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DD on livestock farm

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
I presume there is a reason it isn't dd more commonly, maybe input cost?
I don't have access to a precision drill so this is the only way into beet for me.
It is really dry now, fert spread 2 weeks ago is still on the surface [emoji31].
Ill keep updates on here as it grows on.

Beet is usually grown for lifting, which needs the row widths to be the same (ours is at 20") as the harvester. More precise spacing between the beets in the row should give a more uniform root size, as opposed to getting a few radish sized ones where 2 beets germinate together. As well as making mechanical handling & lifting better, that 'should' maximise yield/ha.

For grazing, many of those advantages are redundant or unnecessary, particularly if you are drilling at quite a low seed rate (40k seeds/ac and less).
 

Kiwi Pete

Member
Livestock Farmer
I think @Kiwi Pete tried some beet in with an einbock type air seeder
Yes it is just being fed to dairy cattle now

Don't think the yield has been measured but I will say there was a good even strike despite a fairly challenging season to get crops away

Have recently seen a DD beet crop down in my friend's sand dunes - we are talking 50 metres and one foot from high tide here - and it has big bulbs and big gaps in between with little bulbs - not what I see in the airseeded broadcast beet I did on a much more similar brown silty clayish to soil what we have at home, the precision planted crop is a picture as well (on even better soil, being a part of the diary platform)

I just don't use the coated PP type seed through mine and neither does Chris (DD man)
 

hendrebc

Member
Livestock Farmer
Yes it is just being fed to dairy cattle now

Don't think the yield has been measured but I will say there was a good even strike despite a fairly challenging season to get crops away

Have recently seen a DD beet crop down in my friend's sand dunes - we are talking 50 metres and one foot from high tide here - and it has big bulbs and big gaps in between with little bulbs - not what I see in the airseeded broadcast beet I did on a much more similar brown silty clayish to soil what we have at home, the precision planted crop is a picture as well (on even better soil, being a part of the diary platform)

I just don't use the coated PP type seed through mine and neither does Chris (DD man)
I think we need some pictures next time your down that way ;)(y)
 

scholland

Member
Location
ze3
If it would just rain I think we'll get a crop. Warmer today at least so not such a cold drying wind!
I
@Kiwi Pete I think the un pelleted seed would suit this establishment better. View attachment 680394
DSC_0020.JPG
 

scholland

Member
Location
ze3
Beet is usually grown for lifting, which needs the row widths to be the same (ours is at 20") as the harvester. More precise spacing between the beets in the row should give a more uniform root size, as opposed to getting a few radish sized ones where 2 beets germinate together. As well as making mechanical handling & lifting better, that 'should' maximise yield/ha.

For grazing, many of those advantages are redundant or unnecessary, particularly if you are drilling at quite a low seed rate (40k seeds/ac and less).
Ye I get the lifting argument but with the fashion of more beet being grazed I would have thought dd would be more common.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
They look better than mine. Did you dd straight into grass? If so what settings and what are the distances between rows

They’re well in front of mine too, but that dandelion looks very healthy if the beet’s had herbicide.

@scholland ’s pictures are certainly pushing me towards drilling my own beet, or at least the grazing beet (not that intended for lifting). Mine was precision drilled by a contractor but there are still plenty of misses and plenty of double plants.:( Placement is probably no better than scholland’s.
 

d-wales

Member
Location
Wales
They’re well in front of mine too, but that dandelion looks very healthy if the beet’s had herbicide.

@scholland ’s pictures are certainly pushing me towards drilling my own beet, or at least the grazing beet (not that intended for lifting). Mine was precision drilled by a contractor but there are still plenty of misses and plenty of double plants.:( Placement is probably no better than scholland’s.
Yeah. Old drills are so unpredictable. I've got some rows which have only come up a week or so back.
Makes sense to drill straight into grass [emoji40]
Can you get 20inch rows with a Moore unidrill?
 

scholland

Member
Location
ze3
They’re well in front of mine too, but that dandelion looks very healthy if the beet’s had herbicide.

@scholland ’s pictures are certainly pushing me towards drilling my own beet, or at least the grazing beet (not that intended for lifting). Mine was precision drilled by a contractor but there are still plenty of misses and plenty of double plants.:( Placement is probably no better than scholland’s.
Yes a good dandelion!
It has been so dry here that they've been really slow the last 4 weeks, so herbicide was a while ago.

I think dd beet can work but I've learned a lot this year already. Most of it isn't actually drilling issues, timings and weeds more so. I'm pretty happy with spacings Tbh. Yes some are bunched and some gaps.

Being remote it isn't easy to react to herbicide need and I possibly should have tweeked the product I used but stuck with what i had in stock.

They have a very vigorous tap root, much more so than swedes for example, so why wouldn't they dd?

I will report yield and ewes fed per ha later in the season. If the weather warms up this week I expect to see a lot of growth...
 

d-wales

Member
Location
Wales
Yes a good dandelion!
It has been so dry here that they've been really slow the last 4 weeks, so herbicide was a while ago.

I think dd beet can work but I've learned a lot this year already. Most of it isn't actually drilling issues, timings and weeds more so. I'm pretty happy with spacings Tbh. Yes some are bunched and some gaps.

Being remote it isn't easy to react to herbicide need and I possibly should have tweeked the product I used but stuck with what i had in stock.

They have a very vigorous tap root, much more so than swedes for example, so why wouldn't they dd?

I will report yield and ewes fed per ha later in the season. If the weather warms up this week I expect to see a lot of growth...
Don't tell you need to...it will probably make me jelous
 

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Webinar: Expanded Sustainable Farming Incentive offer 2024 -26th Sept

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On Thursday 26th September, we’re holding a webinar for farmers to go through the guidance, actions and detail for the expanded Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) offer. This was planned for end of May, but had to be delayed due to the general election. We apologise about that.

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