Research

Background

CDC Cowboy and CDC Maverick are currently the most popular varieties of forage barley in the prairies. However, several new varieties such as AB Cattlelac, AB Advantage, and AB Wrangler have entered the market recently. In addition, barley breeding programs have several promising lines that are close to being released. These upcoming varieties require multiple years of testing before they can be commercialized and are compared to varieties already in use in multiple locations, for improvements in yield, forage quality, lodging, and other desirable forage barley traits.

Objectives

• Evaluate advanced barley lines across different soil zones of western Canada to provide data for variety registration.
• Select and release promising lines with high forage yield and quality into the commercial market.

What they did

Newly developed barley lines were tested against four commonly used varieties (AB Cattlelac, CDC Austenson, CDC Cowboy, Vivar). Two separate trials were conducted, one in which varieties were assessed for forage traits and another in which they were assessed for feed traits. The forage set was tested in seven locations in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba and the grain set was tested at 15 locations. Varieties were evaluated for various agronomic and feed quality parameters with an emphasis on feed and forage traits.

What they learned

In each of the three years of testing, the barley lines showed substantial differences both in terms of forage and grain yields, and their nutritional and digestibility profiles as animal feed. They also varied in how well they adapted to different conditions, with some of the lines seemed to be more broadly adapted, while others were better suited to specific areas.

Western Crop Innovations (WCI) released three new varieties, AB Maximizer, AB Standswell and FB22816 that showed high potential for forage production during the duration of this project. AB Maximizer and AB Standswell were released in 2022, and these will be available to producers for the 2025 cropping season. FB22816 was released in spring 2024. It is currently undergoing seed propagation and will become commercially available to producers in 2027.

The three new varieties had 20-25% higher grain yield than the traditional forage variety CDC Cowboy, while providing the same high forage yield as CDC Cowboy. WCI selects for high grain to straw ratios in forage varieties. Given that grain is typically the most digestible and nutrient-rich part of barley, prioritizing high grain to straw ratios in forage varieties is key to optimizing feed nutrition for livestock. Based on modeled quality data, AB Maximizer could provide 265 cow-days/acre of swathgrazing at a cost of $1.30/cow-day (compared to an average of 256 cow-days/acre and similar cost per cow-day for the check varieties). AB Standswell shows promise for grazing backgrounders with a modelled 1.52 lb/day gain and cost of gain at $0.76/lb (compared to the average of the check varieties at 1.44 lb/day and $0.81/lb).

There are several other barley lines on the horizon that are showing even more progress in terms of yield, standability, resistance to diseases, and the quality of the feed they provide. The new lines coming through the pipeline are expected to increase both grain and forage yields by an extra 5-10%. These advancements represent promising developments in ongoing efforts to enhance barley varieties.

What it means

Advancing barley genetics for forage performance goes a long way to support the Alberta and western Canadian livestock industry. The new barley varieties are delivering higher carrying capacity, meaning they can support more livestock per acre of land, and reduce costs of production. This increased yield is aided by improved standability and disease resistance. The newer genetics with higher forage quality also boost the rate of weight gain in livestock.

There is no one single barley variety that will excel at every trait in every environment. Each segment of the livestock industry has its own unique requirements, whether it is cow-calf, backgrounding, or feedlot operations. Similarly, the barley varieties exhibit considerable diversity. By breeding barleys with strengths in different areas, it ensures that producers have access to a range of choices that meet their diverse needs.