Bigger, better, faster, stronger. These are some of the attributes an Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) barley breeder has packed into new lines of forage and feed barleys poised to benefit growers over the next several years.

One new forage barley ready for distribution has exceptionally high silage tonnage and is a very durable grazing barley, says Dr. Mario Therrien, barley breeder at AAFC's Brandon Research Centre. "This variety has performed very well in testing and is ready for commercial production."

This variety, the as yet-unnamed FB006, will be distributed through a unique marketing plan to beef and dairy producers across the Prairies, says Therrien.

Also in the breeding pipeline, but further down the road, are several promising lines, he says. Therrien is bringing along a low input, high tonnage forage barley and an "ultra high-yielding" feed grain variety. As well, he's developing a two-row, high quality feed barley with traits that reduce both the risk of acidosis in cattle and phosphorus loading in hog manure.

"These lines are in various stages of development, but certainly within our reach," says Therrien. "The first varieties are about two or three years away." Therrien's breeding program is supported in part by farmers through the Barley Check-off Fund, administered by Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF).

FB006, the high yielding silage and grazing barley, was recommended for registration in early 2004 and is available for distribution, says Therrien. Because it wasn't picked up in the conventional AAFC bidding process, it will be offered to producers on a non-exclusive basis.

Legally incorporated agricultural organizations (organizations with a board of directors) can submit a tender on FB006. Any number of organizations can have access to this variety, providing they meet certain basic requirements. Interested parties can contact AAFC's Commercialization Office for details.

Well suited to the Parkland region of the central and eastern prairies, FB006, will be the leading silage and grazing barley variety available, says Therrien. Better than AC Ranger and Virden, it is a high tonnage mid-season silage type. "To extend the fall grazing season, producers can seed the crop in July or August so it's ready for fall pasture starting in September. The crop just keeps going until you have a hard freeze."

FB006 isn't as well suited for Alberta growing conditions because it is susceptible to scald, he says. However, in low scald years it has performed as well as Virden. "It's good, but not fantastic," says Therrien. "It does better the further east you go."

Also in the breeding pipeline is a low input, low management silage barley. Designed as an early-seeded cultivar, Therrien says this barley will be very aggressive against weeds. "Producers will be able to eliminate or at least reduce herbicide use. They will also avoid the nutritional concerns of taking off silage after a herbicide treatment." As a very efficient barley, he says it also has potential to produce the same high yields at 60 pounds of nitrogen that other varieties produce with 90 pounds of nitrogen.

"Put it in the ground and forget it - that's how I see this barley. You revisit the crop at the mid-dough stage to chop it for silage. It becomes a money saving barley, which is obviously important to beef producers today."

Also in development is an ultra high yielding hybrid feed grain barley that could produce up to 200 bushels per acre. "It will be a shorter stem, stiffer variety that produces more heads," says Therrien. "Even if we only get two-thirds of the way to our yield goal, I'll be happy. We already have varieties with average yields of 110 bushels, so 200 is possible."

Developing a high quality two-row feed barley is another priority for the program. Along with high quality and a good disease package, it is intended to have the dual features of slow dry matter disappearance (DMD) which reduces the risk of acidosis in cattle and also low phytate, which reduces phosphorus loading in hog manure.

Western Grains Research Foundation is funded and directed by Western crop producers, and allocates approximately $5 million annually to research through the Wheat and Barley Check-off Funds and a separate $9 million to the Endowment Fund.