**FORAGE HARVEST MANAGEMENT**

***Virginia Conservation Practice Job Sheet 511***

![](media/image1.jpeg){width="3.375in" height="2.2506944444444446in"}

**Definition**

Forage Harvest Management is the management of grasses and legumes that
when cut and treated appropriately provide high quality hay, silage or
meets other goals of the landowner.

**Purpose.** Forage harvest management may include some or all of the
following:

> 1\. Optimize the economic yield of forage at the desired quality and
> quantity.

2\. Promote vigorous plant re-growth, stand maintenance, and desired
plant species composition.

3\. Use forage biomass production as a soil nutrient management/uptake
tool.

4\. Control insects, diseases, invasive species and weeds.

5\. Maintain and/or improve wildlife habitat.

Conditions where practice applies. Forage harvest management may be a
component of most conservation management systems that address machine
harvested forage crops to improve and/or maintain the soil, water, air,
plant, and animal, including wildlife, resources, and is compatible with
the owner's objectives of high quality forage

**General Harvest Specifications**

![](media/image2.png){width="3.4166666666666665in" height="2.3in"}

1\. Forages will be harvested at a frequency and height that will
maintain a desired healthy plant community.

2\. Harvest forages at a maturity that provides the desired quality and
quantity for the intended use.

3\. Silage/haylage will be harvested within the optimum moisture range
for the type of storage structure used.

4\. For nutrient uptake, use harvesting strategies to maximize uptake of
available/targeted nutrients.

5\. For wildlife considerations, incorporate management strategies to
enhance cover, nesting, and food.

As forages mature, digestibility and intake decrease. Deciding when to
harvest hay is a compromise between quality and yield. The true quality
test for hay is animal performance.

***Forage Harvest Management Job Sheet 511***

  ----------------------------------- -----------------------------------
  *Landowner:*                        *Farm #:*

                                      *Tract #:*
  ----------------------------------- -----------------------------------

  ------------- ------- ---------------- ----------------- ------------- -------------
  Site Specific                                                          
  Forage                                                                 
  Harvest                                                                
  Management                                                             
  Information                                                            

  \(A\)         \(B\)   \(C\)            \(D\)             \(E\)         \(F\)

  Field No.     Field   Forage Species   Growth Stage at   Minimum       Recovery or
                Acres                    Harvest           Stubble       Rest Period
                                                           Height        (days)
                                                           (inches)      

                                                                         

                                                                         

                                                                         

                                                                         
  ------------- ------- ---------------- ----------------- ------------- -------------

  ------------------- ----------------------------- ------------ ----------
  Recommended Harvest                                            
  Stages, Residual                                               
  Height, and                                                    
  Recovery Time                                                  

  Forages             Stage of Harvest              Minimum      Recovery
                                                    Stubble      Period
                                                    After        (days)
                                                    Harvest      
                                                    (inches)     

  Alfalfa             Bud stage 1st cutting; 1/10   3            20-25
                      bloom second & later                       
                      cuttings. For spring                       
                      seedings, 1st cutting at mid               
                      to full bloom.                             

  Tall Fescue,        Boot to early head stage for  3-5          20-30
  Orchardgrass,       1st cut; later cuts at 4-6                 
  Timothy             week intervals.                            

  Red or Crimson      Early bloom                   2-3          18-25
  Clovers                                                        

  Small Grains        Boot to early head stage                   

  Soybeans            Mid to full bloom before                   
                      leaves begin to fall                       

  Sericiea Lespedeza  Height of 15 to 18 inches     4-6          18-25

  Annual Lespedeza    Early bloom before bottom     2-3          20-30
                      leaves begin to fall                       

  Ladino or White     Cut at correct stage for                   
  Clover              companion grass                            

  Bermudagrass        15-18 inch height for 1st     2-3          18-30
                      cutting, every 4-5 weeks                   
                      thereafter or when 15 inches               
                      high                                       

  Sudangrass,         Height of 30 -- 40 inches                  
  Sorghum-Sudan                                                  
  Hybrids, Pearl                                                 
  Millet                                                         

  Native Grasses      Harvest in early boot stage   8            30-45
  (Eastern Gamagrass, at 45 day intervals                        
  Indiangrass, Big                                               
  Bluestem,                                                      
  Switchgrass)                                                   

  Ryegrass            Early to full bloom           2-3          14-25
  ------------------- ----------------------------- ------------ ----------

Operations and Maintenance Plan

**511 Forage Harvest Management -- VA O&M Plan**

Before forage harvest, clear fields of debris which could damage
machinery or, if ingested, harm livestock.

Operate all equipment at optimum settings to minimize loss of leaves.

Keep all machinery in good repair.

Incorporate safety in all that you do.

Maintain soil fertility and pH to recommended levels

When managing for wildlife, reduce the number of cuttings/disturbance to
the area. This will affect both quality and quantity of the forage
produced

\"The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in
all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national
origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status,
familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic
information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an
individual\'s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not
all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities
who require alternative means for communication of program information
(Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA\'s TARGET
Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of
discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400
Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800)
795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity
provider and employer.\"