Growing cattle on forage rape

gwi1890

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
North wales
Cheap crop so it’s not a big risk, haven’t grazed growing cattle on in the summer before but have out wintered with big bale on interval with young dariy x calves 6 months old and they came out of winter looking and weighing well despite numerous people telling me they wouldn’t “do” I’d go for it
 

Kiwi Pete

Member
Livestock Farmer
Would they need bales through the summer?
Give them some standing hay? Quite often people down here leave a "picture frame" around the outside when using summer crops, especially with cattle. Gives you somewhere to drive/put their trough and provides a bit of scratch/dry matter, by the time the crop has matured so has the grass

different in an arable situation of course
 

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
Give them some standing hay? Quite often people down here leave a "picture frame" around the outside when using summer crops, especially with cattle. Gives you somewhere to drive/put their trough and provides a bit of scratch/dry matter, by the time the crop has matured so has the grass

different in an arable situation of course
This would be arable
 

gwi1890

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
North wales
Would they need bales through the summer?

Don’t think they would need bales in the summer, how old what type of cattle are intending on grazing with? I introduced them gradually to it initially had them on grass then opened the gate to it for a couple of hours increasing the time they where in it daily then leaving them in after a week .
 

som farmer

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
somerset
usually start sowing mid march, in small bits, to avoid weather risk, and happily feed cattle, from stirks to milkers, been the main stay for summer grazing, last 3 summers, grass refused to grow ! Pretty fool proof to grow, need to keep eye out for flea beetle, usually ok if growing well, if not spray quickly. Best variety we have found is redstart.
We are not growing so much this year, having rented more land, but, what we drilled early april, the cows have grazed, rape just poking through, and grass grew well ! Probably enough there to come on, but have spun more on.
Weed control is the biggest problem, there is a spray, cant remember name off hand, it's expensive ! Biggest weed problem we have is fat hen, which can grow up to 6ft high ! makes moving fences somewhat interesting. Introduce slowly, and away you go. We fed rape and kale from mid june to end march, and will be sowing more for autumn grazing. Bit of hay/straw, or standing hay, works well.
 

exmoor dave

Member
Location
exmoor, uk
Give them some standing hay? Quite often people down here leave a "picture frame" around the outside when using summer crops, especially with cattle. Gives you somewhere to drive/put their trough and provides a bit of scratch/dry matter, by the time the crop has matured so has the grass

different in an arable situation of course


What sort of width picture frame Pete?

This is exactly what I was planning with a first go at summer brassicas this year

Also need somewhere to ambush the rabbits.... lesson from last year was that 1m of grass doesn't give much time for a shot 🤠
 

Bald n Grumpy

Member
Livestock Farmer
Been growing it for summer grazing for dairy cows for 10 years or so
Never had a crop completely fail. Never had flea beetle but watch out for hairy black caterpillars when it gets going can't remember what they're called but contractor soon sorts them with the sprayer. Bloats never been a problem but they always have Grass run as well. 2 years ago had an exceptional crop and had to start mowing it as it got impossible to move electric fence without
Good crop to grow ordered seed today to go in shortly
 

BRBX

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
nottingham
Was thinking about this where we need to break the permanent pasture cycle which needs to be done by 15th may , if you took an early silage cut could you dd the crop ? When would it be ready to graze?? In a normal year!!!!🙈
 

Nithsdale

Member
Livestock Farmer
Also need somewhere to ambush the rabbits.... lesson from last year was that 1m of grass doesn't give much time for a shot 🤠

Take to the air, my son...

e33ec3f3d784b5d33639f81fd4dbe7ee.gif
 

Derrick Hughes

Member
Location
Ceredigion
Was thinking about this where we need to break the permanent pasture cycle which needs to be done by 15th may , if you took an early silage cut could you dd the crop ? When would it be ready to graze?? In a normal year!!!![emoji85]
Best way to direct drill us spray before you cut the silage then drill as soon as you cut . Will save around 2 weeks and give a cleaner seed bed
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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