Cereals as a fodder crop?

[neilo]

I have a 5ac field of (poor) maincrop turnips that I have just taken up the last break fence, which is destined for another root crop to be planted in June/July (a Glastir option). As it's been so dry recently, the surface is in great order and could go straight in to direct drill.

Am I insane to think of putting in a Spring Barley crop just for grazing? There's no option to get a combine to it, and not interested in a baled whole crop to feed rats, but want something to keep roots in the soil. Barley off the heap would cost £16/ac at a robust seed rate, so cheap enough to sow. Would make a welcome bite in April, and keep nibbling at it before spraying off with a sniff of Roundup in June (don't ask me how I know barley only takes a sniff to kill it off ).

Anyone done it? Trying to avoid another brassica in between, for obvious reasons.

 

[spin cycle]

my sheep love spring barley...mine or other ppls at any stage of growth

 

[Bury the Trash]

I have a 5ac field of (poor) maincrop turnips that I have just taken up the last break fence, which is destined for another root crop to be planted in June/July (a Glastir option). As it's been so dry recently, the surface is in great order and could go straight in to direct drill.

Am I insane to think of putting in a Spring Barley crop just for grazing? There's no option to get a combine to it, and not interested in a baled whole crop to feed rats, but want something to keep roots in the soil. Barley off the heap would cost £16/ac at a robust seed rate, so cheap enough to sow. Would make a welcome bite in April, and keep nibbling at it before spraying off with a sniff of Roundup in June (don't ask me how I know barley only takes a sniff to kill it off ).

Anyone done it? Trying to avoid another brassica in between, for obvious reasons.

no its a good idea.
but Oats instead of barley, strip graze with a back fence .
can be grazed even in 'green ear ' up to senescence ime.
for later grazing will need to try to keep mildew off them tho as that apart from knocking the edible canopy back can also effect palletabity
edit : and crown rust of course but then you're an arable farmer as well.......

 

[Hesstondriver]

crack on , its not like you are gambling mega money , got to be worth a try even just to help the soil

 

[Derrick Hughes]

The only thing I would ask is why don't you put a lovely clover resseed in that lovely clean ideal seedbed and put your next Brasica crop in a less productive field , I'm sure you are going ti give me a perfectly good reason not to
I agree with spring oats ,but you may not have any spring oat seed ,
Other than that ,Spring Vetch sown in April cut early Jully

 

[neilo]

no its a good idea.
but Oats instead of barley, strip graze with a back fence .
can be grazed even in 'green ear ' up to senescence ime.
for later grazing will need to try to keep mildew off them tho as that apart from knocking the edible canopy back can also effect palletabity
edit : and crown rust of course but then you're an arable farmer as well.......

Yeah, but I have barley in a heap. I don't have any oats.

I was thinking of no sprays or fert (grazed fodder crop just being cleared = muck). Would that not stay clear of fungal diseases if grazed regularly?

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

Personally I would put at least 3 species, preferably from different families eg barley, peas or vetch and something like sunflower or another broadleaf. I note you want to avoid brassica. The more of a polyculture, the fewer problems you will have in the way of weeds, pests and diseases.

 

[Northern territory]

Yeah, but I have barley in a heap. I don't have any oats.

I was thinking of no sprays or fert (grazed fodder crop just being cleared = muck). Would that not stay clear of fungal diseases if grazed regularly?

You could get a bite on your beet ground before drilling

 

[spin cycle]

Yeah, but I have barley in a heap. I don't have any oats.

I was thinking of no sprays or fert (grazed fodder crop just being cleared = muck). Would that not stay clear of fungal diseases if grazed regularly?

yeah...go for it

I had a little 'experiment' one year...2 ac of May sown maize for drought insurance

herbicide killed everything bar maize..and fat hen....sheep got in it and ate maize seedlings and by August I only had a lovely stand of 2ft tall fat hen...where upon my 'lot' decided it was better than brown grass and promptly went back in and ate the lot

I keep swearing i"ll repeat the fat hen exp but always 'chicken out'

 

[neilo]

Personally I would put at least 3 species, preferably from different families eg barley, peas or vetch and something like sunflower or another broadleaf. I note you want to avoid brassica. The more of a polyculture, the fewer problems you will have in the way of weeds, pests and diseases.

