The grain yield of winter-grazed crops

Abstract

In six years of experiments various grazing treatments were applied to a range of crops and subsequent grain yields measured. Spring rapes, lupins and peas showed little potential for dual purpose grazing/grain use, generally producing less herbage and grain than wheat, oats, barley and rye. Winter rape performed as well as barley and wheat in one year. Oats and barley were overall better than wheat which was generally better than rye. Comparison of late-sown grain-only crops with early sown grazed ones indicated that with some crops in some years the dual-purpose enterprise was the more profitable. The experiments suggested that the most biologically profitable combination of herbage and grain production would be obtained by delaying grazing until about 4t of crop dry matter per ha were available in winter.