Radish and clover mix

Yorkshire Jim

Member
Mixed Farmer
Iv recently drilled a radish clover mix, just wondering if anyone has had any experience with it outwintering ewes or running store Lambs on it. my question is, is it any good compared to turnips etc.
Any advice would be appreciated
 

Anymulewilldo

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Cheshire
Iv recently drilled a radish clover mix, just wondering if anyone has had any experience with it outwintering ewes or running store Lambs on it. my question is, is it any good compared to turnips etc.
Any advice would be appreciated
I’ve run store lambs on it. Feeds well, but doesn’t last anywhere near as long as turnip.
 

Anymulewilldo

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Cheshire
How did you find it growth wise? I tried a rye, vetch and clover mix as a cover crop last year and was very disappointed.
It finished a few lambs, but it ran out before the sheep started too really motor on it. I wasn’t sure on stocking rates and put too many on. I talked the fella into brassicas the next year so we haven’t had it since
 
Red clover. Although I had read that it can contain phyto-oestrogens which reduces fertility in ewes, I could be wrong .

All phyto-oestrogens have no effect on female fertility if the lamb has not yet gone through puberty. Therefore RC is a fantastic fattening feed for slaughter lambs of any sex and replacement ewe lambs post weaning.

Fodder Radish does not take many light grazings, so is a temporary cover crop for whatever else is in the mix intended to be growing more than one season. If you were wanting a semi permanent specialist finishing crop, I would rather see a mix of White and Red Clovers with Plantain, then chuck in a bit of Fodder Radish as a cover because clovers and herbs are much slower establishing than short rotation ryegrasses.
 

JD-Kid

Member
All phyto-oestrogens have no effect on female fertility if the lamb has not yet gone through puberty. Therefore RC is a fantastic fattening feed for slaughter lambs of any sex and replacement ewe lambs post weaning.

Fodder Radish does not take many light grazings, so is a temporary cover crop for whatever else is in the mix intended to be growing more than one season. If you were wanting a semi permanent specialist finishing crop, I would rather see a mix of White and Red Clovers with Plantain, then chuck in a bit of Fodder Radish as a cover because clovers and herbs are much slower establishing than short rotation ryegrasses.
even just a light rate of rape will help as a cover. for young plants
 
even just a light rate of rape will help as a cover. for young plants

Yes it will. But keep it a light rate as immature rape can cause nitrite poisoning.

Fodder radish is good for shortening the time between sowing and 1st grazing, but grazing duration must be governed by the growth stage of the main crop, not the radish, or a lot of clover and herb plants will be pulled out or trampled to death.
 
Iv recently drilled a radish clover mix, just wondering if anyone has had any experience with it outwintering ewes or running store Lambs on it. my question is, is it any good compared to turnips etc.
Any advice would be appreciated

Such a mix would not be suitable for winter grazing of ewes. It would be too open, hence bog up easily and insufficient DM to carry many ewes that only need bulk feeding with plenty of carbs (energy), not high protein.
 

Derrick Hughes

Member
Location
Ceredigion
Red clover. Although I had read that it can contain phyto-oestrogens which reduces fertility in ewes, I could be wrong .
As long as you keep them away from it around mating you should be OK, but why choose Red Clover I would have thought you would be better with one of the Annual Clovers that grow quicker and are less than half the cost
 

Yorkshire Jim

Member
Mixed Farmer
As long as you keep them away from it around mating you should be OK, but why choose Red Clover I would have thought you would be better with one of the Annual Clovers that grow quicker and are less than half the cost
We are mainly arable farmers and just run a few sheep on the side. My father has a tendancy to have a word with the agronomist and just order whatever he recommendes without asking me so I’m trying to make the best out of what I’ve got this year👍🏻
 

Derrick Hughes

Member
Location
Ceredigion
We are mainly arable farmers and just run a few sheep on the side. My father has a tendancy to have a word with the agronomist and just order whatever he recommendes without asking me so I’m trying to make the best out of what I’ve got this year👍🏻
Some good knowledgeable chaps on here ,I would double check next time ,may save you a fair bit , it's a good growing time so should do ok whatever
 

JD-Kid

Member
Yes it will. But keep it a light rate as immature rape can cause nitrite poisoning.

Fodder radish is good for shortening the time between sowing and 1st grazing, but grazing duration must be governed by the growth stage of the main crop, not the radish, or a lot of clover and herb plants will be pulled out or trampled to death.
raddish a bit of a strange plant tried it a few times better in spring raphno is good tho being a raddish kale cross
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 78 42.9%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 63 34.6%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 16.5%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 5 2.7%

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

  • 1,286
  • 1
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/
Top