain (barley, oats, winter crops), grain harvesters with straw choppers (PUN-5) should be used, which allows you to immediately free the field from straw. If harvesting is carried out with conventional combines, straw should not be left in the fields for a long time, this can lead to clover falling out in the straw storage areas.

Alfalfa blue

Alfalfa is sown after various predecessors - spring and winter cereals, corn for green fodder and silage, industrial and vegetable crops. Alfalfa should not be placed after corn, under which herbicides of the triazine group were applied at doses of 3-4 kg/ha or more.

For sowing, class I seeds are used, for better education on the roots of alfalfa nodules on the day of sowing, the seeds are inoculated with an active strain of nodule bacteria (alfalfa nitragin).

In coverless crops, alfalfa develops faster and already in the first year gives 2, and in the southern regions 3 full-fledged mowing (during irrigation). With coverless sowing, alfalfa in the year of sowing is less thinned out, forms a more powerful root system, more plants of large fractions are formed. As a result, higher-yielding grass stands are created, and their productivity lasts longer. Negative side Pure crops of alfalfa can be highly weedy in the first mowing, so the first mowing should be carried out earlier.

Establishing the optimal sowing density is an important condition for obtaining high yields in all soil and climatic zones. The optimal seeding rate for alfalfa on a rainfed land is 5-6 million viable seeds per 1 ha (10-12 kg), on irrigated lands - 8-9 million (18-20 kg). The seeding rate of cover crops should be reduced by 20-25%. When used as a cover crop, corn is sown in a wide row (100-120 thousand germinating seeds, 30-40 kg/ha) or row method (200-300 thousand, 70-90 kg/ha). The sowing method can be simultaneous (SZT-3.6) or separate, when corn is sown with SPC-6, SUPN-8 seeders (wide row), and after rolling, alfalfa is sown with mandatory post-sowing rolling.

For cover crops, nitrogen (N 45-60) is applied for presowing cultivation. Cover crops should be removed as early as possible.

Like most legumes, sweet clover has a significant percentage of hard seeds. Such seeds are able not to germinate for 5 years or even longer, while maintaining viability, therefore, in field crop rotations, sweet clover should be sown only with scarified seeds.

The seeding rate when used for fodder purposes is 12-14 kg/ha with uncovered sowing, 14-16 kg/ha with undercover sowing (scarified seeds). Seeding rate with non-scarified seeds should be 20-24 kg/ha. Seeding depth 2-3 cm.

Perennial grasses:

Timothy grass

In field crop rotations, timothy grass is most often sown in a mixture with red clover, alfalfa, sainfoin under the cover of spring or winter crops. When sowing timothy grass for winter crops, it is sown simultaneously with the winter crop or sown in early spring, legumes are also sown in early spring. Timothy seeds are very small, so the soil before sowing should be loose, leveled, and free from weeds. Seeding rate in pure form is 8-12 kg/ha, in grass mixture - 4-6 kg/ha, sowing depth is 1.0-1.5 cm.

Cocksfoot

In field crop rotations, the clover team can be sown in a mixture with clover, in cotton - in a mixture with alfalfa, its agricultural technology is the same as that of the named grasses. When sowing in its pure form, the seeding rate is 14-15, in grass mixtures - 5-7 kg/ha.

Rump awnless

In field crop rotations, it reaches the highest productivity in the 2nd-3rd years of life, the optimal period of use is 4-5 years. Due to the danger of clogging subsequent crops with growing rhizomes, deep plowing (by 25-27 cm) should be used.

The success of wheatgrass cultivation, as well as other perennial grasses, largely depends on the quality of field cultivation. The soil should be free of weeds, well supplied with moisture and nutrients. For the formation of 1 ton of dry mass, wheatgrass consumes 20-22 kg of N, 5.0-5.4 - P 2 O 5 and 20-21 kg of K 2 O from the soil.

In field crop rotations, it is sown in its pure form or mixed with legumes (melilot, alfalfa). In most cases, wheatgrass is sown in early spring under the cover of spring wheat or barley, and sometimes millet. The choice of cover crop is determined by local conditions. It is also possible to sow wheatgrass in the fall, either in pure form or mixed with legumes. Wheatgrass is also sown in autumn under the cover of winter crops.

The sowing rate of wheatgrass in its pure form with ordinary row sowing is 10-12, in a grass mixture - 8-10 kg/ha. When harvesting a cover crop for grain, it is desirable to leave a stubble height of 12-15 cm, this provides a better wintering due to a large accumulation of snow and increases hay yield.