Methods for producing hay and silage raw materials by intercropping oats and peas

Abstract

This invention relates to a method for producing hay and silage raw materials by co-sowing oats and peas, belonging to the field of forage cultivation technology. The method includes the following steps: A. Site selection; B. Land preparation; C. Variety selection: using 'Menglong' forage oats and 'Zhongwan 10' forage peas; D. Sowing; E. Field management; F. Harvesting. This method is applicable to high-altitude pastoral areas at elevations of 2000-3000m, with fresh grass yields reaching over 63.4 t·hm⁻², representing a 22.77% increase compared to oat monoculture and a 24.75% increase compared to pea monoculture, significantly improving land utilization. It alleviates the winter and spring forage shortage, reduces the cost of purchased forage, enhances livestock farming efficiency, and supports the sustainable development of animal husbandry in high-altitude pastoral areas. Simultaneously, it increases the crude protein content of hay by 27.63%, the crude protein content of silage by 38.51%, and reduces the fiber content by 9.51%-32.36%, achieving nutritional complementarity between cereals and legumes. Furthermore, biological nitrogen fixation in peas improves soil, reduces nitrogen fertilizer input, increases surface cover, and facilitates soil and water conservation and grassland restoration.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a method for producing hay and silage raw materials by co-sowing oats and peas in high-altitude pastoral areas, belonging to the field of forage cultivation technology. Background Technology

[0002] Southern my country boasts abundant grassland and hillside resources, serving as a vital ecological security barrier for the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and a crucial foundation for the development of herbivorous livestock farming in high-altitude pastoral areas. However, these areas, exemplified by northwestern Sichuan and Liangshan Prefecture, suffer from severe challenges due to factors such as cold climate, extensive farming practices, limited crop variety, and insufficient technological support. These include prominent issues like natural grassland degradation, soil erosion, and soil infertility, resulting in a low supply of high-quality forage. Leguminous forage cultivation accounts for an extremely low percentage in this region, reliance on external sources for protein forage, and seasonal forage shortages during winter and spring, exacerbating the conflict between forage and livestock needs.

[0003] In existing oat and leguminous forage intercropping techniques, the traditional oat and arrowhead pea intercropping suffers from significant differences in plant height, leading to a severe imbalance in interspecific competition. Oat plants typically reach 80-120 cm in height, while arrowhead pea plants only reach 40-60 cm. Oats exert a monopolistic competition for light, water, and nutrients, while arrowhead pea is at a disadvantage in light competition, resulting in suppressed photosynthesis, reduced pod setting rate, and lower overall biomass compared to monoculture oat, failing to achieve the core function of leguminous protein supplementation. Furthermore, perennial grass-leguminous intercropping grasslands accumulate biomass slowly in the early stages, have low yields in the first year, and are prone to soil compaction and fertility decline with long-term use; single grass forage has insufficient protein content, and single leguminous forage has low yields, both of which are insufficient to meet the needs of large-scale hay and silage production.

[0004] The existing technology "A Method for Establishing Oat and Pea Mixed Planting Ratios" discloses a method for establishing annual forage grasslands by mixed planting of oats and peas, but it has the following shortcomings: (1) It has not carried out research on the nutritional quality and fermentation characteristics of oat / pea hay preparation and silage fermentation under different mixed planting ratios, and it is impossible to clarify whether the optimal mixed planting ratio is suitable for hay storage and silage processing needs. It only stays at the field establishment level and cannot support the commercial processing and utilization of forage in pastoral areas; (2) The mixed planting does not combine the restoration of degraded grassland cover and the increase of grass yield with the return of straw residues after hay and silage processing to the field and nutrient cycling, and lacks a complete system of "grass slope improvement-forage production-processing utilization-soil fertility maintenance". In pastoral areas above 2000 m in the south, it is difficult to achieve the synergistic balance between ecological restoration and forage processing industrialization.

