As cover crop: Exceptionally vigorous seedlings and lush leafy growth make forage oats especially competitive with weeds. Will build more biomass than common oats. Faster seedling growth than BMR or millet, though these crops will eventually outstrip any oats in height. Customer Alex Redfield told us that his forage oats made as much biomass as common oats sown at twice the rate.
As forage: If cut in the early boot stage (when the flower head is only just detectable inside the leaf sheath) the hay can achieve protein levels of 19% and the plant will regrow for a second crop. Forage oats harvested at the soft-dough stage (when the kernel is developing but still soft enough to cut with a fingernail) achieved dry-matter yields of nearly 4 tons per acre in a 2010 University of Vermont trial. If allowed to reach full height, the plants will top 5' and yield a large crop of excellent bedding straw. Also suitable for grazing.
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