“The 2019 growing season was a good example of the potential risks faced by maize growers,” he comments. “Where harvest was delayed, the quality of the resultant feed was reduced, while in some cases crops were never harvested at all. In addition, many successor crops were not drilled, affecting rotations and leaving stubbles over-winter.

“In other years, farmers have to manage the risk of a poor or slow crop establishment and this could be an issue in 2020 given the very wet, early winter and current soil conditions.

“The skill is in reducing these risks and technological developments will help with this.”

Whether you are in a favourable or less favourable area, he says there are basically three core objectives:

1. The first is to grow a variety that will mature early to increase the prospects of getting it harvested in good time and allow a successor crop to be established.

2. The second is to ensure you produce the best yield of high-quality feed.

3. Finally you want feed available to include in the diet as early as possible.

All these are driven by variety selection and have been the focus of breeding programmes. He says selecting early over late varieties can bring harvest forward by over two weeks, explaining that early maturing varieties require fewer Ontario Heat Units to mature. Making use of Met Office data, farmers can now look up the average heat units accumulated in their area and use this to help improve the effectiveness of variety selection.

“Identifying a variety that will receive sufficient OHU to mature in your area, combined with good early vigour, is the starting point to managing risk associated with the crop.

“When making the variety decision, farmers have to consider a wide range of factors including maturity date, agronomic factors, yield and quality which can make it a challenging decision, with a significant range of varieties available. Getting the choice right can have a major impact on the quality and quantity of forage produced which will have a big impact on performance and margins.”

To help farmers make full use of data to ensure they select the optimum variety, the LG Maize Variety Selection Guide contains data on all the varieties on the 2020 BSPB/NIAB Descriptive Lists with data presented in easy to understand charts, allowing quick comparison between varieties.

Tables provide information on quality characteristics, including cell wall digestibility and starch content, enabling choices to be made to maximise the total feeding quality of maize silage. Vital agronomic information such as lodging, maturity and early vigour data is also included.

Mr Richmond predicts new developments in biological seed treatments can further improve speed of establishment and season long growth. He explains that there is increased interest in the use of biological treatments, given the phasing out of the current mainstream seed dressings. He says most seed dressings had been marketed as bird repellents and that while biological dressings will not specifically repel birds, they help reduce the risk by getting crops established quickly.

He says Starcover, which is available for the first time this year, is an example of the new technologies available. It combines a plant extract that accelerates root development and increases root number and length, with plant growth promoting bacteria that help improve nutrient uptake and boost early plant growth.

“In trials over several years, treated crops have had 18% more roots than untreated plants and when harvested, treated plants yielded between 3-7% more dry matter per hectare.

“By embracing new technologies, maize growers will be able to increase the prospects of high yielding, good quality feeds harvested on time and incorporated into diets quickly.”

See how Starcover works…

For six months of the year the Derbyshire-based Hollyhurst Holstein herd tucks into fodder beet as part of their ration. It’s a firm favourite among his 200 cows, and it’s a feed that producer John Chamberlain rates highly.

Fodder beet has been part of the ration for the past six years on this dairy unit near Ashbourne. “We tried it out to supplement the forages in the diet – to add some energy to the ration,” says John. “It was so successful on all counts that we just kept using it. And the cows love it,” he adds, defying anyone to find any fodder beet along the feed face 30 minutes after feeding out at 8am.

The 200 milkers are fed 7kg of fodder beet daily as part of a TMR with grass silage, soya hulls, caustic wheat and a specially formulated blend. This supports average yields in this all year round calving herd of 10,000kg of milk at 4.5% fat and 3.45% protein on twice a day milking. Milk is sold to Arla on a 360 contract.

“We add it to the ration from the start of November until April – as long as it remains fresh,” says John. “It drives intakes and as soon as it goes into the ration butterfats improve. “My only regret is that it’s not available all year round.

“The good thing is that cows eat it as an extra, rather than instead of other forages. It’s very palatable and it certainly adds energy, cost-effectively, to the ration.”

