A summer cover with the aim to graze

[Devon James]

Have a small acreage which was pencilled in for spring barley but with for one reason or another would like to grow a crop with the aim to graze in August and early September and set up for a nice crop of wheat. One field has had a mix of beans and linseed and other bits and bobs. I have Mascani oats and some poor quality linseed that could chuck in.
Thought was to plant this with the Claydon then come back if we get some rain and spin on some forage rape.
Any thoughts?

 

[Old Spot]

That’s sounds a good plan.
pS how are you, must catch up for a cider when we can!

 

[hendrebc]

What do you want to graze on it? Some annual clovers like crimson and Persian clover with some Italian ryegrass or something would be good for fattening or growing stock. Bit rich for dry ewes or suckler cows.

 

[Devon James]

That’s sounds a good plan.
pS how are you, must catch up for a cider when we can!

Thanks R. Ahh, cider would hit the spot now. Devon of course or some of that drollop from further up the Westcountry, wouldn't matter much! Hope you are well

 

[Devon James]

What do you want to graze on it? Some annual clovers like crimson and Persian clover with some Italian ryegrass or something would be good for fattening or growing stock. Bit rich for dry ewes or suckler cows.

Weaned lambs. Like the idea of clover, maybe a bit pricey for what want to do. But whatever will give a good amount of dry matter in these conditions. I'm aiming for a nice dense crop to strip graze

 

[hendrebc]

Weaned lambs. Like the idea of clover, maybe a bit pricey for what want to do. But whatever will give a good amount of dry matter in these conditions. I'm aiming for a nice dense crop to strip graze

I agree it might be a bit pricey... They should do well on it though. You might be able to graze it more than once if you sow it now it's a long time till August. @Kevtherev is pretty competitive on seed prices.

 

[deleted user 837354]

Kale or red-start. Sow now, apply weed control and fertiliser, will be a mountain of stuff to graze, possibly twice if used the hybrid and then drill into wheat direct.

Grass and clover will be just about going nicely by the end of July and you will want to terminate it not long after.

 

[Devon James]

Kale or red-start. Sow now, apply weed control and fertiliser, will be a mountain of stuff to graze, possibly twice if used the hybrid and then drill into wheat direct.

Grass and clover will be just about going nicely by the end of July and you will want to terminate it not long after.

Thankyou. Yes a brassica is more fail safe (csfb aside) Wanted some diversity as that seems to be the in thing and it's a good chance to have a go. Whatever will grow with no rain about!

 

[Samcowman]

Make sure you get something in there with nice a good tap root. Sunflowers maybe. Whatever is in the back of the shed would be a good start and cheaper too. Then add in others from there.

 

[Bury the Trash]

How bout Berseem clover, maybe maybe nit with a bit of Crimson chucked in....

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Weaned lambs. Like the idea of clover, maybe a bit pricey for what want to do. But whatever will give a good amount of dry matter in these conditions. I'm aiming for a nice dense crop to strip graze

Arrowleaf clover is possibly one of the easiest annuals to grow, the others mentioned can be hit and miss. I put berseem in a clients mix and we couldn't find a single plant in 4 months, simply didn't like his soil.
Arrowleaf is very similar to a red clover, with low phytoestrogen levels and very large leaves, slightly more palatable if you let it get too far than red clover at a similarly overmature stage (both produce alkaloids pre-flowering to discourage grazers from destroying their chance to reproduce).

You wouldn't need much of either in a mixed-species situation.

The sky is the limit, definitely go with your oats/linseed idea though if the seed is "free", you could even chuck in a light dose of rape/kale for a canopy crop if you liked - the main benefit of sowing 15 species is you have 10 species that will thrive everywhere, there's considerable safety in it

 

[Bury the Trash]

Arrowleaf clover is possibly one of the easiest annuals to grow, the others mentioned can be hit and miss. I put berseem in a clients mix and we couldn't find a single plant in 4 months, simply didn't like his soil.
Arrowleaf is very similar to a red clover, with low phytoestrogen levels and very large leaves, slightly more palatable if you let it get too far than red clover at a similarly overmature stage (both produce alkaloids pre-flowering to discourage grazers from destroying their chance to reproduce).

You wouldn't need much of either in a mixed-species situation.

The sky is the limit, definitely go with your oats/linseed idea though if the seed is "free", you could even chuck in a light dose of rape/kale for a canopy crop if you liked - the main benefit of sowing 15 species is you have 10 species that will thrive everywhere, there's considerable safety in it

dunno about the linseed bit chucked in will be niether here nor their i guess unleess youre a bee... but the oats would be a good call, by august sept, they will be in ear , graze them then whilst still green with a strip fence.. they will leave a bit of stem but the forming grain will be good feed.

 

[ih1455xl]

Rice grows really well huge root structure good grazing and won’t run to seed as it’s not hot enough

 

[Agrispeed]

Barseem Clover is good, and you get some regrowth but its frost killed so would suit arable cropping after.

I did a Barseem Clover / Stubble turnip mix and that worked very well. Crimson clover i found ok, but didn't get much grazable bulk off it - its quite a good soil conditioner though.

in strips i also sowed; Oats, linseed, Sorghum, Millet, Canary Grass, Sunflowers and Hemp - There were some other things in there but I don't remember what they are, and they didn't add much to the mix.

The multi-species strips didn't yield any less for the Stubbies or clover, but there was much higher biomass with the other stuff - there was more material in the soil after which is ideal.

This was sown at the end of June and Grazed in August/Septemer, But it should've been drilled in May really.

I also used a mix of volunteer Forage rape/Oats/Barley with red clover and annual ryegrass Drilled mid April, Which grazed well twice and left a ryegrass/redclover ley behind, but you could easily get another cut or grazing off that before drilling.

This was the second grazing, where most of the rape has died off.

 

[Barmyfarmer]

I want to try a summer forage crop to have a clean break re seed in the autumn, it's fairly banky permanent pasture so want to direct drill really, we are shallow soil, 6/7 inches onto clay, is there anything I can use that will put some roots down/bust compaction?

 

[martian]

I want to try a summer forage crop to have a clean break re seed in the autumn, it's fairly banky permanent pasture so want to direct drill really, we are shallow soil, 6/7 inches onto clay, is there anything I can use that will put some roots down/bust compaction?

Thistles, docks and dandelions are natures decompactors, brilliant at it and cost nothing, but the first two aren't great forage it has to be said

 

[The Ruminant]

Thistles, docks and dandelions are natures decompactors, brilliant at it and cost nothing, but the first two aren't great forage it has to be said

Although I did watch some of my cattle hoovering up dandelions today when moved to fresh ground, in preference to everything else. They will also strip a dock bare of its leaves, and delicately nibble the tips of creeping thistles

 

[Will 1594]

Rice grows really well huge root structure good grazing and won’t run to seed as it’s not hot enough

What sort of cost for seed. , we are fallowing a potato field , was thinking 30 kg OAts 5 oil reddish and same mustard , , top it before flowering and let it come again , then drill wheat end sept Or is there a better option

 

[ih1455xl]

What sort of cost for seed. , we are fallowing a potato field , was thinking 30 kg OAts 5 oil reddish and same mustard , , top it before flowering and let it come again , then drill wheat end sept Or is there a better option

Think it was £17 for 20kg so pretty cheap had the agronomist scratching his head for ages trying to work out what it was

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

That mix looks brilliant, What seed rate and cost of seed for the grasses and hemp? Also what's the benefit of hemp please?