Interest in conserving whole-crop cereals as a complementary forage for feeding with grass silage has increased sharply in recent years. In many areas of the UK conserving whole-crop cereals is a viable alternative to forage maize, providing extra forage when the available stocks of grass silage are either low or of moderate quality. Although winter wheat is the main cereal used for forage conservation little information is available on the differences between varieties in either yield or quality.

The aims of the present trial were to determine the changes in the yield and quality of winter wheat varieties harvested at different stages of maturity.