A new hybrid brassica that has the unique ability to ‘bounce back’ and provide two crops in one season made a successful debut on one Shropshire sheep unit last year (2020). So much so that the drill is being primed ready to sow a crop again this spring.

Tim Cains from Bridgnorth runs a 500-ewe flock – 300 Welsh mules and 200 Scottish Blackface hill ewes. Lambing starts in late March and lambs are reared for finishing from September.

“This puts a lot of pressure on our grassland,” says Tim, who combines his sheep enterprise with a mobile sheep dipping business.

“We lamb the mules indoors then turn the ewes and lambs out onto grassland. We’ve 130 acres of grassland for the sheep, and finish around 500 lambs, keeping 120 ewe lambs for replacements.”

Lambs are weaned from the second week of July, and in 2020 Tim moved them straight on to the hybrid brassica Skyfall; a new forage crop from Limagrain UK that has great growth potential, and the ability to ‘bounce back’, during summer.

The idea of this mid-summer forage crop came from seed manager local merchant ACT’s Mark Sheridan. “We wanted to ease the pressure on the grazed grass and reduce reliance on bought in feed, should the grass be in short supply later in summer,” says Tim.

“We got 24kg of seed – treated with Start-Up to promote germination and even establishment, for our 13-acre ley (5.3ha).  I drilled it in early May and by the time I moved 300 lambs on to it at the end of July the leaves were so big we couldn’t see the lambs. There’s not much bulb, but plenty of leaf.”

And it went down a treat. “The lambs loved it, and devoured the crop in three weeks, grazing it right down. We moved them off in mid-August onto a red clover sward and supplemented their diet with some creep.

“I then waited to see if the crop did what it was meant to do and re-grow enough for another grazing. I have to admit to being a bit skeptical. We’d only had three weeks grazing off the crop so far, so its value depended on a re-growth. We needed another three weeks of grazing to make it viable; to justify growing it,” he adds.

It wasn’t a very long wait before Tim knew this crop ‘had legs’. Within 10 days, regrowth was about 30cm. “I took photos of the crop on August 24, as I couldn’t believe the speed of the regrowth. It was exceptional.”

About 270 lambs were moved back on to the Skyfall at the beginning of October and Tim pulled finished lambs off the crop at around 40kg liveweight. “They sold well – the market was fairly strong last autumn. All bar 56 of the smallest lambs were sold in October; something we’ve never achieved in the past. We’re normally aiming for the Christmas market, and don’t really ‘push’ the lambs. We didn’t have to with this crop, but we got to finishing weights much earlier.

He admits that this sort of hybrid brassica is a new one for him. “But it worked really well. Lambs reached finishing weights more cost-effectively, and it gave the grass a break too.

“And I gave the crop a fair test as we used some fairly unproductive permanent pasture to grow it. It wasn’t very fertile ground and maybe not the best choice to try out this new crop, but it performed far better than I expected.”

Plans were to follow the brassica with a herbal ley in autumn but this was put back to spring 2021 to make the most of the regrowth. “I’d still got 56 lambs grazing it in late November.

“Maximising home-grown forage production is crucial and fine tuning the cropping rotation will improve output,” says Tim. “We grow 20 acres of turnips for over-wintering ewes and high energy fodder beet for later finishing lambs.

“We also need to up the grassland management but establishing new leys is challenging here as the stone in the soil makes ploughing very difficult. So being able to burn off grass and drill a brassica in directly then burning off again before planting a herbal ley saves time and machinery. It also helps clean the old grasses out ready for the new ley.

“A rotation of brassica, grass and roots seems to work well for us. And the regrowth track record of this brassica means I will aim to sow it earlier this year – I might get even more from it through summer and autumn!”

Click here to find out more about Skyfall bounceback brassica

KEY FACTS: SKYFALL BOUNCE BACK BRASSICA

• High protein forage
• Fast-growing – 10 to 12 weeks from sowing to grazing
• Leafy and palatable grazing crop for cattle and sheep
• Produces between 30 and 35 tonnes/ha
• Deep rooting so withstands dry conditions
• Regrowth potential – bounces back after first round of grazing and provides a second crop
• Break crop – short-circuits weeds and pest problems in grassland

“Yields are typically between 70 and 80 tonnes per hectare – and with new genetics can be up to 100 tonnes per hectare – with MEs typically between 13 and 13.5 megajoules per kilogramme of dry matter in good varieties,” says the company’s forage crops manager John Spence.

