Agriculture

• Plan forage establishment a year ahead, completing any drainage improvements beforehand.
• Previous crops influence weed pressure, fertility, and residue levels.
• Herbicide‑tolerant crops are excellent for aggressive weed control.
• Ensure soils are free of residual herbicides by consulting Manitoba Agriculture’s Guide to Field Crop Protection and your herbicide records.

• Few in‑crop herbicide options exist for new forage stands, especially grass–legume mixes.
• Control perennial weeds (quackgrass, junegrass, thistles) before seeding.
• Glyphosate is effective pre‑harvest, pre‑seeding, or post‑seeding/pre‑emergence.
• For non‑chemical approaches, harvest the previous crop early as greenfeed to reduce weed seed production.
• Tillage can help prepare a mellow seedbed but may reduce soil moisture.

• Forage seeds are small and require a firm, smooth, moist, weed‑free seedbed.
• Seed no deeper than ½ inch for optimal emergence.

• Intended use (hay, pasture, grazing)
• Stand longevity
• Soil variability (texture, salinity, moisture)

• Better adaptation to variable soils
• Nitrogen fixation
• Reduced bloat risk
• Extended grazing season
• Improved resource use efficiency
• Greater ground cover and traffic tolerance

• Use certified seed for guaranteed germination and low weed content.
• Seed cost is a small portion of establishment cost—quality seed pays long‑term dividends.
• Alfalfa types:
• Tap‑rooted and branch‑rooted (crowns above soil)
• Creeping‑rooted (crowns at soil level; more winter‑hardy and traffic‑tolerant)

• Wait at least 12 months before reseeding alfalfa into old alfalfa stands.
• Yield losses can reach 80% if seeded too soon after termination.

• Stand age: Toxin builds after two years.
• Soil type: Effects dissipate faster in sandy soils; persist longer in clay.
• Plant density: Higher densities increase toxin levels.
• Residue: Remove residue to reduce toxin persistence.
• Tillage: Incorporate residue quickly to reduce effects.

• Spring seeding: Ideal due to cool, moist conditions; deadline June 25 (MASC).
• Summer seeding: Avoid mid‑summer heat; allow time for crown development (alfalfa 6 weeks; grasses 3–4 weeks).
• Dormant seeding: Late fall or early spring before soil warms; higher risk and not insurable. Seeding rates should be increase by 25-30% to accommodate seedling mortality.

• Disc, hoe, or broadcast seeders can all work if conditions are suitable.
• Ensure seeders handle fluffy grass seed without bridging.
• Mixing forage seed with 1 bu/acre oats improves flow.
• Seed ½–¾ inch deep, with some seed visible on the surface.
• Pack after seeding to improve seed‑to‑soil contact.

 Average Number of Seeds per Pound for Popular Manitoba Forage Species

Crop	Seeds per Pound
Birdsfoot Trefoil	1,000,000
White Clover	800,000
Alsike Clover	700,000
Red Clover	275,000
Sweet Clover	260,000
Alfalfa	220,000

Crop	Seeds per Pound
Timothy	1,230,000
Orchardgrass	650,000
Meadow Fescue	577,000
Festulolium	530,000
Tall Fescue	227,000
Slender Wheatgrass	160,000
Smooth Bromegrass	137,000
Meadow Bromegrass	80,000

• Soil test before seeding.
• Apply nutrients according to recommendations, ideally before seeding.

• Phosphorus: Critical for root development; even 30 lb/acre can dramatically increase seedling size.
• Potassium: Important for winter survival, especially on sandy soils.
• Sulphur: Elemental S is economical but slow‑release; sulphate S is immediately available. It increases yield and protein.
• Nitrogen:
• Avoid high N rates when establishing legumes or legume–grass mixes.
• Legumes require proper inoculation instead of nitrogen fertilizer.
• Increases yield and protein

• Inoculate legume seed immediately before planting.
• Store inoculants and treated seed in cool, dry conditions.
• Inoculants are species‑specific (e.g., clover inoculant will not work on alfalfa).
• Check nodulation one month after emergence; healthy nodules are pink to reddish‑orange inside.
• Inoculants are living bacteria and do not remain viable after one season

• Weed suppression
• Moisture conservation
• Seedling protection from heat and frost

• Use the least competitive crop available (e.g., flax, millet, wheat).
• Reduce seeding rate to 30–50% of normal.
• Seed forage at right angles to the companion crop.
• Harvest companion crops early as greenfeed.
• Avoid canola due to excessive shading and poor greenfeed quality.