Sheep feed on wheat stubble before maize under film.

[stablegirl]

The land is essentially available from the start of September until the end if feb.

Good dry land, kale? Stubble turnips?

Looking to boost soil fertility as always but don't want to grow anything that will be difficult to control with sprays in the maize thr following year?

How would you establish it? How many sheep would 20 acres feed for how long?

 

[spin cycle]

don't think weed control will be much trouble......main issue is sept getting a little late for establishing forage crop

 

[Dkb]

You’d want to get it established as early as possible. I use forage rape a lot for finishing lambs. You’d finish about 100 lambs from December first until end of February.

If you get it established in the first few days of September, fertilise well and spray for volunteers. Preferably establish it in august if you can, every day counts.

 

[spin cycle]

my combine had a leak......lots of volunteers.......but ewes doing nicely on them and beet lasting longer......thinking another year...fix leak but then broadcast 100kg/ac of barley + cultivate + roll = small but cheap bite

 

[deleted user 837354]

As above, direct drill (or alternative method) the forage crop in August, as soon as the combine has passed to take advantage of any rainfall and also the higher soil temperatures. Get muck/fertiliser spread ahead of time and go for it. Weed control may be needed from volunteer cereals, other than that a good brassica crop can usually outrun a lot of weeds.

 

[michael N123]

We one pass with a powerharrow combi tickling the surface into stubble no need for a fancey drill

 

[stablegirl]

We will have rain to germinate it and its a pretty mild climate here.

Can you get enough sheep on to pay for it?

 

[Dkb]

We will have rain to germinate it and its a pretty mild climate here.

Can you get enough sheep on to pay for it?

Yeah it works out at a max cost of €20 per lamb finished in feed costs. In mild warm autumn with an august sowing that cost can be brought down to €15 per lamb.

That would only buy about 50kg of meal which would only feed them for about 30 days instead of 90. So it’s a third of the cost of meal.

 

[Norfolk Hill Farmer]

my combine had a leak......lots of volunteers.......but ewes doing nicely on them and beet lasting longer......thinking another year...fix leak but then broadcast 100kg/ac of barley + cultivate + roll = small but cheap bite

Wouldn't broadcasting £4 worth of turnip seed be a better option than £12 worth of barley ?

 

[Suffolksucklers]

Some broadcast into the standing crop to get it started even earlier

 

[stablegirl]

We could broadcast into the standing crop or combi drill into stubble, you literally broadcast turnips in say 3 weeks before harvest?

I get its cheaper than meal, but im a dairy and Arable farmer, so the sheep would be someone else's say 60p/sheep/week do you cover the costs?

 

[Norfolk Hill Farmer]

Some broadcast into the standing crop to get it started even earlier

Never tried this . Guess you would need a spreader the same width as the sprayer which could be challenging and it would be better if rain was forecast.
Would be worried ground could be like concrete and there would be poor seed to soil contact. Anyone doing this ? and is it successfull ?

 

[michael N123]

Some broadcast into the standing crop to get it started even earlier

Stubble turnips don’t like wheels by the time you’ve harvested had grain trailers balers loaders and bale trailers all over the field it’s going to look a horrible crop

 

[Mixedupfarmer]

Wouldn't broadcasting £4 worth of turnip seed be a better option than £12 worth of barley ?

Not if it gets eaten by flea beetle

 

[Norfolk Hill Farmer]

Usually find they grow away from the flea beetle it's the saw tooth caterpillar that's the one to watch.

 

[Dkb]

We could broadcast into the standing crop or combi drill into stubble, you literally broadcast turnips in say 3 weeks before harvest?

I get its cheaper than meal, but im a dairy and Arable farmer, so the sheep would be someone else's say 60p/sheep/week do you cover the costs?

Well I wouldn’t pay 60p per head per week and establish the crop. It’d have to be one or the other.

Maybe I’ve picked you up wrong have I?

 

[stablegirl]

Yeah you have, id be planting it and be trying to cover the cost of it with someone's else's sheep.

 

[spin cycle]

Wouldn't broadcasting £4 worth of turnip seed be a better option than £12 worth of barley ?

probably not in truth ...mind you thats cheap/low rate neep seed you're quoting.....it'd need good dose of fert.....flea beetle and spray off volunteers

 

[Norfolk Hill Farmer]

probably not in truth ...mind you thats cheap/low rate neep seed you're quoting.....it'd need good dose of fert.....flea beetle and spray off volunteers

2 kg acre £2 kg ,have grown some nice crops in the past with no fertiliser - live with the volunteers, they are feed as well, pray for rain !

 

[spin cycle]

2 kg acre £2 kg ,have grown some nice crops in the past with no fertiliser - live with the volunteers, they are feed as well, pray for rain !

fen dirt