The following is a visual guide for identifying forage crops. Slides and original script were provided by USDA-NRSC staff. These pages were designed by Dana Johnson and Ed Rayburn . We wish to thank the USDA-NRSC for use of slides provided by their field staff. Return to WVU Forage -Livestock System Homepage Work through this tutorial paying close attention to the pictures provided.
Some crops are easy to recognize.
Forages are some of the most important farm crops, especially if you have a livestock operation. If you plan to manage forages properly, one of the first things you must be able to do is identify what you're working with. In the next few minutes, you'll be looking at 15 forage species commonly grown on pasture or hayland. Here are some tips on identifying each one.