Experience on the cultivation of forage crops for silage in the North

The development of animal husbandry in the zone of risky agriculture in Yakutia is impossible without creating a solid fodder base, so the primary task of fodder production is the production of high-protein fodder, balanced by protein and mineral content. One of the leading places in solving this problem belongs to annual crops and their mixtures. It is important to increase the production and improve the quality of all types of fodder, primarily by expanding mixed crops, improving the technology of their cultivation and harvesting. Scientific research on cultivation of annual fodder crops for haylage production was conducted at the experimental plot of the laboratory of fodder production of YANIISKH in 2016-2018 on the second above floodplain terrace of the Lena River. Data on biometric measurements, green mass yield, chemical composition and nutritive value of annual fodder crops were obtained. During the years of research the two-component pea-oat mixture was the most productive and nutritious among mixed crops at all 3 sowing dates (1st date - May 24, 2nd date - June 12, 3rd date - July 2), yield averaged 199.3-264.0 t/ha, fodder units 33.9-73.1 t/ha, digestible protein 4.68-5.78 t/ha and vetch-oat mixture yield green mass 183.5-241.5 t/ha, fodder units 33.3-41.8 t/ha, digestible protein 4.68-5.78 t/ha. As a result of the research, the second and third sowing dates (II decade of June - I decade of July) turned out to be the best sowing dates for oats, vetch-oat, pea-oat and pea-oat- barley mixtures for haylage. For the production of haylage in the conditions of Central Yakutia, the best variants were the two-component vetch-oat and pea-oat mixtures both in terms of green mass productivity and nutritive value of forage. According to the nutritional qualities, the optimal phase for harvesting green mass of forage crops for haylage is the onset of the phase: cereals - milk-wax ripeness, legumes - in the phase of flowering-fruit formation.