Barley management options were evaluated by varying seed band width, population densities, and harvest endpoint under dry land conditions using commercial air drill technology. The trial was established in the spring under dryland conditions as a randomized block (r=6) and was conducted for three years (2001, 2002 and 2003). The factorial arrangement consisted of cultivar (‘Harrington' and ‘Haybet'), bandwidth (narrow, 12.5 cm and wide, 19.3 cm), and population rate (140, 184 and 226 seeds m^-2). The initial forage cut (EARLY) was taken at soft dough, while the late (LATE) cut was seven days later. Altering the bandwidth in which the seed is placed (NARR versus WIDE) did not affect yield, plant height or forage quality (P>0.05). Nitrate-N for the EARLY harvest was reduced 15% (P=0.0019; NARR=0.105% and WIDE=0.090%). LATE harvest Nitrate-N was reduced 22% (NARR=0.092% and WIDE=0.071%). At the highest population (226 seeds m^-2) DM yield was increased both for the EARLY and LATE harvest (P<0.05). WIDE seed configuration for increasing population rates for both the EARLY and LATE harvest have a significant negative linear relationship (P=0.0611 and P=0.0378, respectively). Narrow seed configuration for increasing population rates for both the EARLY and LATE harvest have a significant quadratic relationship (P=0.0243 and P=0.0330, respectively). This quadratic relationship indicates that the potentially worst scenario to harvest barley forage is at the moderate seed rate in a narrow seed configuration. Nitrate-N was reduced 15 and 22% by planting the seed in a wide versus a narrow row configuration. Increasing populations employing wide row configuration decreased Nitrate-N significantly as population increased. Nitrate-N levels were highest at the moderate seeding rate in the narrow row configuration