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Dairy farmer says triticale’s feed value worth the extra effort

A Wisconsin farmer says it’s worth the extra effort to manage and harvest triticale as a cover crop he can harvest for his dairy cows. Joe Bragger from Independence, Wisconsin says, “I’m a real firm believer in the feed quality that we get off of growing that triticale for forage.”

Bragger tells Brownfield his nutritionist is out early and often in the spring monitoring the crop’s growth and feed value by testing scissors clippings, so they harvest when the crop has its optimum feed value. “I’m willing to sacrifice a little bit of tonnage for that 20%, 24% and you know, you’re talking 30-hour digestibilities of 70s into the low 80s, that will rival any feed product we have out there.”

Bragger extensively uses no till and cover crops, and the timing for triticale is perfect. “What a great opportunity to put in a cover crop that’s a crop after corn silage, and harvest it, and then we still have time with our early harvest schedule in spring to go ahead and get that next crop of corn in there.”

Bragger says triticale loses its feed value and digestibility quickly, so it needs to be watched closely.  He says once triticale is harvested, he’s immediately following with the corn planter.

Triticale is a hybrid of rye and wheat developed in Europe in the late 1800s.