April 5, 2013

The uncertainty surrounding pasture conditions following the 2012 drought and the need for additional forage this summer has a number of producers considering the planting of annual forages on dryland or irrigated crop acres.

In a recent UNL webinar, “Growing Annual Forages,” Jerry Volesky, UNL Extension Range Specialist, presents information on selecting and growing these annuals. Popular cool-season annuals planted in early spring include small grains such as oats, spring triticale, or barley. Commonly planted warm-season or summer annuals include sudangrass, sorghum-sudangrass hybrids, and pearl and foxtail millet. Selections for late summer planting for the purpose of fall grazing also are discussed.

Additional information on growing annual forages can be found in these UNL Extension publications:

• Utilizing Annual Forages with Limited Irrigation for Beef Cattle During and Following Drought (G2185)
• Forage Production with Limited Irrigation (G2012)
• Nutrient Management for Agronomic Crops in Nebraska (EC155)
• Summer Annual Forage Grasses (G2183)