Fodder beet v Sugar beet

[neilo]

Yes, Geronimo. Those tops in the centre are growing back by the day, so hopefully change in the next few weeks.
Tbh, the crop is so poor this year, it will be cleared before they get into February, so they’ll not be on it in late pregnancy, when they’ll need the protein more.

 

[Norfolk Hill Farmer]

What’s the plan for February onwards?

 

[Derrick Hughes]

What are the pro's con's of feeding them to ewes and how soon to feed them? What are DM, protein, energy etc please. Will they replace ewe cake or delay the feeding of it?

The only advantage this year is a management one , other than that its to dear, if you have enough grass then you can manage without cake depending on your lambing % , but need to start feeding early on grass so it reduces grass intake so it can grow ,

 

[neilo]

What’s the plan for February onwards?

I’m saving the late drilled (& late emerged) brassica crops, which are still growing steadily.

Oh, and hoping for an early Spring.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

I’m saving the late drilled (& late emerged) brassica crops, which are still growing steadily.

Oh, and hoping for an early Spring.

That's unusual for you that they are still growing , thought they only grew on my magic soil

 

[neilo]

That's unusual for you that they are still growing , thought they only grew on my magic soil

In the spirit of Christmas, I've been trying to restrain myself from posting a photo of my 'impressive' Frisia turnips...

 

[neilo]

Tops are looking sick, but newer growth is recovering quickly. Roots seem unaffected.
It’s the worst I’ve ever seen it hit, but we had no snow cover at all to protect it, just hard frost. We had -10 a few years ago and the Geronimo just wilted a bit and came back, whereas the Brigadier (softer/low DM) was about knackered.
Where it’s thicker and with more top, it looks to have come through better, but the crop is pretty poor generally.

View attachment 1084790

Adjacent fields of stubble turnips and/or hybrid rape have bounced back a lot better.

Perking up a bit already. New growth 2 days since the previous photo.

 

[Bruce Almighty]

Our beet has done the same in the frost, it is Jamon & Rabos ? I think

 

[thorpe]

Our beet has done the same in the frost, it is Jamon & Rabos ? I think

these low dry matter beet do fare badly in these conditions, time to move on surly. some pink skined varieties out there , fosmya , tarine, ours have held up well as have white skinned blizzard.

 

[neilo]

these low dry matter beet do fare badly in these conditions, time to move on surly. some pink skined varieties out there , fosmya , tarine, ours have held up well as have white skinned blizzard.

That surely depends on whether you’re lifting or grazing? Those very high DM beets are set very low in the ground, meaning a lot is wasted if grazed, unless/until it’s dry enough to get on with a cultivator.

Do the tops not get affected just the same by hard frost on high DM beets? Presumably the tops are similarly low DM regardless of variety. The roots are fine on my Geronimo, just the older leaves have gone (returning Potash for the following crop). The way it’s growing back, there would be plenty of tops again in a month.

 

[Bruce Almighty]

Coldest temp since 2010, hopefully it won’t happen every year ?

 

[digger64]

That surely depends on whether you’re lifting or grazing? Those very high DM beets are set very low in the ground, meaning a lot is wasted if grazed, unless/until it’s dry enough to get on with a cultivator.

Do the tops not get affected just the same by hard frost on high DM beets? Presumably the tops are similarly low DM regardless of variety. The roots are fine on my Geronimo, just the older leaves have gone (returning Potash for the following crop). The way it’s growing back, there would be plenty of tops again in a month.

have you sliced any with a hook ?

 

[neilo]

have you sliced any with a hook ?

No, the sheep are grazing them.

I have inspected a few half eaten ones though, and the roots all appear sound. Tops are regrowing from the centres, so plants obviously still alive, rather than festering into a soggy mush.

 

[digger64]

No, the sheep are grazing them.

I have inspected a few half eaten ones though, and the roots all appear sound. Tops are regrowing from the centres, so plants obviously still alive, rather than festering into a soggy mush.

Sometimes after a wind frost the beet above ground level will go black especially fodder beet (lower dm ), after a week or two when warmer temps arrive - you can still feed them but they might get drunk on them as they are more sugary - be careful , strip feeding should help though .