Oats
I. Topic

 
This lecture deals with oats.  Oats are not grown on as many acres as wheat and barley.  However, they are superior feed for horses, dairy cows and breeding stock.
 
II. Learning Objectives

 
To become familiar with where oats are grown. 
To understand how oats are utilized. 
To become aware of the adaptation of oats, and how they fit into cropping systems.
To understand the general components of oat culture and management. 
 
III. Overview
 
Oats were domesticated from several wild oat species about 5,000 years ago in Central Asia.  They were late comers, following two-row barley and wheat 2,000 - 3,000 years later.  Oats do not equal wheat for nutritional value for humans, but are especially valuable as a "cool" (not high in energy) feed for breeding animals and horses.  Prior to the coming of the tractor, great acreage of oats were grown to feed draft horses used for farm power.
 
Oats differ from wheat, barley, and rye in that they have a panicle type inflorescence. They are adapted o cool temperate regions with 25 or more inches of rainfall.  Oats cannot stand drought and heat.  Oats fit well into rotations, often following corn or tobacco in the American South.  Winter oats can be harvested in May or early June which permits double cropping of soybeans, sorghum, or pearl millet.
 
More than 80% of all oats are used as animal feed.  When used as horse feed, oats provide 90% of the energy of corn.  Oats are ground or rolled and fed to dairy cattle, breeding stock, and young stock.  Oats are also used as breakfast foods and as a flour.
 
IV. History

1.  Two closely related species of oats cultivated today.

2.  Today's varieties evolved from several species of wild oats about 5,000 years ago.  
3. 
First grown on island of MA in 1602.   By 1611 the Jamestown, Virginia colonists growing oats on mainland. 
4. 
Acreage planted to oats is variable and on the decline. 
5.
They are grown on more than 30 million ha with production exceeding 50 million metric tons or 1.65 T/ha. 
6.    Leading countries:
 
7. 
 
In U. S., oats harvested on 6.5 million ha (16 million acres) producing 12 million metric tons (831) million bu) or 1.8 tons/ha (52 bu.a).
 
8. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Leading states in production are: 
  • Minnesota
  • North Dakota
  • South Dakota
  • Wisconsin
  • Iowa (2/3 of crop)
CONCEPT 
Oats do best in cool climates, grown as a summer crop.  They have the least cold tollerance of the small grains, so they don't do as well as a winter grain. 
Utilization

 
1. 
Oats do not equal wheat in their nutritional value for humans. 
2. 
They fit well into many crop rotations. 
3. 
Fall-sown oats are valuable in the South for pasture and soil erosion. 
4. 
They are superior feed for horses, dairy cows, and breeding stock. 
5. 
Oats can be grown early in the spring on corn ground before planting other crops is possible. 
6. 
In regions where annual hay is produced and oat straw is valuable, bedding material. 
7. 
However, in spite of its nutritional value and broad adaptation, oats rank a distant 5th in world cereal production. 
CONCEPT
Oat use is declining because of replacement of annual power on the farm.
Botany

 
1.  Oats have a panicle type inflorescence.  
2. 
A spikelet is formed at the end of each pedicel and consists of two fertile lateral florets, and a sterile central floret. 
3. 
In vegetative state, oats are recognizable by the presence of a very conspicuous ligule and the absence of auricles 
4. 
Range from 2-5 ft. Tall depending on cultivation and environment. 
5.
Each plant normally has 3-5 tillers.  The stems are hollow. 
6.
The root system is fine, highly ranched and can reach depths of several feet.
7.   A single oat plant can produce more than 100 viable kernels.
8.   Hulls don't thresh free from caryopsis at maturity.
 
CONCEPT
Oats do not threch free, holding their seed leaves.  This adds to oat bulk, and reduces bushel weight. (32 Lb. vs. wheats' 58 Lb./Bu.)
Adaption

 
1.
Oats adapted to cool temperate regions with 25 or more inches of precipitation. 
2. 
They often fail in Great Plains because of drought and heat. 
3. 
Temperatures above 330C (91oF) at flowering cause blasting (dropping of florets). 
4. 
 
