Catch crop for cattle

DRC · Jun 13, 2018

we have grown hybrid rye for the first time this year. It’s early harvest , probably end of June, will allow a catch crop for the cattle to graze late autumn/ early winter.
I’m well used to growing stubble turnips for sheep, which will be done after winter barley , but what would be best grown in this new situation . Some sort of kale mix, or a cheap grass mix.
@Kevtherev @Great In Grass

Beef farmer · Jun 13, 2018

Kale. What's your following crop? If SB or maize, grow swift, 1st round cattle then sheep in feb

Derrick Hughes · Jun 13, 2018

Kale for cattle or cow cabbage

DRC · Jun 13, 2018

Beef farmer said:
Kale. What's your following crop? If SB or maize, grow swift, 1st round cattle then sheep in feb

Maize to follow.

Kevtherev · Jun 13, 2018

Kale or hybrid rape/kale with stubble turnips mix.
Typhon used to be popular but quite dear now compared to others.

neilo · Jun 14, 2018

Beef farmer said:
Kale. What's your following crop? If SB or maize, grow swift, 1st round cattle then sheep in feb

I can tell you are farming in Cornwall.

Rape/Kale hybrids don't regrow much up here once into late Autumn. There wouldn't be much for the sheep in February, although it might provide some meaningful keep come March/April, if it's maize following.

Beef farmer · Jun 14, 2018

neilo said:
I can tell you are farming in Cornwall. Rape/Kale hybrids don't regrow much up here once into late Autumn. There wouldn't be much for the sheep in February, although it might provide some meaningful keep come March/April, if it's maize following.

You mean you can't graze in November and then again in feb?

Great In Grass · Jun 14, 2018

An alternative to kale would be grass with some leafy turnip, you could be grazing in 8 weeks and the grass will take you right up to maize drilling.

neilo · Jun 14, 2018

Beef farmer said:
You mean you can't graze in November and then again in feb?

Not a chance. I had a grass/Winfred mix in last Autumn. I pulled the sheep out in early November and put a bunch back in in early February. The grass (IRG/Westerwold) was growing nicely but the Winfred hadn’t done more than put a few small shoots out from the nodes.

From past experience, it does regrow well while it’s still warm, but nearly shuts down over winter here, which certainly isn’t high altitude or particularly ‘North’.
The OP might have a bit milder climate, but not a lot I suspect.

DRC · Jun 14, 2018

neilo said:
Not a chance. I had a grass/Winfred mix in last Autumn. I pulled the sheep out in early November and put a bunch back in in early February. The grass (IRG/Westerwold) was growing nicely but the Winfred hadn’t done more than put a few small shoots out from the nodes.

From past experience, it does regrow well while it’s still warm, but nearly shuts down over winter here, which certainly isn’t high altitude or particularly ‘North’.
The OP might have a bit milder climate, but not a lot I suspect.

We’d be similar to you Neil. Not far away as the crow flies. The Welshpool area always looks like the land of milk and honey to me !

Kevtherev · Jun 14, 2018

silverfox said:
We’d be similar to you Neil. Not far away as the crow flies. The Welshpool area always looks like the land of milk and honey to me !

It’s a myth [emoji1]

neilo · Jun 15, 2018

silverfox said:
We’d be similar to you Neil. Not far away as the crow flies. The Welshpool area always looks like the land of milk and honey to me !

There are certainly plenty down there who have taken 2nd cut already.

steveR · Jun 15, 2018

neilo said:
There are certainly plenty down there who have taken 2nd cut already.

Not far from either neilo and the silverfox, down here near Wellington... 2nd cut coming off this afternoon as it's going over the top too fast. Looks an OK yield.... I hope

steveR · Aug 6, 2018

silverfox said:
we have grown hybrid rye for the first time this year. It’s early harvest , probably end of June, will allow a catch crop for the cattle to graze late autumn/ early winter.
I’m well used to growing stubble turnips for sheep, which will be done after winter barley , but what would be best grown in this new situation . Some sort of kale mix, or a cheap grass mix.
@Kevtherev @Great In Grass

What did you go for in the end?

Looking for some winter keep for the sucklers, light land out of stewardship fallow. VERY dirty, so have mown the stuff for littering under the cows in a shed they run-back into

and will plough and spin/drill something this week.

Looking at a brassica based mix, but wondering if some IRG would be worth putting in a mix??

DRC · Aug 6, 2018

steveR said:
What did you go for in the end?

Looking for some winter keep for the sucklers, light land out of stewardship fallow. VERY dirty, so have mown the stuff for littering under the cows in a shed they run-back into and will plough and spin/drill something this week.

Looking at a brassica based mix, but wondering if some IRG would be worth putting in a mix??

I did one field of a kale/ forage rape / turnip mix, hopefully for the cattle, then straight stubble turnips on the rest.
They are up quite well, but desperate for a drink

steveR · Aug 6, 2018

silverfox said:
I did one field of a kale/ forage rape / turnip mix, hopefully for the cattle, then straight stubble turnips on the rest.
They are up quite well, but desperate for a drink

That sounds a bit like the Wynnstay mix in the flyer they sent this week

Stubble turnips are an old standby for me, but not grown them for several years now as they don't fit in with the Contract farm arrangement I find/ This year may have to be an exception. Hopefully we in Shropshire will get some proper rain later in the week...

Catch crop for cattle

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