Short term crop for sheep

I think I already know the answer .... but ....

If you had some arable ground available from now until around September/ October and we’re looking to get something in the ground now to provide some feed for ewes and lambs (April born) from about June onwards. .... is there anything cost effective you could try? Fodder rape ?
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
Is the arable farmer happy to have a brassica in, or does he grow OSR?

If so, what about a grazing turnip like Appin, rather than fodder rape? Lambs never seem to do that well on rape ime, but does make a good ‘holding’ crop.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
As far as I’m aware the farm is bring sold hence the opportunity. Turnips was my first thought but they aren’t my sheep and I think they are older mules so not sure on the teeth.

Appin is a leafy turnip, so it grows (& regrows) lots of top, as long as the bulb isn’t grazed out. Dearer seed than stubble turnips, but you could several grazings in that time with a bit of back fencing, then graze it out at the end.

Leafy turnips are quite popular for your scenario in NZ iirc.
 

Bury the Trash

Member
Mixed Farmer
Well There's a difference between being sold / been sold ??

Might look better with Westerwolds Sown and used if its ' being sold' ........that's more expensive seed but of a more varied/ versatile feeding / useand it wouldn't need as much 'added'fertility as brassicas .
 
Well There's a difference between being sold / been sold ??

Might look better with Westerwolds Sown and used if its ' being sold' ........that's more expensive seed but of a more varied/ versatile feeding / useand it wouldn't need as much 'added'fertility as brassicas .

As in the owner has to sell it in a family dispute and so is happy to have whatever done with the field before it goes. Round here anything sells for top dollar whatever is in the ground
 

Tim W

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Wiltshire
Brassicas of some sort with grass seed mixed in would be darn useful .

Its getting grass seed cheap enough is the challenge,
Getting value out of short term grass is always a challenge
I have a similar quandary---
Land coming out of arable in July '21 which i can have until Oct '22
Needs to be left with the minimum of weed cover which ideally means a grass cover

Current thinking is sow the cheapest grass possible after harvest along with kale/rape
Graze the kale off by next spring (don't make too much mess!) and then have a grass ley to wean lambs onto in July '22
If i were lucky i may get a cut of silage in early June?

Any better ideas?
 

Derrick Hughes

Member
Location
Ceredigion
Getting value out of short term grass is always a challenge
I have a similar quandary---
Land coming out of arable in July '21 which i can have until Oct '22
Needs to be left with the minimum of weed cover which ideally means a grass cover

Current thinking is sow the cheapest grass possible after harvest along with kale/rape
Graze the kale off by next spring (don't make too much mess!) and then have a grass ley to wean lambs onto in July '22
If i were lucky i may get a cut of silage in early June?

Any better ideas?
Italian Ryegrass. A little bit more that than Westerwolds but a better option, depends how long you want it down for , could add a little bit of bottom grass . Other than that go for maximum output from the kale and Redrill Ryegass in March .
All depends on the time yiu want it down for . But if you combine the two then you will have to reduce your seed rate
 

Tim W

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Wiltshire
Italian Ryegrass. A little bit more that than Westerwolds but a better option, depends how long you want it down for , could add a little bit of bottom grass . Other than that go for maximum output from the kale and Redrill Ryegass in March .
All depends on the time yiu want it down for . But if you combine the two then you will have to reduce your seed rate
I will have the grass from June to Oct maximum so hardly worth doing in some ways
But it's how the land has to be left
Reducing seed rates is not a problem
 

Derrick Hughes

Member
Location
Ceredigion
I will have the grass from June to Oct maximum so hardly worth doing in some ways
But it's how the land has to be left
Reducing seed rates is not a problem
Just as well go with Westerwolds then .just keep on top of it as it runs to head quicker than Italian
Cost wise £4-50 kg Hybrid Kale
Westerwolds £2-10 kg
Italian Ryegrass £2.40 kg
Prices may vary with amounts
 
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digger64

Member
Getting value out of short term grass is always a challenge
I have a similar quandary---
Land coming out of arable in July '21 which i can have until Oct '22
Needs to be left with the minimum of weed cover which ideally means a grass cover

Current thinking is sow the cheapest grass possible after harvest along with kale/rape
Graze the kale off by next spring (don't make too much mess!) and then have a grass ley to wean lambs onto in July '22
If i were lucky i may get a cut of silage in early June?

Any better ideas?
2 crops of stubble turnips just hope the lamb price is good summer 22 , might be drought though so could still be handy to have .
 

Bury the Trash

Member
Mixed Farmer
Getting value out of short term grass is always a challenge
I have a similar quandary---
Land coming out of arable in July '21 which i can have until Oct '22
Needs to be left with the minimum of weed cover which ideally means a grass cover

Current thinking is sow the cheapest grass possible after harvest along with kale/rape
Graze the kale off by next spring (don't make too much mess!) and then have a grass ley to wean lambs onto in July '22
If i were lucky i may get a cut of silage in early June?

Any better ideas?
Nope, sounds like a productive plan .
But to add Imo, not kale or rapev
But A bit of some sort of turnip seed ( not much really ) in with the grass ( westerwolds / IR mix ) will add bit extra for autumn early winter but make them grasses your main focus.
 

Tim W

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Wiltshire
Nope, sounds like a productive plan .
But to add Imo, not kale or rapev
But A bit of some sort of turnip seed ( not much really ) in with the grass ( westerwolds / IR mix ) will add bit extra for autumn early winter but make them grasses your main focus.
I had thought turnips but it can be wet ground and has lots of walker presence so it needs to look good too
Prob put kale/rape/turnip/mustard in the mix (why not ) but as you say concentrate on the grass
 

Bury the Trash

Member
Mixed Farmer
I had thought turnips but it can be wet ground and has lots of walker presence so it needs to look good too
Prob put kale/rape/turnip/mustard in the mix (why not ) but as you say concentrate on the grass
If you put too much kale rape turnip mustard in the mix it will smother out too much of the grass is whatbi meant.
A Traditional way we 'add a bit of substance ' to a newly grass seeded field is with a bit of that stuff but not over do it if the grass is the main event. If it isn't you can get a juxtaposition mix with brassicas plus some Italian in iyswim which does help utilisation of the kale put something in potential brassica bare spots and leave a bit of a green grass legacy but not so thick example here of that see late lamb at the bottom
 
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