[0005] The "Technology for Mixed Sowing of Oats and Vetch in Pastoral Areas of Northwest Sichuan" discloses a method for mixed sowing of oats and Vetch, but it has the following technical defects: (1) Vetch has a low biomass and insufficient supply of high-quality forage, making it difficult to meet the supplementary feeding needs in winter and spring; (2) Vetch and oats have significant differences in plant height. Oats grow faster and are more competitive, while Vetch is at a disadvantage in terms of light energy and nutrients. During the mixed sowing process, growth is inhibited and the community structure is unstable.

[0006] Therefore, given the unique ecological and production conditions of grassland improvement in high-altitude pastoral areas at elevations of 2000-3000 m, there is an urgent need to establish a mixed sowing technology system for annual grasses and beans based on suitable variety combinations and optimized configurations. This system can produce high-yield, high-quality forage on limited land, alleviate seasonal forage shortages, and reduce livestock costs. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In response to the above situation, this invention proposes a method for producing hay and silage raw materials by co-sowing oats and peas. This method fully utilizes the selection of variety combinations with matching plant height and synchronized growth period, optimizes sowing, management and harvesting parameters, constructs a stable cereal / pea symbiotic system, improves fresh grass yield and nutritional quality, and achieves a balanced supply of grass and livestock.

[0008] The technical solution of the present invention: A method for producing hay and silage raw materials by co-sowing oats and peas includes the following steps:

[0009] A. Site selection: Select a site that is flat, has deep soil, good water supply, and a slope of ≤5°, and remove stones, weeds and debris;

[0010] B. Land preparation: Remove stones, weeds and debris from the selected plot; apply 20,000-30,000 kg·hm-² of well-rotted farmyard manure as base fertilizer; and plow the land, then harrow and compact it to ensure that the soil is fine and the surface is flat.

[0011] C. Variety selection: 'Menglong' feed oats and 'Zhongwan No. 10' feed peas were selected;

[0012] D. Sowing: Sow in April or May each year when the soil temperature at a depth of 5cm is consistently above 5℃; mix the seeds of feed oats and feed peas thoroughly and then sow in rows with a row spacing of 30cm; the sowing rate of feed oats is 90.00kg·hm-² and the sowing rate of feed peas is 90.00kg·hm-², with equal amounts sown in the same row.

[0013] E. Field Management:

[0014] a. Checking and replanting seedlings: Check the seedling emergence in the field when the forage oats are at the 3-4 leaf stage, and immediately transplant any missing seedlings to the site.

[0015] b. Irrigation: Irrigate promptly after sowing according to soil moisture conditions, and irrigate 2-3 times during the growing season;

[0016] c. Topdressing: Apply compound fertilizer during the jointing stage of forage oats;

[0017] d. Weed control: Remove weeds during the seedling stage, and loosen the soil by shallow tilling during weeding;

[0018] e. Pest and disease control: Control of aphids and thrips;

[0019] F. Harvesting: Harvest oats once during their peak flowering period, leaving a stubble height of 5cm. Harvest once a year. After harvesting, allow them to air dry naturally until the moisture content is ≤15% to obtain hay, or bundle them for storage, or air dry them in the field for 6-8 hours until the moisture content is 65%-70% to obtain silage raw materials.

[0020] Furthermore, in step B, the tillage depth is ≥30cm.

[0021] Furthermore, in step B, 25,000 kg·hm⁻² of well-rotted farmyard manure is applied as base fertilizer after tilling.

[0022] Furthermore, in step D, the seeds of feed oats and feed peas are thoroughly mixed at 60% and 40% of the single-seeding amount, respectively, and then sown in rows.

[0023] Furthermore, in step E, a 2000-fold dilution of 10% imidacloprid wettable powder or deltamethrin is used as a spray to control aphids and thrips.

[0024] Furthermore, in step E, the compound fertilizer applied is N-P2O5-K2O:1:1:1, and its dosage is 150.00 kg·hm-².

[0025] Furthermore, in step E, the weeds are removed by manual pulling.

