Nutritive value and net return of forage crop rotations in the central Great Plains

Sustainable forage-based rotations with greater forage nutritive values and efficient resource utilization are needed to increase forage availability in the central Great Plains. The objectives of the study were to quantify nutritive value and net return from individual crops and overall crop rotation sequence of winter triticale, forage sorghum, and spring oat. The study was conducted near Garden City, KS, from 2013-2020. There were six treatments in the study, that is, continuous sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] (S-S) no-till (NT), triticale (xTriticosecale Wittm. ex A. Camus [Secale x Triticum])/sorghum-sorghum-oat (Avena sativa L.) (T/S-S-O) reduced till (RT) and NT, triticale/sorghum-sorghum-sorghum-oat (T/S-S-S-O) RT and NT, and triticale-sorghum-oat (T-S-O) NT. Crude protein concentration was 23%-31% greater for T-S-O and T/S-S-O compared with S-S. The S-S treatment had greater fiber content and least digestibility, calcium, and phosphorus concentrations compared with the remaining forage rotations. Annualized cost of production was 11%-32% greater for forage sorghum dominated NT systems (T/S-S-O, T/S-S-S-O, S-S [NT]) compared with T-S-O or T/S-S-S-O (RT) rotation. T/S-S-S-O (RT) was among the top in net return due to a combination of greater forage biomass production and forage nutrient value. The cost of production for forage sorghum and triticale were more economical compared to purchasing commercial feedstuffs. We concluded forage producers should consider productivity and market value, in addition to nutritive value and cost of production in selecting crops for a profitable forage-based rotation system.