The short answer is yes, oats is an acceptable cover crop and emergency feed option.
Summer planted can provide an acceptable forage for all classes of livestock. There is over 15 years of Ohio experience with summer planted oats. There is still plenty of time to ‘create’ anywhere from one to five tons of forages in wheat stubble or prevented plant fields. Ohio experiences come from all parts of the state. Oats would be the species of choice to provide the lowest input, most readily available forage, with the best chance for significant tonnage this year.
Oat hay is an acceptable forage for all classes of livestock, and while nutrient content will vary depending on maturity at harvest, we have repeatedly seen oats harvested at 60 days of growth with crude protein levels from 12-19%, and digestible organic matter as high as 65 %.
Seed options. Options on oats, include forage type oats that are bred specifically for forage production, bin run oats that may be harvested locally or around Ohio yet this summer, or feed oats that are likely shipped in from Canada and used in livestock rations all around the state.
Note: In order to receive the recently announced NRCS EQIP cover crop cost share money for them, you must have them tested for purity, germ, and % weed seeds.
The Ohio Department of Agriculture can do this testing and presently there is no cost:
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- Farmers can send a one quart bag full of seeds for testing to ODA.
- ODA sends the samples they receive to a lab out of state for testing.
- Presently each Ohio farmer can get a total of 3 seed lots tested for free.
- Turn around time on the tests would be 2 to 3 weeks depending on what day they are received.
- More info from ODA on seed testing can be found here.
Planting tips. The ideal situation is planting oats on or around August 1. Control existing weeds prior to planting with a herbicide application. No-till 60-90 pounds into harvested wheat fields or prevented plant fields anytime from late July up until early September. Conventional till planting scenarios have worked as well and could be required this year depending on weed control prior to planting time, but this typically results drier conditions at germination and slightly less productive early growth.
Management. Consider applying 40-50 units of nitrogen about 60 days before you plan to harvest them, regardless of the harvest method for optimal nitrogen use. Common scenarios for this include broadcasting urea ahead of the drill, mixing UAN 28% with roundup if a burndown is needed, or applying ammonium sulfate after germination.
Handling at harvest. If you are looking to make dry hay, it can be a challenge in late September or October, often requiring 5-7 days after being cut, but it is certainly possible, and small amounts of rain during the dry down process will not deteriorate this forage nearly as rapidly as alfalfa and other grasses. If you do not get that window to cut them for dry hay, it may cost a little more, but having the oats wet-wrapped beats the alternative of having no hay available, and your cows, goats, and sheep will literally run you over to get to it once you start feeding it!
Reference article for more details. https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/201919/forage-shortage-and-prevented-planting-acres%E2%80%A6-think-oats
Updated: 7/5/2019