Information Package / Course Catalogue
Forage Crops
Course Code: SBH004
Course Type: Required
Couse Group: Short Cycle (Associate's Degree)
Education Language: Turkish
Work Placement: N/A
Theory: 2
Prt.: 1
Credit: 3
Lab: 0
ECTS: 2
Objectives of the Course

The aim of this course is to provide students with fundamental knowledge and practical skills regarding the importance of forage crops in livestock production, their biological characteristics, cultivation principles, production techniques, harvesting, and utilization methods. The course also aims to contribute to students' ability to evaluate the relationship between quality roughage production, animal nutrition, farm productivity, and sustainable livestock production, to plan forage crop production, and to apply appropriate cultivation practices in professional contexts.

Course Content

This course covers the role and importance of forage crops in livestock production, their function among feed resources, the classification and characteristics of major legume and grass forage crops, and the fundamental principles of forage crop cultivation, including land preparation, sowing, crop management, fertilization, irrigation, harvesting, hay making, storage, and silage production. The course also examines grazing management, crop rotation, soil fertility, quality roughage production, and the relationship of forage crops with animal nutrition, farm productivity, and sustainable livestock production.

Name of Lecturer(s)
Learning Outcomes
1.Explain the importance of forage crops in livestock farming, their role in quality roughage production, and their relationship with animal nutrition.
2.Classify and distinguish the major legume and grass forage crops according to their biological characteristics, utilization purposes, and cultivation principles.
3.Explain the fundamental principles of land preparation, sowing, crop management, irrigation, fertilization, harvesting, and storage in forage crop cultivation, and select appropriate cultivation practices.
4.Evaluate the major factors affecting forage crop yield and quality, and relate them to quality roughage production.
5.Evaluate forage crop production in terms of animal nutrition, farm productivity, and sustainable livestock production, and prepare basic forage production plans.
6.Apply fundamental professional knowledge and practical skills related to forage crop production through case studies, field observations, and practical applications.
Recommended or Required Reading
1.Açıkgöz, E. (2001). Forage Crops. Uludağ University Foundation Publications, Bursa, Türkiye.
2.Serin, Y., & Tan, M. (2001). Forage Crop Cultivation. Faculty of Agriculture Publications, Atatürk University, Erzurum, Türkiye.
3.Avcıoğlu, R., Hatipoğlu, R., & Karadağ, Y. (Eds.). (2009). Forage Crops (Vols. I–II). General Directorate of Agricultural Production and Development (TÜGEM), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Ankara, Türkiye.
4.Kılıç, A. (2010). Silage Feed. Hasad Publishing, İstanbul, Türkiye.
5.Alçiçek, A., Kılıç, A., Ayhan, V., & Özdoğan, M. (2005). Turkish Feed Catalogue. Meta Publishing, İzmir, Türkiye.
Weekly Detailed Course Contents
Week 1 - Theoretical
Introduction to Forage Crops: Definition, scope, importance in livestock production, concept of quality roughage and its role in farm success.
Week 1 - Practice
Introduction to forage crops, examination and identification of different forage crop samples.
Week 2 - Theoretical
Feed Resources in Livestock Production and the Role of Forage Crops: Roughage-concentrate relationship, importance of forage crops in ruminant nutrition and feed planning.
Week 2 - Practice
Examination of roughage and concentrate feed samples and comparison of their physical characteristics.
Week 3 - Theoretical
Classification of Forage Crops: Legume and grass forage crops, annual and perennial species, classification according to utilization purposes.
Week 3 - Practice
Examination and identification of the morphological characteristics of legume and grass forage crops.
Week 4 - Theoretical
