Chicory

[DB67]

Got a 2.5 acre field that sits out the way a bit, pain in the arse running ewes and followers into to be honest. We use to mainly for tups over the summer.

Have thought about chicory before, as heard it's quite good for tups. Anyone got experience of it? Does soil need to be all signing and dancing? Worth it over say clover? Mix it with something else?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Sheep92]

We reseeded 20 acres last may and put in a bit of chicory in with the grass, the sheep love it, everytime theyre moved onto it they graze right down and does them well, it grew well mixed with rape for lambs but found that the lambs didnt do any better on it than the lambs on pp grass
I would imagine it would be good for tups just needs to be managed abd grazed tight

 

[GTB]

Chicory was the in thing around here a few years ago. We tried some but didn't have a very good take despite looking after it i.e. Not grazing too hard and resting between grazings. Also what did grow looked a bit like docks so haven't tried any since. Btw we just put 1?kg an acre in with a grass ley.

 

[Kevtherev]

Chicory needs to be managed well as it can get away from stock.
@neilo

 

[David.]

Spent yesterday pm pulling hard chicory stalks out of the corners of haylage bales, so's to not puncture the film.
But the sheep do graze it OK.

 

[Great In Grass]

Chicory is drought tolerant because of it's long taproot ideal for light soils. It should last up to 5 years but some find this difficult to achieve, plant population tends to reduce by 30% per year. Some will add Plantain with Chicory.

Ideal for finishing lambs and pregnant ewes and helps reduce worm counts due to it's anthelmintic properties.

We have just launched a mix containing Chicory, White/Red Clover and Plantain some growers are also adding a small amount of perennial ryegrass.

 

[John100]

A panda might call it palatable.
It's leafy for a very limited time, here it was only a few days, so impossible to manage. Then it bolts away into chicory "trees" with nice blue flowers

 

[Great In Grass]

A panda might call it palatable.
It's leafy for a very limited time, here it was only a few days, so impossible to manage. Then it bolts away into chicory "trees" with nice blue flowers

Was this "Agricultural" or "Perennial" chicory?

 

[Old Tip]

Its not keen on rain so no good here

 

[Woolless]

I've heard folk in the borders say that they've had difficulty establishing and maintaining chicory. As you are even further north @DB67, may be more of a struggle for you. I would say plantain but it ideally needs to be rotationally grazed.

 

[Bury the Trash]

its on light and heavy soil here,i would say colder temp is what doesnt do too well on.

to find out,pick up a small packet and mix in your normal grass mix.as you sow not too much needed btw.

can be any variety you like as long as its puna and that will come from kiwi i expect

it will bolt from this time of year and might need a top its all right in hay but not good to wrap

if they go off it [sheep]a bit in spring ir its because our spring grass is sweeter at that time ..............these new grass vareties

ir its about giving the stock bit more variety in their diet ...

and imortantly .....soil condtioning .

..ideal with prg ....looks and does good in mix with white clover.

most of ours is on low inputs

 

[Great In Grass]

Its not keen on rain so no good here

Very true, damage the crown water goes down the hollow stem and rots it out.

 

[Great In Grass]

can be any variety you like as long as its puna and that will come from kiwi i expect

Or "Choice" it's newer and better brother.

 

[Bury the Trash]

Or "Choice" it's newer and better brother.

it also come from kiwi ?


in what way better more palatable ?

 

[Bury the Trash]

less lactucin ? in it

will that make it less bitter

 

[neilo]

I've not grown it as, when I looked into it/asked around, you need to manage it well (a bit like RC leys). If you graze it too tight, you kill it. If you don't graze it quickly enough, it bolts away and becomes a field of low feed value sticks. I think it really needs to be rotationally grazed, with big mobs for a short time, then rested. All the folks that seem to get on with it, seem to follow that regime.

There's little as forgiving as a PRG/clover ley IME.

 

[Great In Grass]

it also come from kiwi ?

Same breeder. I think you mean Puna II don't you?

Actually we put "Commander" chicory in all our herbal leys.

 

[Bury the Trash]

interesting



its like all things best to suck it and see....... low cost experiment .....




edit ..... i'll take some pics tomorrow ....

 

[Great In Grass]

interesting



its like all things best to suck it and see....... low cost experiment .....




edit ..... i'll take some pics tomorrow ....

Something you may find interesting: https://issuu.com/heritageseeds4/docs/summer_forage_guide_2016 not the easiest to read on a small screen.

 

[Bury the Trash]