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Roots

Forage root crops play an important role in livestock diets. They have the potential to produce high yields over a relatively short growing period and can contribute substantial amounts of fresh fodder when grazing may be scare. There is today more interest in the use of forage crops to extend the grazing season and to reduce feeding costs. Countrywide can offer a number of forage root crops as a straight or in a mixture.

Stock should be introduced gradually over a two week period and an area of grassland should be available for animals to return to. Water, hay and straw should also be available.

To see more information on the roots products you can download the 2013 Game Cover Guide in PDF format.

Email: seeds@countrywidefarmers.co.uk

Telephone: 01386 429795

Fodder Beet

Fodder beet is grown as a main root crop, which requires similar husbandry to sugar beet. It can produce substantial yields of high quality forage and is an excellent supplement to grass silage.

Medium dry matter varieties tend to have a higher percentage of the root above the ground and can be lifted with a top lifter and have a relatively low dirt tare. These can be fed whole to stock. High dry matter varieties tend to sit further in the ground and require a sugar beet harvester to lift them. Due to the higher dirt tare and hardness of the root, these varieties may need to be chopped and washed before feeding.

After wilting the tops may be fed to stock and can contribute a further yield of 3–4 tonnes protein rich dry matter per hectare.

Sowing Period:
Late March to end of April - after last frost, soil temp at least 5 C. A light to medium, free draining field is ideal with a pH of 7. Good accessibility is vital for heavy harvesting machinery.

Precision Drill Only:
50,000 seeds/acre (seed sold in acre packs) into a firm, fine tilth to a depth of 2.5/3.0 cm. Use deeper figure for dry seedbeds.

Fertiliser:
Demanding crop in terms of nutrients. 2 Bags 0:18:36, 2.5 Bags 34.5% N.

Weeds:
Important to control weeds as their presence can severely reduce yields.

Harvesting:
Soil contamination must be kept to a minimum. Do not lift too early as 30% of the Dry Matter is added in the last 4 weeks of growth.

Utilisation:
October to March. It may be fed chopped or whole.

Treatment:
Wireworm treated seed is available on some varieties. Please enquire.

*No data available
RR = Rhizomania Resistant

Alpes

Very clean high yielding root which ensures less waste. 67% of root in ground so allows easy lifting. Good resistance to bolting.

Blaze

High yielding excellent dry matter yields with clean red roots. Easy to harvest. Can be fed whole as it is a medium dry matter variety. Low dirt contamination ensures high intakes with no scouring.

Blizzard

Can produce very high dry matter yields. Will produce a very palatable feed suitable for dairy or beef animals.

Feldherr

Very large fresh yields of low dry matter root. Ideal for grazing in situ.

Kyros

Very consistent, easy to harvest and clean root. High palatable & easily digested. High yielding. Kyros will provide a high energy feed whole or chopped.

Magnum

Consistent root size and reliable high dry matter yields with high proportion of clean, white root in ground. Exceptional bolting and rust resistance. Very palatable variety therefore increasing appetite and dry matter intake in all stock. Due to its high dry matter content it is more frost resistant than other varieties.

Troya

High yields of medium dry matter content. Very good establishment and bolting resistance with 62% of its yellow root in the ground, ensuring clean, easy lifting.

Enermax

New variety for both fodder and bio-energy production. High yielding with a low dirt tare. Enermax gas a clean, white, smooth skinned root and is shallow rooting. It has the additional benefit of being Rhizomania tolerant.

Ribondo

Ribondo is a Rhizomanis resistant variety that has erect leaves.

Robbos

Very high dry matter yields. A clean yellow root with medium dry matter content makes it an ideal choice for both dairy and beef production.

Splendide

Balanced performance profile. Good dry matter. Excellent for storage and easy to harvest.

Cagnotte

Excellent dry matter yield. High dry matter content. Ideal for storage and late lifting.

Jauna

Clean beet ideal for storage and late lifting. High dry matter and yield

Jamon

Very palatable with high yield. Vary palatable, medium dry matter

Merveille

Excellent establishment. Strong early vigour. High beet yield with good dry matter content.

