THE QUALITY FORAGE CAMPAIGN

If you have seen the March issue of DAIRY FARMER magazine then we are sure you will have noticed the advert for our Blaze fodder beet on page 27.

The advert provides some interesting background information on the introduction of this valuable crop. The modern varieties, which transformed the way livestock farmers viewed fodder beet, arrived in the UK from Denmark in the early 1970’s.

The crop quickly secured a foothold in this country once farmers, particularly those with dairy herds, realised its true potential. With yields of 80-90 tonnes/ha, a digestibility value of 78% and an ME of around 13 MJ/kg DM it was not long before the news spread. In fact many beef and sheep farmers decided to introduce fodder beet as well and the interest even extended to arable farmers who grew it as a ‘cash’ crop and subsequently sold the roots on over the winter months.

Fodder beet is also a very flexible option – obviously the main approach is to lift the roots in the autumn and then clamp them for later use. However, quite a few cattle and sheep farmers have strip grazed either all, or part, of their crops in situ. The advantage here is that the animals do all the hard work and there is no need to allocate any storage capacity for the roots!

It is also worth pointing out that the fodder beet tops which are left in the field after the lifting operation can provide a useful feed. Many farmers run sheep flocks over the fields to clear them up. Alternatively, the tops can be ploughed in to help condition the soil.

The advert in the March issue of DAIRY FARMER concentrates on the variety Blaze. This introduction is a medium dry matter type which means the roots can be fed whole or chopped. A low dirt contamination score helps to ensure high intakes with no scouring. Blaze is a relatively new variety and it benefits from having a very high yield potential.

If you would like more information on Blaze – or the other proven varieties in our fodder beet portfolio – then please navigate to ‘Forage Crops’ on our website and then use the drop down menu to click on ‘Main Crops’. On this page you will find a comprehensive pdf file on fodder beet which you can view on line or print out for later reference.

March 2009