fodder beet for ewes and lambs

Was going to say, the difference between growing beet and a brassica type forage crop is massive. Beet can be a monumental PITA even for an equipped arable farm as the chemicals are pricey and can't be used elsewhere. Can be done though.

The beauty of the brassicas is that they are dirt cheap really compared to other crops.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
Was going to say, the difference between growing beet and a brassica type forage crop is massive. Beet can be a monumental PITA even for an equipped arable farm as the chemicals are pricey and can't be used elsewhere. Can be done though.

The beauty of the brassicas is that they are dirt cheap really compared to other crops.

Attention to detail is certainly important for a decent beet crop, and aphids/virus are making it even more testing, with luck paying a part too it seems.

A good/experienced agronomist is crucial, as well as either the kit, or a good contractor, too. Timeliness, low volume/high pressure nozzles and a (very) clean sprayer all make a big difference, all of which can be hard to source in livestock areas.

A poorly grown crop is damned expensive, but a good crop is the highest yielding crop you can get, and the cheapest in terms of kilos of DM. Making effective use of that is another ball ache altogether.

As a grazing crop here it’s challenging to get right as we are marginal as to soil type for outwintering and it’s not a particularly well balanced diet, but it does keep one hell of a lot of sheep on a small acreage, which of course means a huge amount of organic matter going into the soils.
 
Attention to detail is certainly important for a decent beet crop, and aphids/virus are making it even more testing, with luck paying a part too it seems.

A good/experienced agronomist is crucial, as well as either the kit, or a good contractor, too. Timeliness, low volume/high pressure nozzles and a (very) clean sprayer all make a big difference, all of which can be hard to source in livestock areas.

A poorly grown crop is damned expensive, but a good crop is the highest yielding crop you can get, and the cheapest in terms of kilos of DM. Making effective use of that is another ball ache altogether.

As a grazing crop here it’s challenging to get right as we are marginal as to soil type for outwintering and it’s not a particularly well balanced diet, but it does keep one hell of a lot of sheep on a small acreage, which of course means a huge amount of organic matter going into the soils.

I quite like turnips/kale etc as they are inherently easier to grow and a good break crop. Very satisfying to see them grow as well with the right fertility under them.

Weed control options are ok as well.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
I quite like turnips/kale etc as they are inherently easier to grow and a good break crop. Very satisfying to see them grow as well with the right fertility under them.

Weed control options are ok as well.

I was having this discussion with a neighbour who had a disappointing crop of beet this year. Brassicas are a far better option for wintering sheep ime, but the lower yield means many more acres are needed. If the acres were available, I wouldn’t bother with beet.
 

Derrick Hughes

Member
Location
Ceredigion
Was going to say, the difference between growing beet and a brassica type forage crop is massive. Beet can be a monumental PITA even for an equipped arable farm as the chemicals are pricey and can't be used elsewhere. Can be done though.

The beauty of the brassicas is that they are dirt cheap really compared to other crops.
Thats why I grew Swedes , there are no sprays hardly so cost is minimum , but like all crops it has to be done right, if you treat it like an arable crop the yield can be massive
 

Derrick Hughes

Member
Location
Ceredigion
Yes, I drilled them with a Simtech, both DD and into cultivated ground. You use more seed than with a precision drill, but it’s natural seed rather than graded, so a lot cheaper. I don’t know anyone that puts them in with a precision drill round here.
I drilled them at 1/2-3/4kg per acre, which is hard to do reliably with a Simtech, or any other drill.
I used an old Stanhay beet drilled, just changed the belts, same spacing as beet
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
I used an old Stanhay beet drilled, just changed the belts, same spacing as beet

We have access to a couple of those drills locally, with people who drill beet with them. I know they can drill swedes, but I don’t know of anyone that chooses to locally.
The hardest bit is getting the seed rate low enough with other drill metering systems.
 

Derrick Hughes

Member
Location
Ceredigion
We have access to a couple of those drills locally, with people who drill beet with them. I know they can drill swedes, but I don’t know of anyone that chooses to locally.
The hardest bit is getting the seed rate low enough with other drill metering systems.
A lot don't see the potential of Swedes as like you say very few use a precision drill , but they don't do as well as beet in dry conditions
 

Northern territory

Member
Livestock Farmer
Yes, I drilled them with a Simtech, both DD and into cultivated ground. You use more seed than with a precision drill, but it’s natural seed rather than graded, so a lot cheaper. I don’t know anyone that puts them in with a precision drill round here.
I drilled them at 1/2-3/4kg per acre, which is hard to do reliably with a Simtech, or any other drill.
Thanks for clarification, we used to precision drill but flea beetle and dry weather never made it very successful, hence the move to fodder beet several years ago, weed control with swedes was rubbish as well.
 

Derrick Hughes

Member
Location
Ceredigion
You need a stale seedbed for Swedes. Work the ground now ready to drill . Then leave it , spray with Roundup end of May then in with the drill
We put 100 units of K in the seedbed as well
 

capfits

Member
From our own limited experiences with fodder beet and many more years with swedes, in a wet year there will not be a lot in it, and in a dry year the fresh beet yields will absolutely leave the swedes behind. May seems fairly critical in terms of getting good true leaf development.
As with most things in life attention to wee details pays off, both growing the crop and feeding out.
After the cold spell we have it has also held up better than may have been expected.
Bangor pretty consistent plucks easily lower wastage.
Blizz root size bit more varied slightly deeper root.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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