 
 
Oats are not as heat tolerant as wheat or barley. 
  • Mediterranean "red oats" are more heat tolerant
5.
At high N levels, oats can accumulate enough nitrates to be toxic to livestock. 
6.
pH is not critical, oats tolerate a wide range. 
7. 
Light to medium texture soils best, oats tend to lodge in heavy soils. 
8. 
Greater than 60 lbs. N cause nitrate accumulation and lodging. 
9.
In humid areas, use of P usually gives favorable economic returns.
 
Culture
1.  Seedbed preparation
 
2.
Usually planted without plowing unless there is abundance of weeds or heavy soil. 
3.
Fall sown oats should be seeded from mid-September to mid-October.
 
4.  Spring oats should be seeded as early as possible.
5.  Seeded with grain drill, 2-2 2 bu/a
6. 
Where oats follow corn in rotation, broadcasting is often practiced to avoid fouling the drill with corn stubble. 
 
CONCEPT
Since oats are the least winter hardy, they should be planted the earliest of the cereals in the fall if grown as a winter crop.
Harvesting
 
1.  Harvested with a combine.
2.  Shattering is a problem.
 
3. 
If hay, highest yields obtained when cut at milk or very soft dough stage 
4.
In Virginia, oats normally harvested from June 1-15 (spring oats July 1-15) 
5.
Average weight - 32 lb/bu yields 50-100 bu/a.
 
Rotations
1. 
In south, fall-sown oats regions, oats usually follow corn or sometimes tobacco.  Corn usually follows a legume winter - cover and green mature crop. 
2. 

 
 

 
 
 
Oats are often harvested in May or early June to permit double cropping. 
  • Soybeans
  • Sorghum
  • Pearl millet
3. 

 
Winter-oat fields that have been grazed may be plowed for later planting to cotton or tobacco. 
4.
Oats are often planted with annual or biennial legume (sweet clover (S.), red clover (n)).  The oats are harvested for grain and the companion legume grows and serves as a green manure crop in the fall. 
 
Utilization

 
1. 

 
2. 
 
 
 
 
 
57 million bu of oats used for seed. 

 
119 million bu. used for food. 
  • In form of rolled oats
  • Domestic use and export
CONCEPT 
Oats make the best hay of the cereal grains.  Cut at the late milk stage of grain formation. 
3.  More than 80% used for feed or export.
4.  90% of corn when used as horse feed.
Insects
 
1.  Green bug.
 
2.  Aphids 
  • Transmit viral diseases
CONCEPT 
As draft animals disappeared, less oats were grown, freeing up land for more profitable crops.  In pre-tractor days, 25% of a farm might be devoted to oats, hay, and straw for farm power. 
3.  Cereal leaf beetle
 
V. Summary
 
Oats are declining in importance in the world, primarily due to the decilne of draft animals used in the cool temperate zone where oats are best adapted.  However, oats still have some unique characteristics that make them valuable in cropping systems.  Oats make the best hay of the cereals.  Oats can be grown in the winter in the warm temperate zone, and make good companion seedings for legumes and can mature nearly enough in the spring to allow double cropping.
 
Nutritionally, oats provide livestock with a high protein, low energy ration that promotes growth or muscle and bone without excessive finish (fattening).  Oats will grow in acid soils and can produce high ields in soil where barley and wheat would fail.  This is why oats are an important crop in granitic (acid) soils of the highlands of Scottland, and are an important component of the human diet there (oatmeal, scones, etc.).
 
VI. Self Assessment
Be able to explain where oats are grown and why.
What are the advantages/disadvantages of oats.
What is the relationship between oat production and the coming of the tracor? 
What type of livestock benefits most from an oat ration?
How can oats be used in a cropping system?
 
 
 
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Last updated January 23, 2008