Compared to common wheat and other cereal grains that developed over thousands of years, triticale has come far as a crop in an extremely short time. In the 30 years or so since the first experimental varieties, triticale has become established as an important crop in diverse markets worldwide. Created by combining wheat and rye into a new species, triticale combines the advantages of both parent species for grain and forage. As a forage, triticale is valuable for pasture, silage, and hay. It is the ideal double-crop complement to corn silage, forage sorghum, and other summer annuals. It works well planted alone, in blends with peas and other annual forages, and with perennial forages as a companion crop at planting or interseeded into older stands.