“This level of energy competes with maize,” he adds. “That gives an idea of the sort of feed value it adds to dairy rations.”

The crop offers a lot more though in terms of feeding systems, storage and, from trials, its high reliability and consistency.

“We’re not suggesting fodder beet replaces a mainstay silage crop,” adds Mr Spence. “But it can support these silages, either in a mixed ration or grazed in situ, and it promotes production from home-grown forages, helping to replace more expensive bought-in concentrates.”

Fodder beet is a unique crop in many ways. It can be lifted and stored in a clamp, then used through winter, stored in the ground and lifted as required, or grazed in situ.

If the latter, round baled grass silage or hay can be placed at the ends of grazing strips to provide a field-based ration. “Rations need to be balanced to make sure there’s not too much energy in the diet, and there’s the necessary fibre.”

For the past five years Limagrain has been exporting fodder beet seed to New Zealand dairy farmers for grazing dairy cattle – both milkers and young stock. “It’s taken off among their milk producers,” says Mr Spence. “They use the same varieties as we grow here and, as in the UK, the maritime climate suits the crop.”

And an advantage with grazing a fodder beet crop is the reduced costs. “There are no harvesting costs, which typically makes it a good option – on the right ground – for dairy young stock. “But consider the land type first,” adds Mr Spence. “Heavy, wet land can make moving fences daily or every few days hard work. And while cattle are typically content and very healthy grazed on fodder beet, muddy conditions may increase crop spoilage”

Areas where beet lifting equipment is available lend themselves to fodder beet crops destined for lifting. “A good contractor will lift the beet in one go and put it in a clamp, or as it’s required.”

Pick your beet
A fodder beet variety with medium dry matter content and has 60% or less root in the ground (compared to some varieties that have more than 70% of their root in the ground) – is better suited to dairy systems. “Varieties with less root in the ground are favoured for grazing situations and they’re cleaner, and more easily utilised.

Plant breeding programmes have brought cleaner, varieties to the market. “Robbos and Blaze are prime examples here,” says Mr Spence. “They have 60% or less of their root in the ground and both have clean roots combined with consistent and reliable yields. We always recommend these two varieties as ideal choices for first time growers. They’re clean when harvested and this reduces the risk of soil contamination in the feed and spoilage in clamps.”

Those with access to washing and chopping equipment may favour a higher dry matter variety. “We’ve got growers who favour high dry matter varieties for that extra feed value. Take Brick, for example, with a dry matter of 24.1%. It is one of the highest dry matter fodder beets available and has 76.3% of its root in the ground.”

Breeding programmes are developing improved varieties all the time with higher dry matters, improved disease resistance and ‘extra’ winter hardiness. “We introduce these, though, when they’re tried and tested. Fodder beet is an ideal crop for the UK’s climate, but each variety needs its merits.”

A new variety added to the National List in 2020 and now available to growers is Fosyma. “This is a good one for dairy cattle as it has a dry matter of between 20% and 21% but has only 60% of its root below the ground, so there’s a reduced risk of soil contamination. It’s also rhizomania tolerant and resistant to powdery mildew, rust and leafspot, as well as having a high tolerance to bolting,” he adds.

Choice of variety will depend on suiting yield potential with the growing, harvesting and feeding system. Disease resistance will also be a consideration. “And buying treated seed with both an insecticide and fungicide will offer a further insurance.”

Rotation slot
Dairy producers could well be looking at alternative forage crops to slot into the rotations, as the pest and disease control options in grassland diminish. “Fodder beet should be on the radar,” says Mr Spence.

“Sown in spring, up to the first week of May, it can follow a first-cut silage crop. And  if it’s lifted in October there’s chance of a cereal crop being drilled, particularly in drier autumns or more southerly parts of the country. If it’s grazed or lifted through winter, a spring cereal crop, maize, a new grass ley or another fodder crop can be sown. There’s no need to leave bare earth and the fodder beet will provide a useful break in any rotation.”