John feeds 250 tonnes of fodder beet through winter, taking 10 tonne loads from Gary Pattison who grows 10 hectares of the crop every year for local’ish dairy and sheep producers.

“I usually grow four varieties,” says Gary, who points out that pretty good soils are needed to grow the crop. “The land can’t be too wet and heavy, otherwise the soil sticks to the beet.

“And the land must be worked to a fine seedbed before sowing from late March to mid April – after the frosts but in time to get it germinating early.

With the help of his merchant Rob Simister based in Ellastone, Derbyshire, Gary selects varieties that grow only partially in the ground as opposed to totally in the ground. “These are easier to lift – we harvest the beet early, before the frosts, and aim to get it all in the clamps by the end of November.

“We also look for a fairly clean beet that doesn’t need washing. We remove stones and loose soil before delivery.”

This year the varieties Brick and Robbos are among his selections. Some of the seed will be primed – Limagrain has a limited amount of Robbos primed seed available – to encourage faster germination thereby reducing the opportunity for pest and disease damage in the early establishment stages when the seedlings are at their most vulnerable.

“Growing a few varieties spreads the risk,” adds Gary. “Different varieties grow well on some fields and not others, so if we have a mix we can compensate for a shortfall if necessary.”

Having said that, Gary and his family are tried and tested fodder beet growers – they know the tricks of the trade and how to grow a good crop; one tip is adding salt to the seedbed before sowing which they nearly always do. “Fodder beet was always grown by the sea – it grows well with a bit of added salt,” he adds.

Available online or in print, the LG Conservation and Gamecover Crops brochure assigns each of its 17 sowing options – from beetle banks to wild bird food and crops for pollinators – to the particular Countryside Stewardship options that it is suited to, and lists its particular environmental benefits. All options, apart from the EFA fallow land options, meet the higher and mid-tier schemes.

One of its most popular wild bird mixtures suitable for AB9 is Jack Russell mixture; a herbicide tolerant mixture of spring triticale, millet, oilseed radish, grain sorghum and sunflower. “This gives fantastic colour and feed for a year,” says Limagrain’s Martin Titley. “It is typically sown in May or June and sheds seed from early autumn with the grain sorghum giving structure and winter hardiness.”

A crop pollinator option, in the HiBird portfolio, is the Multispecies Ley mixture, which is a combination of grass, legume and wildflower varieties. “This meets a range of Countryside Stewardship options and also creates legume and herb-rich swards that is productive for sheep and cattle and will also improve soil structure” he adds.

“And if farmers are looking grass buffer strips that will produce new wildlife habitats and, if used near watercourses, help prevent pollutants form surface run-off, the CFE Field Margin Mix is well-suited and includes low growing grasses, legumes and wildflowers.

“Conservation and environmental cropping schemes will play a larger part in our future land management,” says Mr Titley. “We’ve made the latest HiBird portfolio as comprehensive as possible to guide growers on the most suitable conservation and gamecover crops. The range includes seed mixtures for all UK farmland sites and environmental schemes.

“We encourage growers to be discerning with their choices and select those seeds mixtures that best suits their own situation so they can maximise the benefits.”

Download the LG Conservation and Gamecover Crops brochure here

Many silage clamps are still well stocked this spring, after 2019’s bumper grass crop. This presents producers with a rare opportunity when it comes to improving the quality and productivity of their grass leys.

“Producers might be tempted, because they still have plenty of silage in the clamp, to skip reseeding a proportion of their grassland this spring,” says Limagrain’s Ian Misselbrook. “But it’s a great opportunity to do a stocktake and make some real improvements to grassland productivity.

“Having more forage in the clamp offers a safety net. There’s a good buffer, so it’s a rare chance to do more reseeding and grassland renovation than in the past few years.” Mr Misselbrook fears that some producers will be behind with reseeding after a few tricky grass growing years, due to a late spring in 2017 and a dry summer in 2018.

Remedial action

“The recommendation is to reseed 20% a year but, in reality, many are doing far less and skipping some years. Reseeding regimes and plans are out of kilter on many units, which is far from ideal, so for many, now is this time to catch up.” The goal is to maximise the farm’s potential in producing the best-value feed – grass. And that starts with productive leys, packed with good quality grass varieties.

