Multi-Year Yield and Quality Performance of Cereal Forages in Montana.

Cereal forages are utilized as an alternative source of forage while perennial forage stands are being renovated. Improved genetics and production methods are enhancing the stature of cereal forages from the status of alternative forage to a standard component of many forage production systems. Spring hooded barley lines becoming increasingly popular as cereal forage displacing oats due to both yield potential and quality. The cereal forages yields are often greater than those of alfalfa in both high and low yield environments. The superior yields of cereals in low yield environments has resulted in more wide spread use of cereals as standard component of may forage production systems. Cereal cultivars and development lines were evaluated under diverse environments for relative yield and quality over multiple years. Winter and spring seeded cereals are not included within the same trials. Comparisons are made with adjoining trials for winter cereals, spring cereals and alfalfa.