As harvest wraps up, we want to take a moment and ask an important question: Will you be feeding your livestock hay or silage, or turning them out on your wheat for grazing this year to get through the winter months?

What’s the difference between silage and hay?

Chances are if you’re a WestBred® seed grower, you already know the difference. But if you need a crash course, both wheat silage and hay provide forage to be used as animal feed — particularly for cows, sheep or other grazing animals. By creating either of these types of forage, a farmer can maximize their budget by using otherwise leftover plant material from wheat to feed their livestock.

But there’s an important difference between these two types of forage, and it comes down to moisture content. According to the University of Missouri, the ideal moisture content for silage in wheat is 60% to 65%. That’s quite a bit higher than what Oregon State recommends for hay, at 15% to 20% moisture content. That high moisture content leads to anaerobic fermentation (the same as alcohol production in beer), which preserves more nutrients in the forage compared to hay.

Timing also impacts when WestBred growers will cut wheat silage or hay. In the instance of cutting hay, according to the University of Nebraska — Lincoln, it’s best to harvest wheat in the late boot stage before heading, especially if farmers are using an awnless wheat. As for silage, harvesting wheat at the soft-dough kernel stage may provide a larger amount and better-quality forage.

Both methods prefer the use of awnless wheat, as producers worry about potential issues like awns getting stuck in livestock’s gums, or eye irritation, etc.

How do you make hay?

Making hay is less time-intensive than creating silage. After the crop is cut, it is left out to dry either naturally through windrows in the field or through artificial means. Once the desired moisture content is reached, it is baled for storage. A preservative might also be added to keep mold at bay.

How do you make silage?

The process of creating silage is more intensive than creating hay. Because the anaerobic process requires a specific moisture content and the absence of oxygen to achieve fermentation, how silage is stored to enable the fermentation process is key. When the cut plant is dried to the appropriate level, it is placed in a silo and compressed, allowing the fermentation process to take place.

Silage can also be created by using polythene bags, which mimic the anaerobic conditions present in a silo. These bags also make the silage easier to transport when needed to be used as feed.

Wheat Grazing for Livestock

Wheat grazing is another preferred method when using wheat as forage, and producers along the Plains typically send their cattle out on their wheat fields in late fall, winter and early spring. Wheat pastures provide a valuable source of high-quality forage, and according to Kansas State University, can provide stocking rates ranging from 250-1,000 pounds of animal per acre, depending on the time of year and growing conditions.

What do you use in your operation?

These are just overviews, but what do you do in your operation? Do you prefer hay, silage or grazing? Connect with us on Facebook or Twitter, and let us know any tips or tricks we may be missing.

To share your wheat story with WestBred, contact us at the.tiller@westbred.com

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