Water Soluble and Ethanol Soluble Carbohydrate Concentrations in Cool-Season Annual Forages in the Southeastern USA.

Cool-season forages complement warm-season forages in southeastern dairy systems, protect the land from erosion and nutrient losses, while providing excellent winter greenchop or silage. Cultivars of various cool-season forages were evaluated for forage quality with an emphasis on soluble sugars.  Cultivars of oat, ryegrass and triticale, were evaluated for differences in forage composition emphasizing water and ethanol soluble carbohydrates. In 2007, field grown winter forages were harvested at 4 wk intervals and the ryegrass, oat and triticale cultivars and experimental lines were analyzed for differences in soluble sugar content among cultivars and among forage types. Seasonal distribution of forages is distinctly different among cultivars and among forage types. Soluble sugars, in general, are higher for oat cultivars, although more stable over the growing season for ryegrass. Winter forages, like oat, ryegrass and triticale vary in their time of maximum forage production and distribution of yield over the winter months. Knowledge of best suited cultivars for a given dairy operation would aid dairy farmers in providing high quality forage for their cattle.