Starmon

Good dry matter content. Very palatable, 60% of root in ground. Clean easy harvesting roots.

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Forage Rape

Forage rape is a popular choice with many livestock farmers due to its relatively low seed rate and inputs. Forage rape has a wide sowing window and will provide excellent autumn/winter keep for finishing lambs. An ideal catch crop for boosting mid summer forage production when planted in the spring. Forage rape works well when sown alongside stubble turnips to combine the benefits of both crops, by adding extra crude protein content and winter hardiness.

Forage rape has been mixed with grass seed allowing the rape to be grazed while the grass seedlings continue to establish underneath. Forage rape can be mixed with Italian ryegrass to create a cleaner autumn keep.

Sowing Period:
May to end September. A free draining light loam with a pH of 6-6.5 is ideal as most crops are grazed in situ. Forage rape has a very vigorous growth habitat as is very often used in upland reclamation projects where its ability to survive and grow on relatively poor soils and exposed sites is well known.

Sowing Method:
Forage rape is an excellent break crop between grass leys. This rotation requires a firm, fine seed bed. To consolidate the seedbed and help reduce moisture loss, rolling after sowing is recommended. Drill= 2.5Kg / Acre (6Kg/ha). Broadcast = 4Kg / Acre (10Kg / ha).

Fertiliser:
The crop benefits from applications of FYM or slurry before sowing. A top dressing of 75Kg/Ha of Nitrogen can be applied, after 4-5 weeks from sowing.

Weeds/Disease:
During establishment weeds can be a problem to forage rape crops. Forage rape can suffer powdery mildew which can make badly infected crops unpalatable. Flea beetle can be a problem in establishing crops but a suitable spray programme will ensure control.

Utilisation:
Forage rape crops are utilised from July – December. A crop can be ready between 13-15 weeks from sowing. Strip or zero grazing should be used for feeding to cattle. Sheep can be stocked in small ‘paddocks’.

Emerald

A proven well known rapidly establishing, medium to tall palatable variety which matures in 10-12 weeks after sowing. Above average dry matter yields and excellent standing power. Very good feeding quality, being high in protein and easily digestible, remaining palatable well into the winter. It has a widely branched root system for improvement of soil structure. Good resistance to powdery mildew. Wireworm treated seed available.

Hobson

Very leafy and high yielding with good digestibility. Ideal for finishing lambs. Excellent powdery mildew resistance. Very palatable and digestible.

Hungry Gap

Hungry gaps exceptional winter hardiness will ensure crops can be used in January and February. It is best sown in June or July and its growth habit is kale like in appearance.

Interval

Rape / kale hybrid. Exceptional yield potential, disease resistance and palatability. Ideal for fattening lambs, flushing ewes or for dairy cows. Very fast to establish with some crops ready to utilise within 10-12 weeks from sowing.

Sparta

High yielding, late flowering rape with the huge advantage of having clubroot tolerance, enabling it be sown where clubroot is a problem and there are no alternative sowing sites. Its late flowering allows for sowing flexibility offering an extension to the feeding period. As with other rape will mature 10 – 12 weeks from sowing.

Zoom Brassica Mix

Blend of 50% hybrid brassica and 50% forage rape. Very vigorous and quick growing mix, ideal for replacing failed crops or patching spring sown crops. Good disease and bolting resistance. High leaf to stem ratio.

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Kale

Kale is a very adaptable crop, which is traditionally grown for grazing by cattle in autumn and winter. One of the big advantages of kale is the flexible utilisation period, which can stretch from July through to March.

Kale can be cut and fed ‘in house’ or can be ensiled as big bale kaleage.

It has a high crude protein content and so can be fed to all types of livestock. It is also an ideal full season game cover crop.

Sowing Period:
Late March to end of April - after last frost, soil temp at least 5 C. A light to medium, free draining field is ideal with a pH of 7. Good accessibility is vital for heavy harvesting machinery.

