Using canola as cover crop for forage

[TechAnalyst]

I would think that if you swathed in the spring to get rid of the stalks you would want to do it before much of any growth (to prevent a swath that might kill any grass)?

[flea beetle]

It appears I was fed wrong info. Sask Ag recommends 30% alfalfa and 70% grass blend for bison. Apparently they don't bloat from alfalfa.

[LEP]

It appears I was fed wrong info. Sask Ag recommends 30% alfalfa and 70% grass blend for bison. Apparently they don't bloat from alfalfa.

This is what I would use. In a few years it will be mostly grass anyway.

I have seeded alfalfa under clearfield canola. I seeded it at 3.5 lbs (in the 90's) and had a great catch. But it was wet. I would use straightcut liberty now. Or greenfeed oats. However I find unless it is wet greenfeed oats are a pretty big competitor.

[foragefarmer]

Stopped using cover crops to establish forages several years now. Competition, swaths lying on field for a week or two. Having to spray cover crop for weeds, bugs, fungicides at a certain time and making ruts to contend with for years to come.

Heavy harrowed old forage field , Valmar forage seed on.

We then have no choice but to roll the field a couple of times after seeding, because we can't seem to organize the 1000's of White Tails around us to hoof the seeds in and shit strategically to fertilize for the up coming year.

Forages germ the best in firm seed beds.

I thought your wife said no to cows, but buffalo are ok. Hope you have great fences.

[countryguy]

Anybody ever underseeded a pasture blend into a canola crop? I typically seed my hay blends into Oats and greenfeed them. But have decided to try seed some pasture and keep some animals on the home quarter. It is slotted for canola this year. I don't see why it won't work, but maybe I am missing something? Maybe it will be swathed too late in the year, and won't allow the grass enough time to grow and catch before freeze up?

Its probably the best way to do it. I've broadcasted timothy many times into canola right after its sprayed and is the most successful way of getting establishment here. Perrenial ryegrass seed crops are commonly seeded in row with LL canola now. Best to straight cut the canola or wait till last possible second to cut it.

[flea beetle]

Stopped using cover crops to establish forages several years now. Competition, swaths lying on field for a week or two. Having to spray cover crop for weeds, bugs, fungicides at a certain time and making ruts to contend with for years to come.

Heavy harrowed old forage field , Valmar forage seed on.

We then have no choice but to roll the field a couple of times after seeding, because we can't seem to organize the 1000's of White Tails around us to hoof the seeds in and shit strategically to fertilize for the up coming year.

Forages germ the best in firm seed beds.

I thought your wife said no to cows, but buffalo are ok. Hope you have great fences.

Have no fences. So can clear fence line of trees and old rickety fences from the 40’s and 50’s, and start fresh. Can put up whatever fence is needed.

She did say no to cows/any livestock. But in showing her the risk involved in growing crops with double the input costs, and crazy equipment prices, she saw the light.

Not sure how far we are going to get into livestock at this point, but if inputs stay as high as they are now for any length of time, I will slowly convert more and more over to livestock. Kind of a play by ear move. Try one or two quarters, and see if we actually like it. Maybe I will be kicking myself why I didn’t do it years ago!🤣

[foragefarmer]

Won't it be better to start off with cattle economically.

Is there high demand for buffalo meat? Can't be cheap in the supermarket.

Money getting tight everywhere, except for the wealthy do they live off buffalo?

Just saying!

[flea beetle]

Won't it be better to start off with cattle economically.

Is there high demand for buffalo meat? Can't be cheap in the supermarket.

Money getting tight everywhere, except for the wealthy do they live off buffalo?

Just saying!

Would be cheaper to fence the land, but still need to seed pasture either way. I feel margins are a little better in the bison side of things in my research. Bison are also heartier, and less work to keep in the winter. Much harder to handle though, when the time comes to run them through the chute.

Also taking into consideration the negative stigma cattle seem to carry with the city crowd. Bison don't seem to take as much heat from the climate change crowd. In fact, they are celebrated. Look at what is going on with the reserves, and government money being thrown at them to restock bison populations on the prairies.

Also Bison sells itself to the health conscious consumer. It has less than half the calories in the same size portion of beef, quite a bit less fat, and more vitamins and minerals. People seem to be open to the idea of shelling out more for a healthier product. Not to mention Canada's exports to USA and Europe are quite large as well. Up to this point, demand has outpaced supply. With the events in the world right now, who knows what will change.

Oh, and the wealthy would rather we live off meal worms and beyond meat...just saying!

[Hay Farmer]

We have been under seeding Timothy hay as well as a mix hay crop under a canola crop for quite a few years now. We use a RU ready canola that matures fast. We seed the canola and then try to seed the hay right before the canola emerges. Then we try to spray the canola right before the hay starts to pop up. We also try to straight cut the canola so we don’t kill any hay with the swaths. This has worked well for us most years.