Can rye lose palatability in the fall?

Big Nasty

A good 3 year old buck
Hey everyone. I’ve only posted a few times but have followed the forum(s) for a couple years. I was able to plant a mostly rye (with a little wheat and clover mixed in) plot on 3SEP in Northeast KS. It was fertilized with roughly 150-200 pounds of 6-24-24 fertilizer per acre. There was enough moisture in the ground at the time to get nearly everything to germinate. We had a good rain the week after and just got over an inch of rain. Now I’m concerned that without significantly cooler temperatures in the forecast that it will make the cereal grains not near as palatable (grows too much). Should I mow it next week in an attempt for more new growth or just let it go? Really don’t have a trail cam on that area to determine usage. Perhaps I will know more when I get back (stationed away in the military).
 

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I don't see it here with my deer, they seem to eat the tall cereal grains along with short ones. A few years I wents out west muley hunting and planted my ceral grains early and they didn't seem to mind.

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I still get them digging in the snow for it in January. What Bill said, once it gets stemmy they find something better.
 
Lickcreek use to say rye protein level stayed high till it reached 12".
 
Rye can lose some palatability as it ages. In my area (zone 7a), you have to plant pretty early in Aug to notice much of a drop by the late part of our season in early Jan. Deer typically hit it in the early spring but the drop off becomes noticeable as spring green-up occurs for other plants.

Thanks,

Jack
 
If you are worried about it you can overseed the plot again before a rain and get a crop of younger plants.
 
Rye is not at the top of the list when other foods are available but when it's the only thing still green and growing the deer decide they really like it.
 
Rye is not at the top of the list when other foods are available but when it's the only thing still green and growing the deer decide they really like it.
I live in KS (like the original poster) and have found deer on my place do not like rye well, they much prefer wheat. We have mild winters and there is quite a bit of food around. Or like you said, given the choice they like wheat better.
 
We haven't had rain in 3 weeks, my seed is still sitting there waiting for rain which is reportedly coming tonight and tomorrow. Mine should be nice and tender, lol! Anything planted labor day or after is fine, the deer will eat it.
 
I live in KS (like the original poster) and have found deer on my place do not like rye well, they much prefer wheat. We have mild winters and there is quite a bit of food around. Or like you said, given the choice they like wheat better.

Yep, every location is different. Deer here aren't picky when it comes to cereal grain. Each grain seems to have a small window when it is preferred over the others as it peaks, but that preference doesn't last long. I plant WR mostly because of the other benefits it provides to my soil.

Thanks,

Jack
 
Thanks everyone. I appreciate the input. There are a lot of folks that have a lot more experience than I do. I think I will hold what I have for now. Deer really hammered it last OCT and I hope to have the same result.
 
I hear the argument on habitat forums often that rye has a soil benefit over wheat, but the regenerative and soil health crowds view wheat and rye pretty much equally for soil health. Grazers on the otherhand tend to prefer wheat for palatability and longer grazing dates than rye. Rye shines for those in the northern states because it is hardier in harsh winter conditions (less winter kill than wheat), and it tends to be palatable earlier than wheat. The downside is that it becomes stemmy and less likely to be eaten earlier in the spring than wheat. I 100% get why the guys up north in Wis and MN need winter rye over wheat, it's simply the only thing that works.

A couple of quick reads:
https://www.soilhealthpartnership.org/blog-story/cover-crops-which-one-should-i-choose/

From the link... Notice that wheat and rye have the same Soil Health Benefits, but rye has a high carbon to nitrogen ratio requiring nitrogen inputs.
  • Cereal Rye
    • Most widely-used cover crop in the Midwest
    • Soil health benefits: breaks up compaction layers, erosion control, fast biomass growth, grazing and forage potential, nutrient scavenger
    • Caution using before corn, due to high carbon to nitrogen ratios and potential allelopathic effects. Early termination and starter with plenty of nitrogen applied upfront help to minimize nitrogen tie-up. Plant 2 inches deep with a well-closed seed trench to avoid allelopathy.
    • Allowing more spring growth could improve weed control in soybeans
  • Wheat
    • Good option similar to cereal rye, better forage option
    • Slower spring growth and less overall biomass than cereal rye.
    • Soil health benefits: breaks up compaction layers, erosion control, fast biomass growth, grazing and forage potential, nutrient scavenger

Another easy read for the grazing crowd...
https://cropwatch.unl.edu/rye-triticale-or-wheat-which-best-fits-your-spring-forage-need
 
Mine is over 12 inches along with the oats . I’m really shocked by the lack of usage in the LC Mix. This is the first year it’s been planted in this location at my buddy’s . No other food plots in the area besides corn. They have been hitting the tops of radishes tho. He’s got high deer numbers too. I’m hoping it’s just the acorns doing it. They are browsing it, but very very little.
 
