Annual Crops for Silage Annual Crops for Silage Most silage on the prairies is made from annual crops, especially cereals. Producing annuals for silage is similar to producing them for commercial seed or grain except that crop inputs are directed to optimizing total dry matter yield.
Quality is similar between varieties of a crop species.
The differences between similar crops, such as the various cereal crops, is less than that between very different crops such as cereals compared to legumes. There can be variations in quality from year to year. In a four year comparison at the Lacombe Research Station for example, Grizzly oats showed crude protein percentages ranging from 7.1 to 9.3. Cereal silage Cereals are easily ensiled since water soluble carbohydrate levels are high, buffering capacity is low, and moisture content is easily controlled. Since quality, especially protein content, is relatively low, cereals should be harvested before they get too mature.