[0026] The method of this invention has the following beneficial effects: The method of producing hay and silage raw materials by co-sowing oats and peas as described in this invention is suitable for high-altitude pastoral areas at an altitude of 2000-3000m. The fresh grass yield can reach more than 63.4t·hm-², which is 22.77% higher than oat monosowing and 24.75% higher than pea monosowing, and the land utilization rate is greatly improved. It alleviates the winter and spring forage shortage, reduces the cost of purchasing forage, improves breeding efficiency, and supports the sustainable development of animal husbandry in high-altitude pastoral areas. At the same time, the crude protein content of hay increases by 27.63%, the crude protein content of silage increases by 38.51%, and the fiber content decreases by 9.51%~32.36%, achieving nutritional complementarity between cereals and peas. The biological nitrogen fixation of peas used for feed improves the soil, reduces nitrogen fertilizer input, increases surface cover, and is conducive to soil and water conservation and grassland restoration. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 Image of oat feed for 'Dream Dragon';

[0028] Figure 2 Image of 'Zhongwan 10' peas for animal feed;

[0029] Figure 3 Seeding diagrams for feed oats and feed peas;

[0030] Figure 4 This is a diagram showing the harvesting of feed oats and feed peas together. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The following more specific and detailed description of non-limiting embodiments will help in understanding the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments, but is determined by the claims.

[0032] Example 1

[0033] The present invention will be further described in detail below through specific embodiments. A method for producing hay and silage raw materials by co-sowing oats and peas includes the following steps:

[0034] A. Site Selection: The experimental site is located at the Sichuan Liangshan Semi-fine Wool Sheep Breeding Farm Experimental Base in Butuo County, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, with geographical coordinates of 27.95°N, 102.95°E and an altitude of 3500m. The selected site is a relatively flat area with a slope of less than 5°, convenient irrigation, convenient transportation, a soil layer thickness of more than 50cm, good water source conditions, and a contiguous area of ​​0.5hm².

[0035] B. Land preparation: Remove stones, weeds and debris from the selected plot; plow and harrow to a depth of 30cm; apply 25,000 kg·hm-² of well-rotted farmyard manure as base fertilizer during the tillage process; after tillage, use a disc harrow to harrow and then use a roller to compact the soil to ensure that the soil is fine and the surface is flat.

[0036] C. Variety Selection: 'Menglong' feed oats and 'Zhongwan No. 10' feed peas are selected; Figure 1 , 2 As shown, Figure 1 Image of oat feed for 'Dream Dragon'; Figure 2 Image of 'Zhongwan 10' peas for animal feed;

[0037] D. Sowing: Sow on a sunny day, April 10th. Thoroughly mix the seeds of feed oats and feed peas at 60% and 40% of the single-seeding rate, respectively, and sow in rows. Manually control the sowing uniformity. The row spacing should be 30 cm. The sowing rate for feed oats is 90.00 kg·hm⁻², and the sowing rate for feed peas is 90.00 kg·hm⁻². Figure 3 As shown;

[0038] E. Field Management:

[0039] a. Checking and replanting seedlings: Check the seedling emergence in the field when the forage oats are at the 3-4 leaf stage, and immediately transplant any missing seedlings to the site.

[0040] b. Irrigation: Irrigate promptly after sowing according to soil moisture conditions, and irrigate 2-3 times during the growing season;

[0041] c. Topdressing: Apply compound fertilizer (N-P2O5-K2O: 1:1:1) at the jointing stage of forage oats at 150.00 kg·hm-²;

[0042] d. Weed control: Manually remove weeds during the seedling stage, combining weeding with shallow tilling to loosen the soil;

[0043] e. Pest and disease control: When aphids occur in feed oats or feed peas, spray with a 2000-fold dilution of 10% imidacloprid wettable powder in a timely manner for control;

[0044] F. Harvesting: Harvest the forage oats together with the forage peas on August 15th, when they are in full bloom, leaving a stubble height of 5 cm; Figure 4 As shown, after harvesting, the feed oats and feed peas are dried in the field for 3-4 days to reduce the moisture content to below 15% before being bundled into hay; or dried for 6-8 hours to reduce the moisture content to 65%-70% before being used as raw materials for silage.