Grass leys are at their most productive in their second year. Fall off is gradual but, by year five, a ley’s productivity will be just 50% of year two. A reseed will pay for itself in a year, depending on the condition of the resulting ley.

As a ley ages, grass weeds could will compete with and replace ryegrass varieties. “That said, don’t simply assume that it’s your oldest leys that will need to be reseeded. It’s important to assess the leys by eye and base decisions on the grass species that you see.

“And don’t assume that a lush green sward is the most productive or efficient,” stresses Mr Misselbrook.

Just such a sward may fill the silage trailer or offer a decent bite of grazing, if the percentage of weed grasses – such as annual meadow grass or Yorkshire fog – are too high then the quality and yield of the resulting forage will be compromised.

Ryegrass plants

He recommends that producers walk their leys and examine what’s there. “Look for gaps and broadleaved weeds, obviously, but also look at the grasses. “Don’t worry about identifying the individual grass weeds. What’s key is being able to spot the ryegrass and to then evaluate the proportion of it in a sward.”

Spotting perennial ryegrasss is quite easy. “Look for grass plants with a purple base and folded leaves, which are shiny on the inside and matt on the outside. And examine a square metre of grassland. You’re looking for more than 70% of the grass plants to be perennial ryegrass – any less then productivity begins to be significantly compromised and reseeding will yield a significant return on investment.”

If the perennial ryegrass content of a sward is between 70% and 80%, then overseeding – rather than a full reseed – can renovate a ley and extend its productive life.

There are also significant gains to be made from using high-quality grass mixtures. “This can make a real difference. I’ve often heard producers say that a reseed hasn’t taken and they often blame the weather or the soil. But it’s typically because they’ve taken a standard ‘off the shelf’ mixture – and little, if any, agronomy advice. The mixture is the problem.

“So always buy from a reputable merchant, and one that sources seed mixtures from a recognised seed house. Look out for LGAN accreditation, to show that a mixture meets both growing and feeding criteria,” says Mr Misselbrook.

“And, when selecting a mixture, remember it’s not just about the species within the mixture, it’s how they’re mixed – the proportions and the formulation. Varieties have a complementary action in a mixture. And there’s more to it than simply putting the best varieties on the recommended list together.”

“A high proportion of tetraploid ryegrasses are important in a grass seed mixture for dairy leys – both for grazing and cutting – because they’re more drought tolerant than diploids. The latter are important in terms of putting a ‘bottom’ into the ley, but tetraploids are key to building resilience and stamina into a ley. And they’re also faster to establish.”

Mixture selection

When choosing a mixture, it’s also important to consider what they ley will be used for – grazing, cutting or a combination.

“Many producers simply opt for a general purpose mixture and, typically, this will do the job. But there are productivity gains to be had if, for example, you know an out-lying field will only ever be cut for silage or zero grazing. Reseeding with a mixture that’s formulated for cutting, rather than grazing, will be beneficial and offer better yields and quality for silage.”

Mr Misselbrook cites Turbo, a ‘leafier’ mixture that’s ideal for grazing early- to mid-season, but great for a cutting later in the summer. Prosper, conversely, is the ideal choice for producers who want to take one or two cuts of silage and then graze a good quality aftermath.

Grass breeding

“It’s well worth having a conversation with your agronomist or seed merchant about exactly what you want from a ley and to take advice to help you select a ‘best fit’ mixture.”

And make sure that the mixture offers quality – not just yield. “Grass breeding has come a long way during the past 10 years. Digestible NDF is key to feeding the rumen bugs and it’s a bigger driver for a high ME, in grazed grass and grass silage, than sugars,” says Mr Misselbrook.

Better quality mixtures offer higher yields and feed quality and make reseeding even more cost effective and producers should look to take advantage of the accredited seed mixtures that are on offer. “Look out for LGAN accreditation when buying seed as a guarantee of testing and quality.”

