Cultivation

Silage and haylage — timothy-grass

Phleum pratense L.

The technology for harvesting timothy-grass for silage and haylage requires mowing during the booting stage, before heading begins. This ensures an optimal balance of moisture and nutrients in the stems and leaves.

In the reference 30 varieties crop Timothy grass, where this is mentioned in the description.

To obtain high-quality forage, timothy-grass is mowed in the early growth stages, as a sharp increase in stem coarsening and a decline in nutritional value occur after the onset of heading. The crop has a relatively narrow window of optimal harvest time, requiring strict adherence to deadlines.

During harvesting, it is necessary to achieve a dry matter level of 30 to 50 percent. Since the content of water-soluble sugars in pure stands may be insufficient for fermentation, thorough wilting or the use of mixtures with legumes, such as clover, is recommended.

Timothy-grass possesses a specific buffering capacity and sugar content that distinguish it from forage legumes. When harvesting technology is followed, including moisture control, the final product is characterized by the absence of butyric acid, an acceptable pH level, and a pleasant color and aroma.

General information about the subject — on the page Silage and haylage.

Sources8

Varieties of Timothy grass mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.