[0045] Comparative Example 1

[0046] The difference from Example 1 is that in step D, the sowing amount of feed oats is 105.00 kg·hm-², and the sowing amount of feed peas is 67.50 kg·hm-², accounting for 70% and 30% of the single-sowing ratio, respectively. The remaining steps are the same as in Example 1.

[0047] Comparative Example 2

[0048] The difference between the single-sowing of feed peas and Example 1 is that the sowing amount of feed oats in step D is 0 kg·hm-², and the sowing amount of feed peas is 225.00 kg·hm-², while the rest of the steps are the same as in Example 1.

[0049] Comparative Example 3

[0050] The difference between the single-sowing of feed oats and Example 1 is that the sowing amount of feed oats in step D is 150.00 kg·hm-², and the sowing amount of feed peas is 0 kg·hm-². The remaining steps are the same as in Example 1.

[0051] Hay and silage raw materials were prepared according to the methods of Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1-3. The fresh weight and dry weight were counted, and the results are shown in Table 1.

[0052] Table 1 Comparison of forage yields under different treatments

[0053]

[0054] As shown in Table 1, the fresh grass yield and dry grass yield of Example 1 were significantly higher than those of other treatments (p<0.05). The fresh grass yield of Example 1 increased by 8.41%, 24.75%, and 22.77% compared with Comparative Examples 1, 2, and 3, respectively, and the dry grass yield increased by 19.02%, 122.92%, and 29.52%, respectively.

[0055] In mixed crop / legum sowing systems, competition and mutual benefit coexist, and their intensity and contribution to system productivity are mainly influenced by crop variety combinations, spatial configuration patterns, and growth period matching. The sowing ratio is a key factor determining interspecific competition dynamics and population effects. Example 1 uses a 6:4 sowing ratio, where forage oats and forage peas form a stable competitive pattern, with both benefiting from growth. In Comparative Example 1, reducing the proportion of forage peas weakens the interspecific complementary effect and reduces yield. Comparative Example 2 and Comparative Example 3 show low biomass due to monoculture of peas and oats, respectively.

[0056] Example 2

[0057] Hay and silage raw materials were prepared according to the methods of Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1-3. Nutritional components were determined according to national standards: crude protein content was determined using the Kjeldahl method (GB / T 6432-2018); dry matter content was determined using the direct drying method (GB / T 6435-2014); soluble carbohydrate content was determined using the anthrone-sulfuric acid method; neutral detergent fiber content was determined using GB / T20806-2006; and acid detergent fiber content was determined using NY / T 1459-2007. The results are shown in Tables 2 and 3.

[0058] Table 2 Comparison of nutritional components of dried hay (dry matter basis)

[0059]

[0060] Table 3 Comparison of nutritional components of silage (fresh sample basis)

[0061]

[0062] As shown in Table 2, the crude protein content of hay in Example 1 was 27.63% higher than that of Comparative Example 3 (oat monoculture), while the neutral detergent fiber content was 9.51% lower, indicating a significant improvement in nutritional quality. Although Comparative Example 2 (pea monoculture) had a high crude protein content, its dry matter yield was low, and the dry matter content was not significantly different from that of Example 1.

[0063] As shown in Table 3, the crude protein content of silage in Example 1 was 38.52% higher than that in Comparative Example 3, and the dry matter content was 48.68% and 40.81% higher than that in Comparative Examples 2 and 3, respectively. The neutral detergent fiber content was 28.81% lower than that in Comparative Example 3, and the acid detergent fiber content was 32.07% lower than that in Comparative Example 3. The soluble carbohydrate content in Example 1 was lower than that in the monoculture treatment because the fermentation quality of the mixed-sowing treatment was better, and the microbial reproduction consumed more sugar, which is a normal physiological and biochemical process of silage fermentation.