The return on investment is 10:1 for a five-year ley, with reseeds breaking even in the first year. Productivity will peak in the second growing year, which will be 2021 for 2020 reseeds.

Ensuring that swards are in tip-top condition means that they’ll be better able to weather whatever mother nature has in store – this year and looking further ahead.

“Grass is the core of all home-grown forage production – and the foundation of all dairy businesses,” he adds. “And heading into 2021 with leys that are at their productive peak will offer producers peace of mind that, however 2020 pans out, grassland will be poised to help maximise returns and mitigate any other challenges – environmental or political – that dairy businesses may face.”

Limagrain’s annual fodder beet trial results demonstrate the consistency of the crop in yield and feed value. “Fodder beet is sown any time from March to April, and harvested from October,” says Limagrain’s Martin Titley. “So it was subject to the dry summer of 2018, and the exceptionally wet conditions experienced in many parts of the UK in autumn and early winter 2019.”

Despite these relatively extreme conditions, trial results from the company’s Lincolnshire site where more than 20 varieties of commercially available fodder beet varieties are compared each year, show high fresh yields, with dry matter yields that exceed most other forages. Average results for 16 varieties on trial are shown in Table 1.

“There’s a lot of consistency in performance, despite contrasting and challenging conditions,” adds Mr Titley. “Even the control variety delivered 73.3 tonnes per hectare of fresh weight in 2018 and 112.5 tonnes in 2019. More than 70t/ha of yield is good going in these dry conditions and in 2019 dry matter yields for most varieties on trial were above 18 tonnes/ha.

“In 2019, the top 20% of varieties in our trial produced fresh yields in excess of 110 tonnes per hectare with 37% having dry matters above 20 tonnes per hectare. “This is a phenomenal output.”

Grown in the UK for more than 50 years, fodder beet ‘took off’ due to its monogerm breeding – one plant per seed – making it easier to harvest. Since then the number of varieties has increased and breeders have worked to enhance cleanliness of root and disease tolerance.

“The UK climate is perfect for fodder beet. Wet, moist soils in spring are ideal and grows through to October or November, adding 30% to its dry matter yields in the last few months when there’s likely to be more moisture.”

Table 2 shows the performance of the control and four popular fodder beet varieties used in dairy cow diets.

Contractor Aaron Hughes from Shropshire agrees that this season’s fodder beet yields have been the biggest he’s ever harvested, despite challenging harvesting conditions.

His company, Roger Davies Contractors, specialises in beets and, with a remit to supply stone-free, muck-free beet, they harvest, wash, clean and chop about 100 hectares on behalf of dairy farmers. For many they also contract drill the crop in spring.

“We have the equipment to wash the beet and ensure all the stones are removed if it’s for a feeder wagon. Some farmers are now using mulcher buckets that crush the beet before adding it to the wagon. Either way, the popularity of this crop on dairy units is growing yearly.

He says that there aren’t really any downsides to fodder beet – even though 2019 harvesting conditions were challenging. “We always manage to get the crop; we’ve invested in a 6-wheeler beet harvester with wide, low pressure tyres causing less ground compaction and if it’s wet, we load into trailers over the hedge. It’s the trailers that cause the soil damage and so we keep them off the field.”

This season much of the crop has had to be washed twice. “It’s not too often we get such wet conditions,” adds Aaron, “but it did give us more work.” But this doesn’t deter anyone and every year they get more interest in growing the crop for livestock units. “Cows love it – they sift through the silage to find it.”

Wiltshire-based nutritionist Diana Allen certainly encourages farmers to include fodder beet in dairy rations as a cost-effective homegrown forage.

“Fodder beet is also one of the best ways of boosting milk protein,” she says. “It’s a great source of sugar and fermentable energy which can stimulate the rumen bacteria, but it must be balanced with an equally rumen available source of nitrogen for the bugs from feedstuffs like rapeseed meal, distillery by-products and urea. And the overall sugar and starch must be balanced to prevent any risk of the rumen becoming too acidic.”

