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Producers in northeastern Colorado are exploring more intensive crop rotations, with the goal of minimizing fallow. Foxtail millet, grown for hay, offers producers flexibility in crop choice because of its low water use: 10 to 12 inches (precipitation plus soil water use) to produce a crop. We examined forage yield and quality of foxtail millet at the ARS station near Akron. Four varieties, Manta, Butte, Golden German, and White Wonder, were planted into wheat stubble in early June and harvested for forage at the early milk stage.
Forage Quality Manta produced the highest quality forage: protein content was 13% and total digestible nutrients was 65% (See Table). Protein level of the other varieties was near 10%. Golden German and White Wonder yield the highest quantity, however, Manta offers producers two alternatives: higher protein forage and earlier harvest. Producers are planting winter wheat into proso millet or foxtail millet stubble to eliminate the fallow period before winter wheat. Manta's early harvest (3 weeks earlier) allows more time for the soil profile to store precipitation, thus increasing the available soil water for winter wheat. Table. Forage quality of foxtail millet varieties.
Harvesting Options Grazing foxtail millet in windrows left in the field offers producers a way to decrease cost of cattle production. Stockmen can increase profits by finding ways to reduce the amount of harvested feed used by the cow herd. Grazing windrowed foxtail millet enables the producer to eliminate the cost of baling, handling bales, and feeding hay to cattle. The University of Nebraska, evaluating six haying and grazing systems, found that the system with the most grazing was the most profitable. Due to the possible financial benefits of grazing foxtail millet windrows, we are focusing future research on reducing production costs, improving cow utilization efficiency, and preserving forage quality in the windrow.
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