[0064] In summary, this invention, through the co-sowing of feed oats and feed peas, achieves significantly better yield and quality than monoculture, providing an effective technical solution for the production of high-quality forage and the improvement of grasslands and slopes in high-altitude pastoral areas at elevations of 2000-3000m. Fresh grass yield can reach over 63.4 t·hm⁻², an increase of 22.77% compared to oat monoculture and 24.75% compared to pea monoculture, significantly improving land utilization. It alleviates the winter and spring forage shortage, reduces the cost of purchased forage, improves livestock farming efficiency, and supports the sustainable development of animal husbandry in high-altitude pastoral areas. Simultaneously, the crude protein content of hay increases by 27.63%, the crude protein content of silage increases by 38.51%, and the fiber content decreases by 9.51%-32.36%, achieving nutritional complementarity between cereals and peas. Feed peas improve soil through biological nitrogen fixation, reduce nitrogen fertilizer input, increase surface cover, and facilitate soil and water conservation and grassland and slope restoration.

[0065] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for producing hay and silage raw materials by co-sowing oats and peas, characterized in that: Includes the following steps: A. Site selection: Select a site that is flat, has deep soil, good water supply, and a slope of ≤5°, and remove stones, weeds and debris; B. Land preparation: Remove stones, weeds and debris from the selected plot; apply 20,000-30,000 kg·hm-² of well-rotted farmyard manure as base fertilizer; and plow the land, then harrow and compact it to ensure that the soil is fine and the surface is flat. C. Variety selection: 'Menglong' feed oats and 'Zhongwan No. 10' feed peas were selected; D. Sowing: Sow in April or May each year when the soil temperature at a depth of 5cm is consistently above 5℃; mix the seeds of feed oats and feed peas thoroughly and then sow in rows with a row spacing of 30cm; the sowing rate of feed oats is 90.00kg·hm-² and the sowing rate of feed peas is 90.00kg·hm-², with equal amounts sown in the same row. E. Field Management: a. Checking and replanting seedlings: Check the seedling emergence in the field when the forage oats are at the 3-4 leaf stage, and immediately transplant any missing seedlings to the site. b. Irrigation: Irrigate promptly after sowing according to soil moisture conditions, and irrigate 2-3 times during the growing season; c. Topdressing: Apply compound fertilizer during the jointing stage of forage oats; d. Weed control: Remove weeds during the seedling stage, and loosen the soil by shallow tilling during weeding; e. Pest and disease control: Control of aphids and thrips; F. Harvesting: Harvest oats once during their peak flowering period, leaving a stubble height of 5cm. Harvest once a year. After harvesting, allow them to air dry naturally until the moisture content is ≤15% to obtain hay, or bundle them for storage, or air dry them in the field for 6-8 hours until the moisture content is 65%-70% to obtain silage raw materials.

2. The method for producing hay and silage raw materials by co-sowing oats and peas according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step B, the tillage depth is ≥30cm.

3. The method for producing hay and silage raw materials by co-sowing oats and peas according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step B, after tilling, apply 25,000 kg·hm⁻² of well-rotted farmyard manure as base fertilizer.

4. The method for producing hay and silage raw materials by co-sowing oats and peas according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step D, the seeds of feed oats and feed peas are thoroughly mixed at 60% and 40% of the single-seeding amount, respectively, and then sown in rows.

5. The method for producing hay and silage raw materials by co-sowing oats and peas according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step E, aphids and thrips are controlled by spraying with a 2000-fold dilution of 10% imidacloprid wettable powder or deltamethrin.

6. The method for producing hay and silage raw materials by co-sowing oats and peas according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step E, the compound fertilizer applied is N-P2O5-K2O:1:1:1, and the dosage is 150.00 kg·hm-².

7. The method for producing hay and silage raw materials by co-sowing oats and peas according to claim 1, characterized in that, Weeds were removed manually by pulling them out.

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