Annual Forages

Maximize Forage Yield with Our Annual Forages

Discover fast growing annual and summer forage solutions tailored to your livestock and soil needs.

Annual Forage vs Summer Annual Forage:
Which is Right for You?

Annual Forages

These are versatile crops grown within a single season, providing rapid growth and high yields. They are commonly planted in spring or fall for grazing, hay, or silage production.

Summer Annual Forages

Specifically bred to thrive during hot, dry summer months, these forages grow quickly and are perfect for filling the gap when cool season grasses slow down.

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Annual Forage Crops

Forage Crop	Seeding Rate (lbs/acre)	Primary Use	Description

Forage Crop	Seeding Rate (lbs/acre)	Primary Use	Description
Buckwheat	40-50	Emergency Grain, Weed Control	Short-season crop, typically planted in July. Best in cool wet years. Does not set seed well in hot dry years.
Chicory	2-8	Grazing	Broad-leaved perennial herb, excellent feed value. Best in mixes with clover. Graze at 6-8 inches, leaving 2-3 inches stubble.
Field Peas	50-100	Silage	Typically seeded with oats to increase protein and palatability. Increases yield with adequate moisture.
Forage Sorghum	6-12 (rows), 15-35 (broadcast)	Silage, Winter Grazing	High feed value, around 80-90% of corn silage. Risk of prussic acid poisoning after frost. BMR varieties improve digestibility.
Hay (Foxtail) Millets	20-30	Hay	Annual crop, excellent emergency hay. Grows well in sandy soils. Fast growing, matures in 60-75 days.
Japanese Millet	25-35	Hay	Grows 2-4 feet tall, best cut for hay at the dough stage.
Pearl Millet	8-12	Grazing, Hay	Very leafy, excellent regrowth after cutting or grazing. Safe for horses as it contains no prussic acid. Grows 6-10 feet tall.
Pasja Hybrid Forage Brassica	4-6	Grazing	Cross between rapeseed and forage turnips, no choking hazard, good drought tolerance. Dies with frost, suited for spring/summer seeding.
Radish	5-12	Grazing, Soil Nutrient Recycling	Large tap root, breaks up soil compaction and recycles nutrients. Best growth before frost.
Rapeseed	4-8	Grazing	Multi-stemmed, cabbage-like plant. Palatable to livestock. Good in moist, rich soils.
Sorghum-Sudangrass	6-15 (rows), 20-35 (drilled)	Grazing, Silage	Hybrid between sorghum and sudangrass. Excellent regrowth after cutting. Risk of prussic acid poisoning after frost. BMR varieties offer higher digestibility.
Sudangrass	20-30	Grazing, Hay	Fine-stemmed, fast regrowth. Lower prussic acid risk than other sorghums. Good for hay and silage, drought-tolerant.
Teff	6-8	Grazing, Hay	Warm-season grass with rapid growth. Produces up to two cuttings per season. Sensitive to frost.
Turnips	2-4	Grazing	Grazed by livestock for both tops and roots. Tops have higher protein (20-25%) than roots. Ready for grazing in 45 days.
Appin Turnips	2-4	Grazing	Forage turnip variety. Produces more growing points and tonnage than other turnips.
Purple Top Turnips	2-4	Grazing	Produces larger turnips but less top growth than forage types.

Summer Annual Forages

Forage Crop	Seeding Rate (lbs/acre)	Primary Use	Height (ft)	Description

Forage Crop	Seeding Rate (lbs/acre)	Primary Use	Height (ft)	Description
Sudangrass	10-12 (rows), 20-30 (drilled)	Grazing, hay, green chop	4-7	Fine-stemmed, rapid regrowth, drought-tolerant. Best for grazing and hay due to quick drying stems.
Sorghum-Sudangrass	6-15 (rows), 20-35 (drilled)	Silage, green chop	24-30 inches	High-yielding, 50% of yield is in stems. Better for silage/green chop than for grazing.
Forage Sorghum	8-10	Silage, winter grazing	8-13	High yield, 80-90% feed value of corn silage. Avoid grazing due to prussic acid risk.
Pearl Millet	8-12	Grazing, hay	18-24 inches	Leafy, excellent drought tolerance. Safe for horses, no prussic acid. Cut at 30-36 inches for hay.
Foxtail Millet	20-30	Hay	75-90 days	Shallow-rooted, used only for hay. Should be cut as soon as heads form to avoid livestock injury.
Purple Top Turnip	2-4	Grazing		Cool-season crop that grows in spring and fall. Livestock consume both tops (17-24% protein) and bulbs (10-15% protein).
Forage Turnip x Rapeseed (Pasja)	3-5	Grazing		Hybrid forage ready to graze 50 days after seeding. Drought-tolerant, does not form bulbs. Regrows after grazing.
Oats and Peas Mixture	100-120	Grazing, hay, silage		Blend of 60% field peas and 40% oats. Increases protein and reduces NDF compared to straight oats. Harvest at boot stage.
Tri-grain Forage Mix	90-120	Grazing, hay		Blend of oats, barley, and spring wheat. Produces high-quality forage for hay or grazing.

Annual Forage Planting Guide

Annual Forages	Seeding Rate #/a	lbs/Bu	Avg Seeds/lb	Seeding Date	Days to Germinate

Annual Forages	Seeding Rate #/a	lbs/Bu	Avg Seeds/lb	Seeding Date	Days to Germinate
Buckwheat	40-50	48	15,000	6/1-7/31	14
Dwarf Essex Rapeseed	4-8	60	155,000	4/1-8/31	8
Forage Sorghum	8-10	40	26,000	5/20-7/31	10
Foxtail Millet	20-30	50	220,000	5/15-7/31	10
Pearl Millet	8-12	50	88,000	5/15-7/31	7
Sorghum Sudangrass	6-15 R, 20-35 D	40	15,000	5/15-7/31	10
Sudangrass	10-12 R, 20-30 D	40	35,000	5/15-7/31	10
Turnips	2-4	52	174,000	4/1-6/30	14

Custom Mixes

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Annual Forages

Maximize Forage Yield with Our Annual Forages

Annual Forage vs Summer Annual Forage: Which is Right for You?

Annual Forages

Summer Annual Forages

Annual Forage Crops

Summer Annual Forages

Annual Forage Planting Guide

Custom Mixes

Annual Forage vs Summer Annual Forage:
Which is Right for You?