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It was fertilized with roughly 150-200 pounds of 6-24-24 fertilizer per acre. .

That is a high amount of fertilizer for any crop you would plant at this time of year. Only certain plants at this time of year will have some growth, mostly root establishment.

WR doesn't need fertilizer. Don't know your zone, may have planted to early and then accelerated growth due to excessive fertilizer. Clover you planted now will only green up next spring.
 
Most of what I planted was a new plot (was covered in low quality deciduous species, cedars, and broomsedge bluestem this time last year. It was extremely deficient in P and K based on the soil test with a pH of 5.8. I generally followed that Lick Creek / Paul Knox / Double Tree thread recommendation for a new plot. I was stationed in Omaha before I moved to Des Moines and found a really good fertilizer. The 6-24-24 has lime filler and is competitively priced. https://retail.nebraskaturf.com/6-2...me-Filler-Deer-Plot-Specialty-Fertilizer.html
 
P and K can be banked unlike N


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P and K can be banked unlike N


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And fall is generally best to apply those two anyways


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I hear the argument on habitat forums often that rye has a soil benefit over wheat, but the regenerative and soil health crowds view wheat and rye pretty much equally for soil health. Grazers on the otherhand tend to prefer wheat for palatability and longer grazing dates than rye. Rye shines for those in the northern states because it is hardier in harsh winter conditions (less winter kill than wheat), and it tends to be palatable earlier than wheat. The downside is that it becomes stemmy and less likely to be eaten earlier in the spring than wheat. I 100% get why the guys up north in Wis and MN need winter rye over wheat, it's simply the only thing that works.

A couple of quick reads:
https://www.soilhealthpartnership.org/blog-story/cover-crops-which-one-should-i-choose/

From the link... Notice that wheat and rye have the same Soil Health Benefits, but rye has a high carbon to nitrogen ratio requiring nitrogen inputs.
  • Cereal Rye
    • Most widely-used cover crop in the Midwest
    • Soil health benefits: breaks up compaction layers, erosion control, fast biomass growth, grazing and forage potential, nutrient scavenger
    • Caution using before corn, due to high carbon to nitrogen ratios and potential allelopathic effects. Early termination and starter with plenty of nitrogen applied upfront help to minimize nitrogen tie-up. Plant 2 inches deep with a well-closed seed trench to avoid allelopathy.
    • Allowing more spring growth could improve weed control in soybeans
  • Wheat
    • Good option similar to cereal rye, better forage option
    • Slower spring growth and less overall biomass than cereal rye.
    • Soil health benefits: breaks up compaction layers, erosion control, fast biomass growth, grazing and forage potential, nutrient scavenger

Another easy read for the grazing crowd...
https://cropwatch.unl.edu/rye-triticale-or-wheat-which-best-fits-your-spring-forage-need

I recall Paul had a great thread comparing WR to WW on the QDMA forum. It was one I wish I had saved here.

One of the big advantages I've found with WR over WW is how well it grows in less than optimal pH and fertility. As I've been slowly improving the health of my soil over the years minimizing tillage and smart mix/rotations. As nutrient cycling has improved, I have not used commercial fertilizer in the last few years and I have not seen a drop-off in production or deer use. I find that it germinates significantly better than WW when surface broadcast on my soil. They may not be true in all soil types. Like buckwheat, it germinates in my truck bed. Winter Rye seems to both germinate and grow at lower temperatures than WW. That may not matter in all areas, but in my zone, we often get enough warm days during winter for the WR to begin growing again and become an important food source. I say "seems" because I have not seen this in the literature (not that I've looked for it). WR is certainly more cold hardy than WW for the folks that live far north.

Those are just a few things I recall that differentiates them beyond you you've already pointed out.

Thanks,

Jack
 
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