This study was carried out in order to evaluate the productive characteristics of annual winter forages (Avena strigosa Schereb, Lolium multiflorum Lam, Avena sativa, Triticum aestivum, Secale cereale and Triticosecale Wittmack), on four sowing dates (11 March, 8 April, 6 May and 3 June 2009). The work evaluated the number of days to first harvest, the number of harvests, days of pasture usage, plant and tiller density, total production, residual dry matter and production per harvest. There was significant interaction between forages and sowing dates for all the variables analysed, which makes possible altering forage planning, combining each forage type with its best sowing date and directing forage production in order to fill any gaps. One option is the sowing of oats at the beginning of March, more conveniently supplying fodder to animals in the autumn relative to its being sown in April, even though this represents greater total forage production. However, if the greatest need for forage is in the spring, the best combination would be ryegrass sown in June. White oats, ryegrass, and oats IAPAR 61, are materials which have a high capacity for fodder production and distribution, especially when sown by the beginning of May.
Oat; Forages; Sowing