It'll only be in for a few months to keep roots growing AND to provide feed. Certainly not looking to sow a trendy/expensive mix where the benefits are very much debatable.

 

[neilo]

You could get a bite on your beet ground before drilling

Beet ground always has stubble turnips in prior, which are usually grazed last.

 

[neilo]

The only thing I would ask is why don't you put a lovely clover resseed in that lovely clean ideal seedbed and put your next Brasica crop in a less productive field , I'm sure you are going ti give me a perfectly good reason not to
I agree with spring oats ,but you may not have any spring oat seed ,
Other than that ,Spring Vetch sown in April cut early Jully

It's in an offlying 60ac block, comprising 16 fields of pp. I've already reseeded the worst 6 of those fields, and the others are all pretty good grass (after rotational grazing).
I'm trying to slow down the reseeding on there now, as benefits are more marginal now the worst are sorted.
Halfway through a 20 year FBT, I'm also getting less inclined to do so much long term thinking...

I've little use for silage on my system, so not desperate to add the cost of baling on. If I were, it would likely be as arable silage (not wholecrop) of peas and barley.

 

[Northern territory]

Beet ground always has stubble turnips in prior, which are usually grazed last.

Ooh you could be triple cropping if you play it right

 

[DeeGee]

It'll only be in for a few months to keep roots growing AND to provide feed. Certainly not looking to sow a trendy/expensive mix where the benefits are very much debatable.

You’ve got very little to lose by trying it have you?
It will probably turn out fine anyway and might well be a template for a more regular cheap and easy catch crop?

 

[neilo]

Ooh you could be triple cropping if you play it right

I graze beet right through until March (usually ), so be hard pushed to get number 3 in.
Local contractor has given up lifting, so that's no longer an option. Not that it was on my soils before a dry March anyway.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

It's in an offlying 60ac block, comprising 16 fields of pp. I've already reseeded the worst 6 of those fields, and the others are all pretty good grass (after rotational grazing).
I'm trying to slow down the reseeding on there now, as benefits are more marginal now the worst are sorted.
Halfway through a 20 year FBT, I'm also getting less inclined to do so much long term thinking...

I've little use for silage on my system, so not desperate to add the cost of baling on. If I were, it would likely be as arable silage (not wholecrop) of peas and barley.

Fair enough, you will need to field it well though , barley and another root crop , plenty of potash

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

It'll only be in for a few months to keep roots growing AND to provide feed. Certainly not looking to sow a trendy/expensive mix where the benefits are very much debatable.

Definitely not advocating trendy or expensive. I can see that forage is the aim; just suggesting how you might do away with the need for inputs.

Vetch is probably your cheapest legume for the time available at about £2 a kilo and 5 to 10 kg per ha. A bag of sunflower seed from the pet shop should be under £1/kg

 

[Bogweevil]

Plenty of lovely rain in your country so the cereal won't deplete soil moisture as it might in the south and east!

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Westerwolds £25: acre
We know how you love it

 

[Bury the Trash]

Yeah, but I have barley in a heap. I don't have any oats.

I was thinking of no sprays or fert (grazed fodder crop just being cleared = muck). Would that not stay clear of fungal diseases if grazed regularly?

Ah well ive only got a heap of oats. they might be happier than barley in lower fertility/ph situation like i have a field for.
yes be alright i expect ,kept fairly open .
but in respect of that i meant leave some to graze later like with grain formed, just to see /for the heck of it.
depends on the season as well, if theres no long moisty time it will stay clean enough.