The crop offers flexibility when it comes t harvesting, and it can be left in the ground, with little feed value deterioration, until January or February.

“If it’s harvested early it can be clamped in layers with maize silage as long as it’s pre-chopped and well consolidated,” adds Ms Allen. “Or it can be clamped in the spring, before going too soft, and in layers with 25% soya hulls to absorb effluent. This can provide a valuable feed through summer.”

For the latest UK fodder beet trials results, click here

KEY FACTS ON FODDER BEET

Sown in March – April
Can be part of grass rotation or alternative to spring cereal crop to provide livestock feed and break the pest and disease cycle

Harvest from late October until March
Can be left in the ground without a loss in feed value

High energy feed provides high feed value
Average ME 12.5-13MJ/kg DM, 162,500 – 202,500MJ/ha with more recent varieties producing well above this level. In 2019 trials, high dry matter, deep rooted variety Brick produced 256,000MJ/ha in 2019 trials. The energy requirement for producing 25 litres milk is 197 MJ per day.

Choice of variety to suit the system
Rhizomania resistant varieties are available, such as the more recently introduced Brick and Tarine

Deep rooted (more than 70% in ground) for those with access to specialised harvesting equipment and who want to maximise feed value.

Less deep rooted (about 50%-60% in ground) with medium dry matter for easy lifting, even for grazed in situ

Limagrain UK has introduced the new fodder beet variety Ribambelle this year. A triploid beet with red skin, and already used extensively in France, Ribambelle ranks highly among fodder beet varieties for its high energy and medium dry matter content.

Field trial results show that this new variety has an average dry matter of 16%, which makes it ideally suited for dairy or beef cattle.

“As well as high feed value, Ribambelle has the advantage of being rhizomania tolerant (a disease that can cause yield loss) and medium rooted,” says LG’s Martin Titley. “It grows with 50% of its root out of the ground, compared with deeper rooted varieties that typically have 70-80 % of their root in the ground. This makes for easier harvesting and a cleaner root.

Its root depth also allows for grazing in situ which appeals to sheep farmers looking for a high energy forage once the grass stops growing to finish lambs, or for those looking for a high value feed for dairy heifers and for finishing beef.

A limited seed supply of the new variety, Primula is also available from LG. This pink-skinned variety is rhizomania tolerant and has a dry matter content of between 18% and 19%.

For the latest UK fodder beet trials results, click here.

The shortfall in winter sowings this season means spring barley will be the major crop of consideration in many situations. Provisional Defra forecast for spring barley sowings for 2020 are that the crop will rise by 28% compared to 2019, which is a huge rise, and many will be growing spring barley after a long break. We revisit the key agronomic requirements for establishing spring barley and for maintaining tiller counts for high final ear number:

1. Know your market/contract requirements

Specifications for differing malting barley markets will determine the agronomic inputs needed to achieve the required nitrogen percentage.

2. Choose the right variety

In many cases, variety choice is determined by the end-use/contract chosen. Newer, higher yielding varieties such as LG  Diablo, offer a significant yield advantage over older historic varieties. They also offer very high yields in a feed barley situation.

3. Time of drilling

Generally, patience is required to wait for the right conditions for drilling. The window of opportunity should be taken then both the weather and soil conditions allow for good seedbeds with rising soil and air temperatures, to ensure rapid emergence and establishment with continued plant growth. Earlier drilling in the spring can boost yields and should be considered on lighter, more free-draining land that will dry and warm up quicker than heavier, wetter soil types. Drilling early will significantly increase disease risk, so it’s best to look at more disease resistant varieties for this situation.

4. Seed rate

Limagrain trials comparing variety seed rates over various seasons and regions, show that with the more vigorous, higher tillering varieties, the optimum seed rate is 350 seeds/m² when drilling in ideal conditions around mid-March. This figure can be adjusted up or down depending on weather, drilling date, seedbed quality, moisture availability and perhaps most importantly, the growers’ own experience on each site. A lower seed rate of 300-325 seeds/m² could suffice if drilling into an “onion bed” in March. Although, when forced to drill into April due to the weather or agronomic reasons such as black-grass control, pushing up to 400-450 seeds/m² may be more appropriate.