He adds that fodder beet is an ideal alternative to maize for producers in marginal areas, where conditions don’t lend themselves to maize. “Fodder beet will grow in colder temperatures, so it’s a far more successful crop than maize in some areas.”

Weather tolerant
In fact, year on year, trials have shown that fodder beet crops can cope with hot, dry summers and wet conditions. “We’ve had some variable conditions in the past five years, yet our field trials with fodder beet show that yields don’t seem to take much of a hit. If these unpredictable seasons are a sign of what’s in store, I can see a lot more livestock producers looking at fodder beet,” he concludes.

FODDER BEET – is it for you?

What fodder beet offers:
• High feed value – dry matter and energy
• Extra home grown forage
• Feeding flexibility – grazing or harvesting
• Long shelf life – crop maintains quality:
• Timing of grazing to suit through winter
• Harvested and clamped until the end of end March
• Stored in ground, harvested to requirements
• Clean varieties, disease resistance, treated seed availability
• Good break crop
• Stamina – grows successfully in more extreme summers and autumns

Fodder beet considerations:
• Soil conditions – ground needs to be suitable for grazing in situ
• Availability of harvesting services/equipment
• Access to precision drill and harvesting machinery
• Relatively high input costs – fertiliser and herbicides

Fodder beet has been ‘around’ as monogerm seed since the mid-70s, but it’s far from ‘old-hat’ when it comes to its yield potential, reliability, and exceptional feed value in dairy diets. So says one Cornish dairy farmer, who relies on the feed value it delivers in his milking cow rations.

When Alan Richard’s contractor gave up harvesting fodder beet, he considered buying his own machine or switching to another crop. “I didn’t want to lay out the money for a harvester, but I also didn’t want to stop growing the crop. So I was relieved when another contractor spotted the gap in the market and offered his services.”

Alan, who runs a 160-cow Friesian herd, plus a beef enterprise, at Cury, on the Lizard Peninsula, has continued to grow between seven and eight hectares of fodder beet grown each year.

Dairy Farmer and Milk Producer, Alan Richards

He works closely with agronomist Dominic Edmond, from Matford Arable Systems, on the cropping programme. Most of Alan’s 202 hectares, across two farms that are approximately two thirds owned and one third rented, are used to produce feed crops for his dairy and beef enterprises.

Just seven miles from the sea at the most southerly point of England, Alan is fortunate to have good growing conditions for his crops. “Having said that, we’ve had some long dry spells of hot weather in summer and some colder springs in the past few years. But the fodder beet seems to take whatever’s thrown at it. Yields are consistent.”

And it’s this that he particularly likes about the crop. “I can rely on my fodder beet when it comes to winter rations.”

That said, there’s no short cuts taken in choice of variety and in growing the crop.

Limagrain UK’s Robbos is the variety he and Dominic favour for its consistent dry matter, high energy and clean roots.

Prior to drilling the soil is analysed and in conjunction with RB209 fertiliser guidelines, the nutrition planning is tailored accordingly.

Significant levels of FYM and slurry are applied and balanced out with 125kg/ha of DAP at drilling and some nitrogen, depending on levels of FYM and slurry applied. Potash at a rate of 185kg/ha

Primed seed is now available and may be used in future to promote germination, but this is only an insurance for Alan.

Drilled in late April or early May, at a seed rate of 100,000 seeds/ha, he finds the crop usually gets off to a good start every year. “Germination is great,” says Alan. “We never have any gaps and we get long straight lines of plants. That’s maybe why the roots are so clean when we lift them? It must help.”

A pre-emergence herbicide is used, with post-emergence products used depending on the field history. Flea beetle control in certain warm dry springs has been necessary and in some cases a mid season fertiliser is applied.

Trace elements in the form of magnesium and boron are always applied.

As Dominic says: “Sometimes we are in and out the crop frequently, but when its lifted we reap the benefits. The cheapest way to grow a crop is to get good yields. This lowers the cost per tonne of production and provides a high value feed for the cows.”

Fodder beet is lifted from October to March ‘on demand’ and added to the TMR for the all-year-round calving herd, which is housed during winter and overnight in summer. “We’ve land that’s a bit spread around and this dictates our system,” adds Alan. “We have to manage it carefully and keep our grazing land close to the farm and grown forages further away.”