Biological and Agronomic Characteristics of Forage Crops: Growth stages, climatic and soil requirements, fundamental biological characteristics affecting
Week 4 - Practice
Observation of forage crop growth stages and evaluation of plant developmental phases.
Week 5 - Theoretical
Legume Forage Crops: Characteristics and cultivation of alfalfa, sainfoin, vetch, clover and other important legume forage crops.
Week 5 - Practice
Examination of seed, plant and hay samples of legume forage crops.
Week 6 - Theoretical
Grass Forage Crops: Characteristics and cultivation of forage grasses, forage cereals and other grass forage species.
Week 6 - Practice
Examination of seed, plant and hay samples of grass forage crops.
Week 7 - Theoretical
Cultivation Principles of Forage Crops: Land preparation, seed selection, sowing methods, fertilization, irrigation and crop management practices.
Week 7 - Practice
Seed rate calculations, determination of sowing rates and preparation of a sample planting plan.
Week 8 - Theoretical
Harvesting, Drying and Storage: Harvest timing, hay production, quality losses and storage techniques.
Week 8 - Practice
Determination of harvest time, evaluation of hay quality and examination of hay bale samples.
Week 9 - Theoretical
Silage Crops and Silage Production: Silage crops, silage-making techniques, fermentation and quality silage production.
Week 9 - Practice
Examination of silage materials, physical evaluation of silage quality and sample silage analysis.
Week 10 - Theoretical
Grazing Management and Utilization of Forage Crops: Grazing systems, integration with pasture management and sustainable grazing practices.
Week 10 - Practice
Preparation of a grazing plan and evaluation of sample pasture-forage crop utilization scenarios.
Week 11 - Theoretical
Crop Rotation and Soil Fertility in Forage Crops: Crop rotation, soil health, nitrogen fixation and sustainable production.
Week 11 - Practice
Preparation of a crop rotation plan and evaluation of the contribution of forage crops to soil fertility.
Week 12 - Theoretical
Factors Affecting Yield and Quality of Forage Crops: Effects of environmental, genetic and cultivation factors on forage yield and quality.
Week 12 - Practice
Evaluation of forage crop yield and quality criteria using sample materials.
Week 13 - Theoretical
Importance of Forage Crop Production in Farm Management: Feed planning, cost management, animal performance and farm sustainability.
Week 13 - Practice
Preparation and evaluation of a forage production plan for a sample dairy or beef cattle farm.
Week 14 - Theoretical
Sustainable Forage Crop Production and Current Approaches: Climate change, organic production, digital agriculture applications and course evaluation.
Week 14 - Practice
General practical evaluation, sample farm analysis and presentation of semester practical studies.
Week 15 - Preparation Work
Week 16 - Preparation Work
Week 17 - Preparation Work
Week 18 - Preparation Work
Week 19 - Preparation Work
Week 20 - Preparation Work
Week 21 - Preparation Work
Week 22 - Preparation Work
Week 23 - Preparation Work
Week 24 - Preparation Work
Week 25 - Preparation Work
Week 26 - Preparation Work
Week 27 - Preparation Work
Week 28 - Preparation Work
Week 29 - Preparation Work
Week 30 - Preparation Work
Week 31 - Preparation Work
Week 32 - Preparation Work
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Type of AssessmentCountPercent
Assignment1%5
Quiz1%5
Midterm Examination1%30
Final Examination1%60
Workload Calculation
ActivitiesCountPreparationTimeTotal Work Load (hours)
Lecture - Theory140228
Lecture - Practice140114
Assignment1112
Individual Work2012
Midterm Examination1112
Final Examination1112
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours)50
Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes
PÇ-1
PÇ-2
PÇ-3
PÇ-4
PÇ-5
PÇ-6
PÇ-7
PÇ-8
PÇ-9
PÇ-10
PÇ-11
PÇ-12
OÇ-1
5
5
5
3
2
5
3
2
2
2
2
3
OÇ-2
5
4
4
3
2
4
3
2
2
2
2
3
OÇ-3
5
5
5
4
3
5
4
2
2
2
3
4
OÇ-4
5
5
5
4
2
5
4
3
2
2
2
4
OÇ-5
4
5
5
4
2
5
5
3
2
3
3
5
OÇ-6
4
4
4
5
3
5
4
3
3
3
3
5
Adnan Menderes University - Information Package / Course Catalogue
2026