Irish forage options

Due to the complete depletion of fodder supplies after the extended housing of animals during the spring, 2018 has been a very difficult year. Now, we are in the middle of a drought situation, with grass growth coming to a complete halt and animals being supplemented with silage and concentrates.

Planning for the coming months and the winter ahead is vital to ensuring sufficient feed on-farm. Below are some options that might help curb the deficit.

Redstart

Redstart is a hybrid brassica forage crop that can provide extra forage options on-farm. Consisting of a cross of kale and rape, it offers both rapid, vigorous growth ability and winter hardiness. It is a superb catch crop for counteracting late-season forage shortages. It is mainly grazed in-situ and can provide a high energy, high protein feed for out-wintering young stock. Another option is to zero graze.

For best results, sow before mid-August. The earlier the crop is sown will reflect the final yield. Redstart is typically ready to graze after three months growth and can yield over 6 tonnes of dry matter per hectare.

This option can work well for those who have the possibility to link in with local tillage farmers who have cleared fields due to the early harvest.

Key information

Seed rate: 3.5-4 kilograms per hectare

Plant: June-mid-August

Utilise: September-February

Yield: 6-8 tonnes of dry matter per hectare

Dry matter percentage: 12-14 percent

Protein: 18-20 percent

Energy: 10-11 metabolisable energy

Crop costs

Total growing costs:                           €472 per hectare

Seed:                                                      €30 per hectare

Fertiliser:                                                €250 per hectare

Contracting costs:                                   €192 per hectare

Cost per tonne dry matter utilised                          €78

All figures taken from Teagasc Crop Costs and Returns 2018

Westerwold Ryegrass

Westerwold is an annual type of ryegrass. It is the fastest growing of all grass species and offers a good solution to farmers looking to build silage reserves. Similar in quality to Italian ryegrass, it is suitable for silage production, hay production or zero grazing.

The use of westerwold is mainly seen when high production is required within three to six months after sowing. Most commonly sown in August or September, 3 to 4 cuts of silage can be achieved within a year. Each cut of silage removes approx. 80 units of nitrogen, and this should be replaced after each cut to maximise the potential of the next cut.

Key information

Seed rate: 35 kilograms per hectare

Plant: July-September

Yield: 3.5-4.5 tonnes of dry matter per hectare (second cut)

Protein: 14 percent

Energy: 10.5 metabolisable energy

Crop costs

Total costs:                                         €750 per hectare

Establishment:                                      €450 per hectare

• Seed
• Fertiliser
• Spring desiccation
• Contractor

Harvesting cost x2                                 €300 hectare

All figures taken from Teagasc Crop Costs and Returns 2018

Could be an option for a short-term crop for tillage farmers who have harvested winter barley early and are planning on sowing a catch crop.

Forage Rape

Forage rape is a brassica forage crop that can be grown to supply extra winter feed. It gives more flexibility than kale because it can be sown later. Successful crops achieving good yields can be seen with crops grown up to late August. The earlier the sowing date, the higher the yield potential. Generally, there is a 30% yield difference in crops sown in early August to those sown in late August. The crop is most commonly grown to be grazed in-situ, usually by young stock. It can also be zero grazed and used in the winter diet.

Crop is ready to utilise 10-12 weeks after sowing. Consult with your InTouch feeding specialist before feeding for advice on best practices.

Key information

Seed rate: 6 kilograms per hectare

Plant: May–late August

Yield: 3.5-5 tonnes of dry matter per hectare

Dry matter percentage: 12-13 percent

Protein: 18-20 percent

Energy: 10-11 metabolisable energy

Crop Costs

Total growing costs:                       €446 per hectare

Seed:                                                    €30 per hectare

Fertiliser:                                               €212 per hectare

Contracting costs:                                 €204 per hectare

Cost/tonne DM utilised                        €127

All figures taken from Teagasc Crop Costs & Returns 2018

Top tips to help plan ahead

• Analyse feed stock immediately
• Contact InTouch to plan winter feed budget
• Explore options of growing fodder crops

Get in contact with the InTouch team today to do a fodder budget and create a plan for the year ahead.

Call InTouch on: 059 910 1320

Email: contactInTouch@alltech.com