5. Maintain high tiller number

The AHDB Barley Growth Guide suggests that the final ear target population should be around 775 ears/m². Certainly in 2019, higher yields were achieved from above average, higher final tiller counts – backing up the theory that final ear counts approaching 800/m² achieve higher yields. One of the biggest factors for securing final tiller survival, is early nutrition. Spring barley has traditionally been a lower input crop, with growers reluctant to increase nitrogen application rates in spring malting barley crops, through fear of exceeding maltsters’ grain nitrogen limits.

Limagrain trials over several years, show a benefit with using higher nitrogen rates. A standard seedbed application of 120 kg/ha was compared with a split nitrogen application of 150 kg/ha, with half applied in the seedbed and half at tillering. This resulted in increased yield potential without exceeding grain nitrogen percentage.

Newer, higher yielding varieties respond to higher nitrogen inputs and due to the higher inherited yield, a dilution of the nitrogen grain content is achievable. Macronutrients such as phosphate, potash, magnesium and sulphur should be applied either in the seedbed or soon after drilling, to promote strong rooting and early plant growth.

Micronutrients including manganese, zinc, copper, iron and boron applied at the stem extension phase of growth into flowering, are also beneficial to ensure a healthy canopy and good ear fertility. Early PGR applications are recommended to promote additional rooting and strong uniform tillering. A minimum of two fungicide programmes should be considered to maintain plant health and final ear number.

For the full Spring Barley Agronomy Guide, click here

For further information on market requirements:

http://www.ukmalt.com/

https://ahdb.org.uk/cereals-oilseeds

What is Turnip Yellows Virus?

A TuYV infected plant

Turnip Yellows Virus or TuYV is a virus that belongs to the Luteoviridae family, which includes other common viruses such as barley yellow dwarf, and potato leafroll. TuYV has a wide range of hosts, including crop species (brassica vegetables, pulses etc.) and common weeds (shepherd’s purse, cleaver, thistle etc.)

What are the symptoms of TuYV?

Early in the season, the purpling of the leaves is one of the first indications (pic 1), with more severe infections resulting in dwarfing, reduced branching, leaf area and an early senescence which affect yield and oil content and, in some instances, increases glucosinolate levels.

How is TuYV spread?

TuYV is spread by Myzus persicae (peach-potato aphid).

How widespread is the problem?

Certainly, with the milder winters, high levels of TuYV infection is now common across the UK and Europe.

Can I control the risk of infection with available chemistry?

Control of the TuYV aphid vector is now limited, given the ban of Neonicotinoid seed dressing, and limited availability of foliar chemistry. We also have the additional implication of Pyrethroid resistance in aphid populations. Variation in M. persicae (peach-potato aphid) activity throughout the year and between years, makes prediction of aphid levels and therefore infestation time, very difficult – hence effective crop protection is not straightforward.

Which LG hybrids are resistant to TuYV?

All of Limagrain’s new hybrids such as; AMBASSADOR, AURELIA, ARTEMIS, LG ANTIGUA and LG AVIRON, are resistant to TuYV. We consider this trait so important to oilseed rape growers, that it has become a standard feature in all our current and future introductions to the market.

The large blue pea LG Aviator joins the Recommended List with a yield of 99% over control; higher yielding than market stalwart, Prophet.

LG Aviator has excellent tolerance to downy mildew, with a rating of 7, and is resistant to powdery mildew. It’s early and has good ratings for standing ability and straw length (rated 6) – making it one of the best agronomic packages of any other provisionally rated varieties.

LG Raptor joins the 2020/21 Recommended List as one of the highest yielding spring bean P1 varieties. Its consistently high yields have played out over the last two years of Recommended List trials, yielding 107% of controls in 2019 and 100% of controls for this years’ listing, and it is expected to perform as well or better next year.

LG Raptor is one of the earliest maturing varieties on the RL. This, its short straw and excellent standing power makes LG Raptor one of the best agronomic packages of any spring bean on the market.