Cows on forage rape

[Andrew1983]

Started them on it day before yesterday. Gave 65 about 1/2 an acre of waist high crop. And an 18acre grass field as a run back, quite a bit of grass as it hasn't had anything on it since August. So I wasn't expecting them to bother with the rape for a few days, never looked at it yesterday as the cows were all on the grass by the road but when I went up this am they have stripped the leaf off it all but haven't made much impact on the stalks.

Should they eat the stalks down? I moved the fence back a yard just to give them a bit more but also wondering how much a day I should be giving them? Just want them to maintain themselves or slightly gain condition as I can slim them down before calving in march/April.

 

[neilo]

The leaf is very high in protein, the stalks have all the energy, so yes, you want them to eat the stalks down. Brassicas are an acquired taste though, so they'll take time to come to it. When I introduce sheep to brassicas for the first time, I pen them on a small'ish block until they have cleared it up, so that they aquire that taste without tramping too much down.

 

[Andrew1983]

The leaf is very high in protein, the stalks have all the energy, so yes, you want them to eat the stalks down. Brassicas are an acquired taste though, so they'll take time to come to it. When I introduce sheep to brassicas for the first time, I pen them on a small'ish block until they have cleared it up, so that they aquire that taste without tramping too much down.

Thanks Neil, will try shutting them on it for a few hours, trouble is they need into next field for water! After going up for another look it appears that 10 cows are eating it and the rest are content on grass for now.

 

[jim bob]

I found It takes them a wee while getting used to eatting it. And if your giving them plenty grass too they'll just do the easy thing. You could strip graze the grass too if you have the time.

 

[South Downs Farmer]

I've got weaned suckler yearlings out on Swift (the rape/kale hybrid) at the moment. Keeping the daily strip as long and narrow as possible is your best bet, that way they won't be trampling so much to get to the leaves further forward, and they'll take to the stems more if they're clean.

I must add, we're getting on much better with Swift than we have in the past with kale. Firstly, since it is a shorter, lower-yielding crop the cows are moving across the field a lot quicker which is surely more beneficial for the soil? Furthermore, it is a damn sight easier to run a fence across - fighting through 5ft of soaking wet kale with a wire reel is the epitome of misery!

Great looking crop @Andrew1983 - what's the variety and how/when did you sow it?

 

[Andrew1983]

I've got weaned suckler yearlings out on Swift (the rape/kale hybrid) at the moment. Keeping the daily strip as long and narrow as possible is your best bet, that way they won't be trampling so much to get to the leaves further forward, and they'll take to the stems more if they're clean.

I must add, we're getting on much better with Swift than we have in the past with kale. Firstly, since it is a shorter, lower-yielding crop the cows are moving across the field a lot quicker which is surely more beneficial for the soil? Furthermore, it is a damn sight easier to run a fence across - fighting through 5ft of soaking wet kale with a wire reel is the epitome of misery!

Great looking crop @Andrew1983 - what's the variety and how/when did you sow it?

Thanks, although its not all that good! Wet bits have next to nothing! Hobson sown with amazone disc drill in July. Had intended to broadcast with the fert but being so dry at the time I didn't want to chance it. Field had lime, dung, subsoiled, 2passes with rotavator, then power harrow then sown with ph combi. Rolled after first rotavating, but then decided it was still too cloddy so had to keep going. In hindsight we should have ploughed but I wanted to keep the mat of old turf and rashes on the surface so we wouldn't plough it up again in spring when it goes back to grass. Father in law recons its 40years since it was worked.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Watch out for bloat

 

[Andrew1983]

Watch out for bloat

Good straw in a ring should solve that?