Forages are plants or parts of plants eaten by livestock (cows, horses, sheep, goats, llamas), and wildlife (deer, elk, moose, rabbits). There are many different types of forages. Some of the most important are grasses, legumes and other forbs and browse-type plants.
Forages can be annuals, biennials, or perennials and can be suited to temperate, subtropical, and tropical environments.
As a forage-livestock system manager, one of the initial challenges is selecting an appropriate species or species mix and establishing a dense stand with limited weed pressure and able to utilize available moisture to ensure a long-lived stand.
This module provides baseline information about establishment, management and utilization and numerous resources to identify challenges in organic forage production systems and designing sustainable systems.
Assessments, discussion questions, and the assignment are designed to assist students in comprehending the science that determines successful forage production and utilization and achieving the learning outcomes.