Evaluation of Forage Type Barley Varieties for Forage Yield and Nutritive Value in the Peace Region of Alberta

Kabal S Gill,Akim T Omokanye,Meghan Elsen,J.P Pettyjohn

doi:10.5539/jas.v5n2p24

Abstract

There is increasing use of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) forage for swath grazing, bale grazing and silage for back grounding and finishing beef cattle in western Canada. Twelve barley varieties (6 two row and 6 six row) were compared in field trials in the Peace Region of Alberta, from 2009 to 2011, to identify the varieties with superior forage yield and nutritive value. Forage yield dry matter (DM) yield was greatest for Busby, followed by Ponoka, CDC Cowboy, Seebe, CDC Austenson, Vivar, Chigwell, Sundre, Xena, Trochu, AC Lacombe, and AC Ranger. Eight varieties had > 8.0 t ha-1 DM yield, five of which belonged to the two-row barley. The crude protein (CP) content varied from 8.70% for Busby to 10.4% for Seebe. Based on high CP content and low detergent fiber contents, CDC Austenson, Chigwell and Ponoka were the top three varieties. Two of the top three varieties for both forage yield and nutritive value were the two-row type, an indication that the two-row barley type may be better adapted for forage production in this environment. The top rated varieties may therefore be chosen for silage, green feed or swath grazing system in the Peace Region environs.

Highlights

Feed accounts for a greater portion of the total costs for beef cattle production in Alberta
Two of the top three varieties for both forage yield and nutritive value were the two-row type, an indication that the two-row barley type may be better adapted for forage production in this environment
The two-row varieties out yielded the six-row varieties by a mean of 703 kg dry matter (DM) ha-1 and 62.2 kg Crude protein yield (CPY) ha-1. The results from this three-year trial indicate that barley forage is a good option for beef cattle in the Peace Region environs

Summary

Introduction

Feed accounts for a greater portion of the total costs for beef cattle production in Alberta. In Alberta, barley and oat (Avena sativa L) are the major forage crops, significant acreage of mixed grains, spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and triticale (Triticale hexaploide Lart.) are harvested as forages (Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, 2012). Feed varieties occupy about half of Alberta's total barley acreage, and usually have higher yields and better agronomic characteristics (disease resistance, lodging resistance, shattering resistance, etc.) than most malt varieties (Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, 2010a). Forage barley varieties produce high total biomass (whole plant harvest) but likely have insufficient seed yield to compete with regular varieties when only grain production is desired. The provincial total harvested area in 2009 for green feed was 1.24 million acres, while silage acreage was 0.945 million acres (Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, 2010b)

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