As fodder beet stocks in the yard get low through winter, Alan gets his contractor to replenish stocks. “The contractor can lift about 60 tonnes in an afternoon, so I just telephone when we’re running short and they’ll come over for half a day.”

Alan selects his driest fields for growing beet, and where there’s easy access to the road to ease the lifting work. ”I don’t want to have to drive across a field to get to the beet,” he adds. “And we’ll make sure the fields are drilled the right way to make harvesting in wet conditions easier.”

If there’s any beet left by mid March – which is usually a couple of hectares – he’ll get the contractor to harvest it in one go, leaving the land ready to cultivate for spring cropping.

He finds that yields are consistently 75 tonnes per hectare. “It doesn’t matter what the season brings, I can rely on a good fodder beet crop every year.”

And it fits well with the farm’s cropping. “I’m not one for leaving land fallow, particularly if I’m paying rent,” he adds. “We sow the fodder beet after a cut of silage in mid-April, then follow it with spring barley or maize and then a winter cereal crop. We can get three crops in two years, which works out to be very efficient, and also helps to control pests and diseases.”

Ration mix
Fodder beet is added to the cows’ ration from October at a rate of between 10kg and 15kg fresh weight a head per day in a TMR with maize and grass silages, home- grown barley and a small amount of soya and wheat distillers. This provides maintenance plus 17 litres and diets are topped up with a 20% protein concentrate in the parlour. This is bought from farmer co-operative ACT and formulated by south west-based Harpers Feeds.

Parlour feed rates, which can be from 0.5kg to 10kg a head a day depending on yield, are adjusted weekly by the automatic parlour system,” adds Alan, who admits he’s getting to grips with all the bells and whistles on the system they put in two years ago. “It has auto ID and records yields, again automatically.”

With more farm assurance details needed by his milk buyer Arla, Alan is keen to keep on top of all the data requirements and herd management protocols. “There’s always something new, but moving to auto ID and integrating a lot of our records is a good move in the right direction.

“We’re not a high yielding herd – the average is 7,000 litres. But milk quality is high at 4.5% butterfat and 3.6% protein.

“And fertility is good – good enough to rank us quite near the top on Genus’ RMS scheme. I know we haven’t got the best genetics by any means, but we feed the cows to their potential. Fodder beet plays a big part in our milk quality and fertility, so I’m pleased we look set to keep it in the rotation for a good while longer.”

KEY FACTS – Robbos Fodder Beet

• Clean yellow roots
• Ideal for first time growers
• Easily eaten with medium dry matter content
• Consistent performance
• Easy to harvest

Grass swards are at their most productive in their first year. Dry matter yield and energy content of the grass will then decline year-on-year. Good grassland management and the use of quality grass seed mixtures will promote output but, yields from a young sward will always out-perform older swards.

Limagrain’s latest grass trial results have demonstrated the yield benefits of the younger sward, and the benefit of high quality grass seed mixtures versus a control.

The trials conducted over four consecutive years, from 2017 to 2020, showed an average decrease in yield of nearly five tonnes per hectare – around 40% – from year one to year four.

While some mixtures showed greater performance than others – all had a significant decrease in yield over time. This, according to the company’s forage crop manager John Spence, is typical even in a well-managed sward.

“Some growers will see much greater yield reductions,” he says. “Management and grass seed mixture will affect forage production over time.”

These latest trial results reinforce the value, and cost-justification, of reseeding as part of good farm management.

“This loss of nearly five tonnes of dry matter yield per hectare in four years would provide the energy for £3,280 worth of milk based on a milk price of 30p per litre. “Reseeding is estimated to cost between £430 and £700 per hectare, so there’s a clear return on investment here.”

Value-added swards

Limagrain’s trial results also showed that using proven grass seed mixtures can provide added yield and feed value.

“Take one of our trial mixtures Monarch Silage & Grazing,” says Mr Spence. “This medium-term mixture yielded 8% above the control under conservation management and was 12% higher yielding under grazing management.

“The mixture also added feed value with improved digestible fibre of 2.5% under grazing management and 4% in conservation systems, compared with the control.