Sowing Method:
A firm, fine seedbed. The target population is 70 plants/sq metre. Drill = 2kg/acre. Broadcast = 3kg/acre.

Fertiliser:
Kale, although a fast growing crop, will thrive when provided with plenty of organic matter. Nitrogen addition is dependant on previous cropping. Up to 170 units/Ha may be required after a cereal crop. This will reduce to 75 units/Ha after intensively grazed grass.

Weeds/Disease:
Damage to young seedlings can be considerable from flea beetle, so seed treatment must be considered. Slug, rabbit and pigeon damage must be monitored. The main disease threat of Kale is clubroot so it is best to avoid growing kale on any field, which has a history of clubroot, as the disease is soil borne. Alternatively consider a clubroot resistant variety.

Utilisation:
Traditionally kale is utilised by either strip or zero grazing. Strip grazing can take place between September and March. Zero grazing allows efficient crop utilisation with very little waste but costs do increase.

Caledonian

Club root resistant. Very high yielding with excellent winter hardiness. Good lodging and disease resistance. Can be utilised by dairy and beef cattle.

Keeper

Very winter hardy. Excellent lodging resistance. Good standing medium / short variety ideal for fattening lambs and providing high quality winter keep. High leaf to stem ratio.

Pinfold

Fast growing an ideal for early sowings. Will provide excellent yields in a short period of time.

Goldeneye

A giant kale with a leafy top and strong stem. Good winter hardiness and good field tolerance of disease.

Gruner Angeliter

Very high yielding variety with good winter hardiness and excellent feeding quality.

Soverign

Medium tall forage kale with excellent yield potential. Being late flowering and with a good leaf to stem ratio, the variety has the potential to maintain good quality production over a longer usage period. Good palatability.

Thousand Head

Medium stemmed variety. Excellent winter hardy kale bearing leafy forage. Very high D-value and dry matter content.

Grampion

High dry matter yields and good digestibility.Some club root resistance. Can be utilized in both Autumn and winter months for both sheep and dairy cows.

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Stubble Turnips

Stubble turnips are often grown after first cut silage for summer grazing or after winter cereals for autumn grazing when they are usually striped grazed. Different varieties enable you to sow the crop to your exact requirements. Stubble turnip varieties differ in their root to leaf ratio. Leafy types provide good anchorage and winter hardiness, while bulbing types produce predominantly large palatable bulbs.

Sowing Period:
April to September. A free draining light loam or brash with a pH of 6.5 is ideal. Accessibility to land if to be grazed by dairy cows must be considered. Stubble turnips should be sown 12 –14 weeks before they are to be utilised. If sown in April they can be used to finish Spring lambs. When sown in mid June after hay/silage cut they can be used for autumn feed.

Sowing Method:
A firm, fine seedbed is required. It is vital that soil moisture is not lost. Drill = 2Kg/Acre. Broadcast = 3Kg/Acre.

Fertiliser:
75Kg OF Nitrogen, 40Kg of phosphate, 40Kg of potash/Ha. 75-100Kg/ha of Nitrogen is required after a cereal crop. To increase crop growth a top dressing of Nitrogen (up to 75Kg/ha) 3–4 weeks after sowing is recommended.

Pests:
Watch out for flee beetle attack, spray at the first sign of trouble. Check for slug damage. Flee beetle treated seed is available.

Utilisation:
Stock should be introduced gradually to the crop and have access to grass or silage. To avoid milk taint dairy cows should be moved from the crop at least 3 hours before milking. To reduce wastage cattle should strip graze the crop.

Barkant

One of the highest dry matter yields. Very digestible with good winter hardiness. Proven and reliable variety.

Vollenda

Highly digestible tetraploid noted for its speed of growth, yield and bolting resistance. Large leaved with good early vigour. Good disease resistance.

Samson

Produces tankard shaped purple roots which are very palatable for sheep and cattle. Provides excellent quality forage.

Delilah

Produces white tankard shaped bulbs with excellent dry matter yields. Ideal for fattening lambs and flushing ewes. High dry matter yield, resistant to mildew. Can be used for summer strip grazing or sown into cereal stubble to provide autumn or winter keep.

