Whole crop barley/peas

[The Kernel]

I,m thinking of planting barley and pea whole crop 40/60%. Was hoping to feed it to 12 week onwards calves and growing cattle with silage. Does any one else use it and how do they get on with it. Do cattle grow well on it or is there better stuff out there. Thought I,d better find out before I go planting to many acres of the stuff.

 

[GTB]

It always feeds better than the analasys would suggest and it's a good way of reseeding a field without loosing production if you undersow with a grass ley. It's good stuff for growing cattle and we also feed it to Autumn calved sucklers to help them along. It helps get them back in calf whilst rearing a calf.

 

[MOG]

Just don't cut it too late. And if you can get it chopped it will be a far better feed

 

[The Kernel]

Thanks for advice. It sounds like a thumbs up from you two. I hear so many different opinions on when is best time to cut it for plenty of protein, what are your thoughts on that.

 

[Kevtherev]

@Great In Grass
A mix of oats barley and peas be ideal undersown

 

[GTB]

We put ours in the clamp with the second cut in mid august. Usually drilled in early may.

 

[MOG]

I only ever did oats and peas undersown. And bagged not clamped. Harvested earlier than you think. If you can squash the corn easily to a milky pulp between your thumbnails it is OK in my experience. If there is any resistence then it may be too ripe and the rats & birds will play havoc with it. My problem was getting a contractor prepared to set up his chopper on the baler which meant there was a lot of waste when feeding as the cattle didn't like to chew on the stalks too much and just picked out the peas and the heads. Not such a problem if going through a forager into a clamp.

 

[Kevtherev]

Soil contamination can be a problem with peas in a poor season

 

[Great In Grass]

I can't really add to what's already been said.

We sell a lot of pea/barely /Oat mixes in varying guises.

Lupins & Triticale is the bees knees but Lupins frighten some people.

OP doesn't state where he farms which makes answering these types of questions a little more difficult.

 

[The Kernel]

I farm on the Cheshire Shropshire border. What's the bennifit of adding oats to the mix, and how come lupins go with triticale rather than barley, sorry for all the questions, just trying to get it right ( if that's possible)

 

[Kevtherev]

 

[Great In Grass]

Triticale/Lupins is my biggest seller which gives very high yields with high protein. Barley lupins can be had in another mix but tends to be later sown or used in heavy ground, wheat or oats are also available with lupins.

Download info here: http://www.soya-uk.com/SoyaUKseeds/wholecrop.php

 

[Kevtherev]

What about vetches in the mix @Great In Grass

 

[The Kernel]

I will have a good read when I,m in the house tonight

 

[Great In Grass]

Barley/Pea/Vetch: http://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/barley-pea-vetch-wholecrop.23319/#post-432589

 

[wellingtonfarmer]

I grew 65% oats 25% peas 10% vetch last year fed really well doubling acerage this year. Going to alter % though and mix all myself as manufactures mix by weight not seeds.

 

[Great In Grass]

I grew 65% oats 25% peas 10% vetch last year fed really well doubling acerage this year. Going to alter % though and mix all myself as manufactures mix by weight not seeds.

Up the pea content?

 

[wellingtonfarmer]

Up the pea content?

Yep thinking of going 55% oats 40% peas 5% vetch.

Had hardly any peas take last time