“If we consider that a 1% improvement in this digestible fibre – dNDF – can increase milk yields by 0.25kg per cow per day, a 4% increase is worth an extra litre of milk per cow.

Based on a milk price of 30ppl, this is an extra £300 of milk income a day for 100 cows.”

A mixture with credentials

Monarch Silage and Grazing mixture is LGAN accredited that identifies it as having a proven ability to deliver superior nutritional value, while maintaining excellent agronomic qualities and yield. Limagrain mixtures with LAGAN accreditation are all supported with independent trial data that demonstrate their added feed value.

Monarch Silage & Grazing includes medium and late tetraploid and diploid ryegrasses and white clover. All the seed is tested to ensure quality standards are met and it is treated with Headstart® Gold to ensure rapid and reliable germination.

“The latest trial data, and the return on investment of adding value through a reseed and by using high quality mixtures makes for good reading and supports the role of these practices in successful management,” adds Mr Spence

Growing a crop like maize and leaving the field fallow for at least six months is like having an empty factory for half a year. And that’s before considering the environmental impact, from soil run off and the loss of nutrients from the soil, when maize fields are left fallow.

“So combining maize with another crop, like grass, to increase its output, while helping to retain soil and nutrients, aid drainage and improve soil structure makes good sense,” says Limagrain’s forage crop manager John Spence.

“But we have to be careful that maize yields are not compromised by the grass. And additional cultivations and passes across the field must be efficient and cost-effective.”

There are some possible options that can support maize crops while increasing land productivity and avoiding environmental issues.

Three include: drilling maize and grass at the same time, with the grass spaced in rows that are at least 15cm away from the maize; drilling grass into the maize crop once the maize has reached the six-leaf stage, after about six weeks; or follow maize with a forage rye, grass reseed or a winter cereal crop.

The first, drilling maize and grass at the same time, is preferable, according to South Staffs Water (SSW) senior catchment adviser Nina Yiannoukos-Benton. “Because this minimises the number of passes and helps to protect soil structure and nutrient retention.

“Some producers may be concerned that the grass could compete and compromise maize yield, but in the trials we’ve carried out on commercial dairy units, they’ve actually seen increased crop performance.

“The grass ‘stays in its lane’, so to speak, only spreading once the maize has been harvested and providing a good cover crop for winter.”

Mr Spence says it’s key, if this is the chosen option, to select early maturing maize varieties and slow growing (low yielding) grass seed mixtures to avoid grass competing with the maize in the early growth stage.

Limagrain has been working with SSW on developing a mixture that creates a ‘carpet’ effect, but is also palatable.

And maize varieties with good early vigour that are typically harvested by late September/early October, gives grass the chance to grow, take up nutrients, and develop a good root system to ‘bind’ the soil.

Mrs Yiannoukos-Benton prefers undersowing the grass at the same time as the maize. “Because multiple passes can create soil compaction issues.
But, drilling once the maize is established is an option if producers are concerned about maize yields, and it also enables higher yielding grass varieties to be grown, if that’s their preference.”

This option relies on good sowing conditions for grass. And again, early maturing maize varieties are ideal so there’s still enough warmth and light for some grass growth once the maize is harvested, ensuring the ‘companion’ crop can play its environmental role and provide a green cover.

Success really depends on the grass mixture drilled alongside the maize.

“It can’t compete with, or comprise, the maize crop. And it also needs to be a valuable feed in its own right – offering some late-season grazing for dry cows and young stock, or even milkers,” adds Mr Spence.

So grass mixture choice is crucial. “It has to quickly establish and grow in the dry environment caused by the maize crop. But it’s a fine line – too fast and it will compete with the maize crop, resulting in yield loss.”

For sowing at the same time as maize he recommends a high proportion of amenity-type tall fescues in the grass mixture, to provide some drought tolerance and the ability to survive well when sown at the same time as the maize.

For sowing at the six leaf stage he suggests a proportion of tall fescue type festuloliums (a cross between tall fescue and Italian Ryegrass) and Matrix (a meadow fescue type festulolium).

“But make sure seed rates are not too high. Good agronomy advice and careful drilling – with the correct equipment – is key.”

Grant schemes
There are environmental schemes to encourage producers to consider a second crop to reduce pollution from maize land.

