Stubble Turnips.

[neilo]

What mix would you sow next week for feeding broken mouthed ewes in Nov/Dec?

Something leafy? They'll struggle to utilise anything with bulbs I'd have thought. Redstart/Swift/Winfred/Pulsar, or similar mixed with IRG/Westerwolds?

As an experiment, knowing that I'm going to be short of lamb finishing keep running into late Autumn (as they'll be weaned onto less grass than normal), I'm drilling 10ac of IRG/Westerwolds & Winfred after Winter Barley this morning. It 'should' provide Autumn keep, slow regrowth through the winter and an early bite in the Spring, before spraying out for beet. Seed's a bit dearer than brassicas at £27.50/ac though. Would a similar mix be better than turnips for broken mouthed ewes?

If I was running broken mouthed ewes, I would get my old ball feeders back out and buy some liquid feed too.

 

[sheepman1]

As above, 1.5-2kg/ac is more than enough. Any higher and you will end up with all leaf and very little bulb, which is higher DM & energy. Personally I'd drop the kale out, not least as it's dear seed comparatively, but it won't add much yield over the Redstart when it's drilled this late.

So you reckon 2kg turnips an 0.5kg redstart?

 

[ajcc]

What mix would you sow next week for feeding broken mouthed ewes in Nov/Dec?

Typhon.
Trouble with stubble turnips with bulbs is palatability after Christmas bulbs go woody once tops are grazed or frost desecrates tops sheep ain't keen. Leafy crop is better imo.

 

[Great In Grass]

'Avalon' is another leafy turnip, winter hardy and has excellent resistance to Alternaria. It can also be utilised up to 2 weeks earlier than Tyfon, around half the price of Tyfon too!

 

[hendrebc]

Something leafy? They'll struggle to utilise anything with bulbs I'd have thought. Redstart/Swift/Winfred/Pulsar, or similar mixed with IRG/Westerwolds?

As an experiment, knowing that I'm going to be short of lamb finishing keep running into late Autumn (as they'll be weaned onto less grass than normal), I'm drilling 10ac of IRG/Westerwolds & Winfred after Winter Barley this morning. It 'should' provide Autumn keep, slow regrowth through the winter and an early bite in the Spring, before spraying out for beet. Seed's a bit dearer than brassicas at £27.50/ac though. Would a similar mix be better than turnips for broken mouthed ewes?

If I was running broken mouthed ewes, I would get my old ball feeders back out and buy some liquid feed too.

Would you let us know how your experiment goes? That sounds like it should work really well.

 

[Great In Grass]

I'm drilling 10ac of IRG/Westerwolds & Winfred

How is that made up?

 

[Kevtherev]

Something leafy? They'll struggle to utilise anything with bulbs I'd have thought. Redstart/Swift/Winfred/Pulsar, or similar mixed with IRG/Westerwolds?

As an experiment, knowing that I'm going to be short of lamb finishing keep running into late Autumn (as they'll be weaned onto less grass than normal), I'm drilling 10ac of IRG/Westerwolds & Winfred after Winter Barley this morning. It 'should' provide Autumn keep, slow regrowth through the winter and an early bite in the Spring, before spraying out for beet. Seed's a bit dearer than brassicas at £27.50/ac though. Would a similar mix be better than turnips for broken mouthed ewes?

If I was running broken mouthed ewes, I would get my old ball feeders back out and buy some liquid feed too.

I'm watching with interest @neilo
Competitors seeds [emoji848]

 

[neilo]

So you reckon 2kg turnips an 0.5kg redstart?

1.5-2kg in total would be plenty IME.

 

[neilo]

How is that made up?

30% of each of two IRGs and a Westerwolds, and 10% Winfred. 10kg/ac in total. All drilled and rolled this afternoon, ahead of the rain that might (perhaps) come tomorrow.

 

[neilo]

Typhon.
Trouble with stubble turnips with bulbs is palatability after Christmas bulbs go woody once tops are grazed or frost desecrates tops sheep ain't keen. Leafy crop is better imo.

I'd agree a leafy crop would be better for broken mouthed ewes, but a good frost would knacker it. I've never had a problem with bulbs losing feed before late Feb/early March, even in an exceptionally mild Spring. I guess area of the UK would play a big part in that though.

 

[6910 Buzz]

Would these turnips grow in north west Ireland good rich land just heavy and wet?

 

[neilo]

Would these turnips grow in north west Ireland good rich land just heavy and wet?

They'd certainly grow, the question is whether you can utilise them once they have.

 

[6910 Buzz]

Plenty of grass fields to lie back on

 

[paul&mandy]

how about turnips after osr? got a field possibly destined for spring barley and would be ideal, but would it be posssile? would just dd drill straight turnips as bound to be some osr seed to grow although the combine does a very good job.

 

[neilo]

Plenty of grass fields to lie back on

Personally, I've always found they get in a far bigger mess if they are running back to a grass field, if they have to go through a muddy gateway to do so, or if they have ring feeders to congregate round. I was more meaning that, if it is very wet ground, the animals won't be able to utilise the crop as much and more will be wasted. Sheep will utilise it better on such ground than cattle obviously.

I guess the mobstockers and the cover crop enthusiasts wouldn't describe OM that was being trod in as 'wasted', as much as 'normal' livestock farmers would.

 

[Wilberforce]

Barnabas stubble turnips, sown a week ago. DD'd in at 2.5kg/ha. Good growing weather this week to get them away.

 

[Great In Grass]

Barnabas stubble turnips, sown a week ago. DD'd in at 2.5kg/ha. Good growing weather this week to get them away.View attachment 557024

They look to be getting away well, soon catch the maize up.