Do cover crops count as a break crop

[Dman2]

Looking at dropping oats from the rotation, as they are the only reason we are farm assured.
All wheat and barley goes to local farms or our cattle
Plan is 2 wheats, a barley, followed by a cover crop then spring barley

 

[Salopian_Will]

Looking at dropping oats from the rotation, as they are the only reason we are farm assured.
All wheat and barley goes to local farms or our cattle
Plan is 2 wheats, a barley, followed by a cover crop then spring barley

That would not count as a break in my view. What do you do after the Spring Barley? Save for a possible stale seedbed prior to spring barley, there is very little opportunity for dealing with grass weeds either.

 

[BenAdamsAgri]

I would not say thats enough of a break at all, why not do an oat and legume wholecrop for cattle feed?

Oats and mustard are useful catch crops that can lessen take all risk

 

[SilliamWhale]

no

 

[Mc115reed]

If your already growing stuff for cattle feed is grass or forage rye, maize not an option?

 

[teslacoils]

Looking at dropping oats from the rotation, as they are the only reason we are farm assured.
All wheat and barley goes to local farms or our cattle
Plan is 2 wheats, a barley, followed by a cover crop then spring barley

Tbh if you previously grew wheat, barley and oats then you didn't really have a break crop anyway. And what exactly do you want a break from? Take all?

 

[Dman2]

Oats is classed as a take all break
Do use grass in rotation, but not enough to be able to do away with oats
Don`t like OSR, to unpredictable, and would need to be Farm assured to sell it
May try beans, and add to ration

 

[mo!]

Oats is classed as a take all break
Do use grass in rotation, but not enough to be able to do away with oats
Don`t like OSR, to unpredictable, and would need to be Farm assured to sell it
May try beans, and add to ration

Very happy using beans in our finishing ration. Propcorn them if wet at harvest.

 

[Dman2]

Mind you if fert prices stay where they are, may just use cover crops and forget about spring cropping altogether

 

[goodevans]

Looking at dropping oats from the rotation, as they are the only reason we are farm assured.
All wheat and barley goes to local farms or our cattle
Plan is 2 wheats, a barley, followed by a cover crop then spring barley

Do you not need to be farm assured for cattle

 

[tr250]

Oats is classed as a take all break
Do use grass in rotation, but not enough to be able to do away with oats
Don`t like OSR, to unpredictable, and would need to be Farm assured to sell it
May try beans, and add to ration

We are feeding beans this winter never had cattle do so well

 

[Gedd]

Do you not need to be farm assured for cattle

If selling live doesnt make a lot of difference deadweight yes

 

[Dman2]

Do you not need to be farm assured for cattle

We are at present, but sell everything 12-14 month through store ring
As long as they stay on a farm assured farm for 6 month ( i think) then they become farm assured
Crazy sh!t

 

[mo!]

We are at present, but sell everything 12-14 month through store ring
As long as they stay on a farm assured farm for 6 month ( i think) then they become farm assured
Crazy sh!t

90 days. Utterly ridiculous and undermines the system.

 

[Brisel]

Looking at dropping oats from the rotation, as they are the only reason we are farm assured.
All wheat and barley goes to local farms or our cattle
Plan is 2 wheats, a barley, followed by a cover crop then spring barley

If you're after a take all break, then you need at least 9 months out of wheat/barley/rye. The fungus is most active in the early summer, so that's when you need an alternative species growing to break the cycle.

As above, think about the costs of working through the take all barrier towards continuous cereals, grass weed risk etc vs a bit of admin time for farm assurance. Is a rotational grass ley not an option?