Countryside Stewardship SW5 is an option, with payments of £133/hectare for mid and higher tiers. Applicants must satisfy criteria that stipulate harvesting maize by October 1 and establishing a quick-growing cover crop, by October 15, which will provide a dense cover and protect the land from soil erosion.

SSW has a grant scheme for producers in its high-risk catchment areas and offers £150/hectare towards the cost of growing maize that’s undersown with grass.

The grants are available under its SPRING environmental protection scheme, set up to help producers reduce soil run off and pollution.

One Staffordshire-based dairying couple has been trialling maize undersown with grass for the past two years and are about to start their third year in the scheme.

Becky and Trevor Mycock grow 90 hectares of maize to feed their 400-cow herd and 48 hectares of it was undersown with a grass mixture in 2020.

“Local contractor Rob Moore used an adapted drill – a prototype that’s been developed in conjunction with SSW – that sows both crops at once. This removes the need for additional cultivations, which reduces the risk of compaction and other soil structure and fertility issues,” says Mrs Mycock.

The couple grew 60 hectares of maize in 2019, the first year they took part in the SSW trials, and a third of it was undersown with grass, using a Pottinger maize drill that is owned by another local contractor.

“Our biggest concern was whether the grass would reduce maize yield. But our big gamble paid off. We actually saw more maize freshweight yield per hectare from the undersown fields,” she adds.

“And forage quality was unaffected. We were also able to graze some dry cows and young stock on the maize ‘aftermath’ and the grass also provided a good cover crop during the winter between maize crops.”

The Mycocks grow a mixture of early and later maturing maize varieties. “Both have done well. And we’re also looking at trialling a different grass mixture this year – one developed in conjunction with Limagrain – that should improve the palatability of the sward.”

During the past two years they have seen good establishment of both the maize and the grass, even though the seasons have been wetter than usual. “We have also seen some excellent maize yield results.”

Mrs Mycock adds that, typically, the maize freshweight yield is five tonnes per hectare higher for the undersown crops – averaging 42t/hectare compared to 37t/hectare for straight maize. “Our experience certainly allayed any concerns that the grass could compromise maize growth and development,” she says.

Maize has a reputation for being environmentally damaging. “But we recognise that it is an essential part of many producers’ dairy production system,” says Mrs Yiannoukos-Benton.

“So we looked at a way to undersow the maize with grass to offer green cover during the winter. This is when land is at high risk from nutrient and sediment losses to watercourses and, with this dual-sowing approach, we have reduced losses dramatically.”

Other producer who are also involved in trials reported that harvesting the maize crop is also easier and ‘cleaner’. “The grass acts like a carpet, keeping mud to a minimum and allowing access to what may otherwise be inaccessible fields,” adds Mrs Mycock. “I can honestly say that without the undersown grass we may not have been able to harvest a lot of our maize in 2019, because it was just too wet.”

“If that’s not an incentive to give it a go, particularly after the exceptionally wet autumns of 2019 and 2020, I don’t know what is.”

Varieties with the N-Flex trait have the ability to use nitrogen more efficiently. In the field, this means that varieties with the N Flex trait are better able to withstand delayed or sub-optimal nitrogen applications.

This exciting discovery comes as a result of extensive trials over the last few seasons in Europe, by breeders Limagrain, testing LG Antigua’s performance in optimal and sub-optimal nitrogen conditions.

“Essentially the N-Flex trait means that hybrids containing the trait use each unit of available N more efficiently than those which don’t,” says Will Charlton, Limagrain UK’s arable marketing manager.

“In the field, this translates into varieties with the N-Flex trait producing more stable yields year to year, with less in-field yield variability.”

The addition of the N-Flex trait illustrates Limagrain’s approach to producing hybrid oilseed rape’s that are trait-loaded.

High yielding varieties Ambassador and LG Aviron were the first 4-trait loaded varieties, offering genetic resistance to TuYV , pod shatter, RLM7 and the N-Flex trait. LG Antigua now joins this prestigious line-up.

“We are carrying out further work in farmer split field trials for the 2020-21 cropping year to evaluate how N-Flex aids spring nitrogen management and secures yields,” adds Will.