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Oregon Grown Forage Grasses:
Annual Ryegrass ~ Orchardgrass ~ Kentucky Bluegrass ~ Perennial Ryegrass
Annual Ryegrass
Lolium multiflorum
Annual Ryegrass is an Oregon-grown, cool-season forage and pasture grass. It is a fast establishing grass with a rapid regrowth after grazing. High palatability and digestibility make this grass highly valued for forage and livestock. This fast germinating grass has an aggressive root system which establishes quickly in many different soil types. Annual Ryegrass has many uses as a forage grass. It is used for livestock, wind and water erosion, hillsides, roadsides, weed suppression, silage, hay, temporary pasture, and to interseed row crops, like corn, to absorb excess nitrogen and reduce erosion after row crop harvest. Annual Ryegrass can be planted just about anywhere: on existing sod, unplowed land, clean burned pasture or many other places. This forage grass germinates in 7 to 10 days and needs little watering or fertilization. Uncut Annual Ryegrass will grow to a height of about 2 to 4 feet. Like turf-type Annul Ryegrass, forage-type Annual Ryegrass is a World class forage that can be grown in the northern states and all around the country. Annual Ryegrass is a great temporary forage grass that is moderately cold and heat tolerant. For more information please see Forage Grasses and Perennial Ryegrass.
Kentucky Bluegrass is commonly used as a cool-season pasture grass because it can tolerate close, frequent grazing. It can be found in most northern parts of the United States even though it is a native to Europe. This perennial grass can be identified by its boat-shaped leaf tips, good color and fine texture. Its height can reach 18 to 24 inches tall. Kentucky Bluegrass is considered short to medium height, highly palatable and long-lived. Along with these qualities it has good disease resistance, creeps, is very cold tolerant and mixes well with Perennial Ryegrass, but doesn’t tolerate shade. Compared to other forages Kentucky Bluegrass is slow to establish, but once it has it spreads rapidly. Kentucky Bluegrass is a high maintenance grass that requires frequent mowing, fertilizing and watering. This forage is used for continuously grazing animals and is ideal for erosion control. Most Bluegrass production is in Easter Washington, Eastern Oregon and Northern Idaho. Please see Turf Grasses link for information on cultivars and using this grass as a turf.
Oregon Orchardgrass
Dactylis glomerata L.
There are over 30 different varieties of Orchardgrass seed grown by Oregon farmers in the fertile Willamette Valley. This cool-season grass is one of the most adaptable forages you will find and survives better in the shade that most other grasses. Orchardgrass is grown under special care to assure high-germination. Top quality forage is produced when good management and proper fertility needs are met. Orchardgrass is mostly used along roadsides, in pastures and many other low maintenance areas because the wear tolerance is poor. This grass can be grown in most parts of the United States. Early, Intermediate and Late Maturity are just a few of the many varieties offered. Lush pastures for the early spring and rotational grazing are produced by early and intermediate varieties. Later maturing Orchardgrass produce a quality silage, haylage or hay with highly digestible fiber; it is perfect for managed pastures. It can be grown with legumes and especially with alfalfa.
Oregon-grown Perennial Ryegrass is the finest source of nutritious pasture and is considered very palatable. Being one of the easiest grasses to establish, forage-type Perennial Ryegrass can germinate in 7 to 14 days and is a low maintenance grass that can tolerate a lot o wear and traffic. Like turf-type Perennial Ryegrass, forage-type Perennial Ryegrass is a cool-season grass that can adapt to many different kinds of soil, including poor soils, clay, and badly drained areas. Because it can adapt to many different soil types it is effective for reducing soil erosion. This strong rooted grass responds rapidly to fertilizer and recovers fast from heavy trampling and grazing. It grows best during the fall and spring when there is the most rain but likes the sun. A little shade is tolerable. Perennial Ryegrass does not creep, so it is often mixed with fine fescues and Kentucky Bluegrass. A considerable portion of dairy-quality grass silage is Perennial Ryegrass. Besides being used for dairy feed and soil erosion, its also useful as wildlife feed. Animals like turkeys, ducks, geese, rabbits, mice, birds, deer and elk graze this forage. Perennial Ryegrass may be fall-seeded in areas where the winters are mild; spring planting is also and option for areas with long cold winters. Please see Turf Grasses and Annual Ryegrass for more information on using this grass as a turf.
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