Rondo

Green skinned variety suitable for sheep or cattle. It has a leafy growth habitat, with excellent disease resistance and can be utilized from September to early February. Excellent root anchorage which helps reduce wastage in the field.

Tyfon

A leafy, fast growing cross between Chinese cabbage and stubble turnip, producing 50 plus tones per hectare. Ideally sown in the spring and utilised in the summer months. It exhibits high frost resistance and can be utilized within eight to ten weeks after sowing. It should not be sown too early as it is susceptible to bolting. There is potential for regrowth.

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Swedes

Swedes provide a high energy, autumn or winter feed, which prefer a cool, moist climate. Sufficient rainfall is required together with good soil conditions in order to provide strong root development. Some varieties have culinary potential.

Sowing Period:
April to June. Swedes can be grown on a wide range of soil types including sandy loams, silts, peats or clay loams. Good aeration and sound drainage of soil are ideal. Soils with pans should be avoided. The pH should be around 6.5.

Sowing Method:
Usually precision drilled which requires a level seedbed. Early April drilling should be made with the minimum of cultivation passes to reduce compaction. If drilling in May/June the seed bed preparation should take place in spring to reduce soil moisture loss. Seed should be sown at 1–2cm depth and left well firmed on top. Rows should be 38-42 cm apart. Precision Drill (Graded seed)= 350g – 850g/Ha (150g – 350g/acre). Direct Drill (Natural seed) = 3Kg/Ha (1Kg/acre). Broadcast (Natural seed)= 5Kg/Ha (2Kg/acre).

Fertiliser:
250 kg/Ha of 18:15:20 should be applied into the seedbed.

Weeds/Disease:
Swedes, from sowing through to maturity can be attacked by a number of pests. Treated seed should be sown to maximise establishment and minimise damage to the crop. Mildew attacks on leaves reduce yield and can affect the palatability of the crop during in situ grazing.

Utilisation:
Most swede crops are grazed in situ, so variety selection is crucial to ensure they cover the period that you wish to graze. Forage Swedes can be lifted and the roots stored in a clamp. They need to be clean and free of soil.

Airlie

Low to medium dry matter variety with very high fresh yields. Uniform in colour and globe shaped. Good disease resistance. Suitable for the culinary market.

Gowrie

Very high dry matter yield. Excellent powdery mildew and club root resistance. Excellent palatability. Can be utilised pre or post christmas.

Invitation

Uniform purple skinned club root resistant variety, ideal for utilization after Christmas. Excellent resistance to powdery mildew. Will produce large leaves for extra grazing potential. Winter hardy and is suitable for sheep or cattle.

Brora

A deep purple skinned variety. Can be grazed early in the autumn. Low resistance to powdery mildew.

Lomond

High fresh and dry yields. Ideal for fattening lambs post Christmas. Powdery mildew and club root resistance.

Kenmore

Early maturing with medium dry matter variety with exceptional winter hardiness. Excellent palatability. Kenmore has bronze skin with white flesh.

Marian

A medium dry matter variety with moderate resistance to club root. It is a dual purpose variety suitable for fodder and culinary use with yellowed coloured flesh and purple skin.

Ruta Otofte

A medium dry matter variety with good mildew resistance. It is a dual purpose variety suitable for fodder and culinary use with purple skin and cream coloured flesh. Popular with sheep farmers.

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Root Mixtures

Rapid Root

(60% forage rape/35% Stubble turnips/5% Kale) Combines forage rape to ensure quick establishment and high protein yield. The stubble turnips provide energy and for stock holding. Ideal for fattening stock. Suitable for summer grazing.

Winter Graze

(60% stubble turnips/35% forage rape/5% Kale) Ideal for sowing after winter cereals. Suitable for post Christmas grazing. Very good winter hardiness.

Zoom Brassica Mix

Blend of 50% hybrid brassica and 50% forage rape. Very vigorous and quick growing mix, ideal for replacing failed crops or patching spring sown crops. Good disease and bolting resistance.

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