Anyone fed wholecrop Rye to cattle. What are the feed values ?
Tia
Tia
we have grown hybrid rye, for 3 years, cut 'green' for silage, and left for w/c.Anyone fed wholecrop Rye to cattle. What are the feed values ?
Tia
We grow hybrid rye purely for wholecrop and get around 20t/acre freshweight. Easy and cheap crop to grow but need to get it sown by mid Sept hereabouts. Never fed it to cattle but am always wondering how it would feed with dairy cows as the amount of grain in the sample is small compared to stem and leaf. I seem to recall someone saying that the digestibility of the stem and leaf is higher than other wholecrops and has more starch "stored" there which makes it feed better than it analyses. I also have a feeling I may have dreamt it but would appreciate any info from those with experience such as yourself.we have grown hybrid rye, for 3 years, cut 'green' for silage, and left for w/c.
last year grew it with winter vetch.
We also failed to get an analysis on last years, despite numerous attempts, no idea why, but it does make you wonder about previous years samples, which differed quite a lot.
I say no idea, but l think it might be the large stem to ear ratio, that takes it out of 'normal parameters' we had readings from 7% protein to 48%.
What l can say, is our dairy cows liked it, and performed very well, and replacement hfrs grew well on the rye/vetch silage, alone.
we have been growing it between 2 maize crops, but timing is really tight, so this year, we will try a westerwold, and vetch mix, purely on the timing issue.
yield wise, 15 ton/acre, fresh weight, followed by 18 ton/acre maize crop, we think vetches had a positive effect on the maize. It has huge bulk potential, which makes the timing difficult, rye performs best, if sown in late sept, and maize isn't ready till oct - last year, not fit till nov, so w/wheat. Last year, cut 28th may, slurry/plough maize sown 6th june, - and that's the problem.
w/crop, followed by kale, or similar, works well.
12 different samples, inc a full wet analysis, so can't do more than that.We grow hybrid rye purely for wholecrop and get around 20t/acre freshweight. Easy and cheap crop to grow but need to get it sown by mid Sept hereabouts. Never fed it to cattle but am always wondering how it would feed with dairy cows as the amount of grain in the sample is small compared to stem and leaf. I seem to recall someone saying that the digestibility of the stem and leaf is higher than other wholecrops and has more starch "stored" there which makes it feed better than it analyses. I also have a feeling I may have dreamt it but would appreciate any info from those with experience such as yourself.
I’m a bit puzzled about your analysis comments though, we’ve never had a problem getting an analysis.
We grow hybrid rye purely for wholecrop and get around 20t/acre freshweight. Easy and cheap crop to grow but need to get it sown by mid Sept hereabouts. Never fed it to cattle but am always wondering how it would feed with dairy cows as the amount of grain in the sample is small compared to stem and leaf. I seem to recall someone saying that the digestibility of the stem and leaf is higher than other wholecrops and has more starch "stored" there which makes it feed better than it analyses. I also have a feeling I may have dreamt it but would appreciate any info from those with experience such as yourself.
I’m a bit puzzled about your analysis comments though, we’ve never had a problem getting an analysis.
don't really know, to be honest, perhaps gives the maize a boost. But the field is right next to the buildings, and very quick taking slurry out, so it gets a lot. Usually run the sub soiler across the field, to stop any run off, we need to.When does vetch start to give nitrogen, I know a lot is given when it's terminated
Dunno, we don’t do owt special. Last year’s crop did 20.75t coming out of the clamp over a weighbridge, so not the pubtalk one might assume. Similar N to you, but gotta get it on early. Been lucky with Feb/March dry spells here so there’s that. Doddle to grow as long as you get it in well. One Moddus/ccc earlyish seems to keep it up while allowing it to bulk.What's the secret to hitting 20t/acre? That is huge.
Our very best yields are in around 18t acre chopping at 30-35%DM, aiming for starch up around 28/29%. That's from 120units of spring N plus digestate at drlling in the late September.
No one seems to know basically if I put in Vetch and Rygrass will Vetch feed the growing crop as well as banking for the futuredon't really know, to be honest, perhaps gives the maize a boost. But the field is right next to the buildings, and very quick taking slurry out, so it gets a lot. Usually run the sub soiler across the field, to stop any run off, we need to.
got it in one, nobody really knows.No one seems to know basically if I put in Vetch and Rygrass will Vetch feed the growing crop as well as banking for the future
will have to come back to you on that, son sorted it out, rye was £700 ton, for seed, cannot remember vetch cost.@som farmer what sort of seedrates did you use for rye/vetch?
Have you got a photos of the rye with the hairy vetch? Our agronomist talked me out of it.will have to come back to you on that, son sorted it out, rye was £700 ton, for seed, cannot remember vetch cost.
last week, l managed to get my grand daughter, to delete all the photos on my phone, sorry, you are a week late asking, they were winter vetch, dif to hairy vetch.Have you got a photos of the rye with the hairy vetch? Our agronomist talked me out of it.
I would guess vetch wouldn’t fix as much N per Ha as white clover and not as much as red clover.got it in one, nobody really knows.
when we included vetch in a grazing ley, cows loved it, a bit to much, as we never saw it again.
l would think it releases N, after cut/graze.
but in the rye mix, the maize was a heavy crop, did it utilise the vetch N ?
You can sharp loose a lot of tons if it all goes flat too… also sharp gain a few tons if it’s dampDunno, we don’t do owt special. Last year’s crop did 20.75t coming out of the clamp over a weighbridge, so not the pubtalk one might assume. Similar N to you, but gotta get it on early. Been lucky with Feb/March dry spells here so there’s that. Doddle to grow as long as you get it in well. One Moddus/ccc earlyish seems to keep it up while allowing it to bulk.
Indeed. We take it around 35% DM. I was warned severely about getting growth reg on when we first started growing it so we’ve made sure it gets Moddus. Seems to give it a lot of strength, much more so than it profers on wheat/barley to my surprise given the dire warnings. So far so good.You can sharp loose a lot of tons if it all goes flat too… also sharp gain a few tons if it’s damp