The Annual Forage Trials (AFTs) began at LARA in 2008 with the purpose of comparing annual silage crops for whole-plant production when considering both yield and quality. Funding was obtained from the Alberta Beef Producers and the Ag and Food Council. The trial was seeded in four blocks of plots (barley, oats, triticale and alternatives) in three locations (Fort Kent, St. Paul and Lac La Biche).

This trial was expanded in 2009 to form the Regional Silage Trials, a provincial partnership between six applied research and forage associations with 11 plot sites across the province. The Alberta Beef Producers provided funding for this initiative and Alberta Agriculture has helped with seed coordination. While many of the associations involved have been growing silage trials for a number of years, this is the first coordinated effort to standardize protocol, variety selection and data reporting. Provincial protocol was established for five blocks of plots: barley, oats, triticale, pulses and late-seeded.

In partnership with the Association of Alberta Co-op Seed Cleaning Plants and the Alberta Seed Growers Association the Regional Silage Trial information will appear in the annual Spring Alberta’s Seed Guide (seed.ab.ca).

Participating Organizations

• Battle River Research Group
• Chinook Applied Research Association
• Gateway Research Organization
• North Peace Applied Research Association
• Peace Country Beef and Forage Association
• Smoky Applied Research and Demonstration Association
• West Central Forage Association

2025 results: Click here to view full report.

2024 results:  Click here to view full report.

2023 results: Click here to view the full report.

2022 results: Click here to view the full report.

2021 results: Click here to view full report.

2020 results: Click here to view the full report.