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New "PC rye" forage a valuable feed option for Alberta beef producers

Perennial cereal rye, a new forage crop for Canada, shows tremendous promise as an alternative to barley silage for Alberta's beef industry, say researchers at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) Lethbridge Research Centre.

Known as "PC rye," the crop is the result of a cross between an annual rye and a perennial grass, says forage breeder Dr. Surya Acharya. PC rye has similar feed quality to barley, with several advantages because of its high yield, rapid maturity and perennial nature.

"PC rye has generated a lot of interest from the beef industry because of its many economic and environmental benefits," says Acharya. "The sustainability of beef production in Western Canada could be significantly enhanced by this highly productive perennial crop."

PC rye was first developed by German scientists for African dryland conditions. The Lethbridge Research Centre team has worked for more than a decade to develop the first PC rye for Canada. The Canada Alberta Beef Industry Development Fund (CABIDF) provided two years of funding to support this effort.

The first PC rye variety to emerge from the Lethbridge program is ACE-1, which became available to producers in fall 2003. A larger volume of commercial seed is expected in fall 2004.

"ACE-1 PC rye produces a silage crop that is superior to barley in yield and other agronomic characteristics, while similar in feed quality," says Acharya. "It can be easily integrated in most crop rotations, as it does not require special equipment or significant changes in cultural practices. Compared to barley, another advantage of this PC rye is that it can be used in long-term hay and pasture rotations."

PC rye can take advantage of early spring moisture and is ready for silage harvesting three to four weeks earlier than barley, says Acharya. This rapid maturity also allows for good regrowth and the option to extend the grazing season into the fall.

Producers who choose not to cut PC rye a second time and instead use the crop for extended fall grazing can expect significant savings in overwintering costs, he says. Compared to feeding barley silage, grazing on PC rye for an additional 30 days is estimated to reduce feed costs per by approximately $7 per calf, with additional savings of $4.50 per calf due to reduced handling and manure management costs.

Despite these many benefits, PC rye does have a serious drawback, says Acharya. The crop has a tendency for floret sterility, due to its origin as an interspecific cross. This sterility results in a reduced seed set, with affected seed heads susceptible to ergot infection, a fungal disease that is toxic to livestock.

"PC rye must be harvested before the ergot balls are formed to avoid the risk of poisoning," cautions Acharya. "The silage making process reduces the toxic effects, but to avoid poisoning when used as pasture, the crop must be intensively grazed before seed heads appear. Fortunately, the regrowth after silage harvest produces very few seed heads and they do not reach maturity, so ergot is not a problem in fall grazing." Acharya and colleagues are investigating several strategies to improve the fertility of future PC rye varieties.

Research is also focused on increasing the crop's grazing tolerance. "Trials have indicated that PC rye cannot withstand prolonged grazing pressure," says Acharya. "Significant variability in tolerance within the PC rye population has, however, been observed and we have started a selection program for grazing tolerant plants that will continue for the next two years.

"Ultimately we want to generate a cultivar of PC rye that can grow with forage legumes to produce high quality pasture and hay for our large cattle industry," he concludes. The introduction of new crops or cultivars will increase the genetic diversity on cultivated land, which is particularly important in areas such as western Canada where a single crop or cultivar may occupy millions of hectares.

CABIDF is a joint $16.4 million fund of Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. The Fund is administered by Alberta Beef Producers and has supported more than 50 projects in five major categories identified to benefit the Alberta beef industry.

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