Fodder beet newbie

[sheepwise]

Conversely, I don’t feed any forage alongside my grazed beet, just strip grazed beet. I did put some high protein haylage out with a group of thin ewes, but they haven’t done any better for it and they are considerably dirtier fo4 having a feeder to congregate round.

My Single bearing ewes came off the beet ten days ago, onto a stubble turnip field that had already been cleared, to stop them getting too fat/lambs too big. The twins & trips are still on the beet (which I ran a scuffle through yesterday), and will likely stay there until they’re due to start lambing (April 1st).
For one reason or another (usually no grass on the lambing fields/plenty of roots left) I’ve never managed to arrange for ewes to get onto lambing paddocks much before lambing, but it’s never been an issue. If i’m Feeling generous, transition will be a few buckets of beet sprinkled on the lambing paddocks, but I doubt they’ll get too excited about it if they have grass to go at.

This is very interesting @neilo as I would be worried about heavily in lamb ewes not getting enough protein as the beet are only 6% I believe. I grew 3 acres of fodder beet this year as a trial and am greatly impressed with the high yield and ability to keep free of weeds.I am grazing these off with fattening hoggs at the moment but did find them a bit slow to start into them compared to swedes. Our April lambing ewes have been on swedes for the last 6 weeks before moving onto the rested lambing fields. We have worked this system for 3 years now but have always made silage available and even mixed a bit of soya through it this year. Always interested in how other systems work in the hope of improving our own.

 

[neilo]

This is very interesting @neilo as I would be worried about heavily in lamb ewes not getting enough protein as the beet are only 6% I believe. I grew 3 acres of fodder beet this year as a trial and am greatly impressed with the high yield and ability to keep free of weeds.I am grazing these off with fattening hoggs at the moment but did find them a bit slow to start into them compared to swedes. Our April lambing ewes have been on swedes for the last 6 weeks before moving onto the rested lambing fields. We have worked this system for 3 years now but have always made silage available and even mixed a bit of soya through it this year. Always interested in how other systems work in the hope of improving our own.

Yes, the roots are very low protein. The tops are much higher though, so feeding the two, as you do when strip grazing, brings the total up, although still below the text book ideal.

Although it would be preferable to get ewes moved onto grass earlier, so as to adjust to the new diet, i’ve always Taken the view that it’s more important to keep food in front of them. My lambing paddocks are very well sheltered, but are 16th Century parkland. Even rested since November, and at our low altitude, it doesn’t grow much early on.

 

[Devil's advocate]

Yes, the roots are very low protein. The tops are much higher though, so feeding the two, as you do when strip grazing, brings the total up, although still below the text book ideal.

Although it would be preferable to get ewes moved onto grass earlier, so as to adjust to the new diet, i’ve always Taken the view that it’s more important to keep food in front of them. My lambing paddocks are very well sheltered, but are 16th Century parkland. Even rested since November, and at our low altitude, it doesn’t grow much early on.

How do the ewes adapt to the sudden change to grass.

Mine prolapse if they get offered fresh grass in the last 4 weeks of pregnancy.

 

[neilo]

How do the ewes adapt to the sudden change to grass.

Mine prolapse if they get offered fresh grass in the last 4 weeks of pregnancy.

I had a few prolapses in the ewe lambs last year, which were transitioned from swedes to grass about 3 weeks before lambing started. Very rarely get more than one or two in the ewes, which rarely get transitioned at all. Do you run mules by any chance?

How do they adapt to the sudden change? They put their head down and carry on grazing as if nothing is different. The only difference is that they are never asked to strip it bare and wait on me moving an electric fence.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

if it was for indoor i would go with maize silage, better feed and cheaper, you will have problems keeping sheep clean feeding roots indores as well

 

[Devil's advocate]

I had a few prolapses in the ewe lambs last year, which were transitioned from swedes to grass about 3 weeks before lambing started. Very rarely get more than one or two in the ewes, which rarely get transitioned at all. Do you run mules by any chance?

How do they adapt to the sudden change? They put their head down and carry on grazing as if nothing is different. The only difference is that they are never asked to strip it bare and wait on me moving an electric fence.

No Hartline/Charrolais crosses.

Grass never seems a problem if it grows on them, but if I change them fields, I always get trouble.

 

[Bones]

Anybody any idea how much per ton we will be paying for beet this year?

 

[nelson]

Anybody any idea how much per ton we will be paying for beet this year?

£50 per ton

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Thinking of fodder beet this year for the lambing ewes, help stretch the grass out and keep them ticking over well. They'll be caked on the run up to lambing (mid April).
I know very little about fodder beet, I'm assuming you can feed it whole out in the field?
Will they be alright on it and old pp? Or would I need to hay them as well?

All advice appreciated

I used to put Haylage out but the ate very little ,beet or swedes add lib put out once a week with a muck spreader , I've seen others do it with a tipping trailer or loader bucket , never fed cake ever

 

[Bones]

£50 per ton

I paid £50 per ton last year