For North Wales mixed farmers Neal Morris and his son George, maize is an important forage for their milk production and beef finishing enterprises. It is also an integral part of their wider farming system, playing a key role as a break crop in their arable rotation.
The important point for Neal and George is that all enterprises are complementary to one another, with nothing done to the detriment of anything else. For that reason, they are constantly evolving their maize growing strategy, with earlier maturing varieties an essential element going forward.
Neal Morris (right) and son, George, run a mixed dairy, beef, sheep and arable business at New Sontley Farm in North Wales.
“We aim to create a balance in everything we do,” Neal says. “With maize, we are looking for consistency, rather than necessarily pushing for the highest yields, and it’s vital that we’ve harvested a mature crop in time to plant winter wheat.
“After the very challenging conditions we encountered in 2023, we’ve done things a little differently in 2024. Instead of growing a single variety, we’ve looked at several different options, including the very early maturing Duke. This has delivered exactly what we’d hoped, in terms of starch and dry matter, but most importantly it produced fully ripe cobs well before the end of September.”
New Sontley Farm, near Wrexham, runs the large, high-yielding Erddig herd of pedigree Holstein Friesian milking cows on a conventional winter housed and summer grazed system. With sexed semen used to optimise the production of replacement heifers, crossbred calves are retained and go into the farm’s beef finishing system. In addition to a substantial arable acreage, the farm also runs a flock of breeding sheep.
350 acres of maize are grown in rotation following either barley, Italian ryegrass or stubble turnips.
The ground is predominantly of a medium loam type, with some heavier land. Maize has been grown since 2000 and now extends to around 350 acres each year. It usually follows barley in the rotation, with stubble turnips or an Italian ryegrass grown over the winter preceding the maize. A lot of attention is paid to seedbed preparation, which Neal considers to be one of the most important aspects to successful maize growing.
“We burn off the preceding crop and apply generous quantities of farmyard manure before ploughing,” he explains. “After applying fertiliser on the furrow, we’ll then go over with a minimum tillage type of subsoiler, to remove any compaction, and then a pass with a power harrow before drilling.
“We never drill before the 1st May, and are then guided by soil temperatures, ideally getting the crop in before 15th May. This is to an extent gut feel, but we’ll also take valued guidance from our agronomists and maize seed suppliers Mark Hancock and Buddug Williams, who offer a wider perspective on conditions in the area.
“We do everything except forage chopping in-house, so we’re completely in control of activity and can work best with the conditions.”
Whereas it was once the policy at New Sontley Farm to roll after drilling – to enhance soil contact for the pre-emergence herbicide – Neal now considers the need to minimise compaction to be the greater priority. A post-emergence herbicide will only be used if needed, with an assessment made at around four to six weeks after drilling, and nothing else is required after that.
“One of the things we’ve been trying, with the aim of achieving more consistent maturity, is to vary seed rates,” adds Neal. “By dropping the seed rate slightly, by about 10% on our heavier ground, we’ve found we can create a more even cob maturity across the farm, which helps a lot when it comes to harvest. It’s something we’ll continue to look at.”
When it comes to determining harvest timing, Neal is experienced enough to know when cobs are mature and what the optimum date will be to achieve the most consistent forage stocks in the clamp.
The rule of thumb he’s worked to for years is to start chopping on 1st October, but this year he found that the Duke, one of the latest generation of ultra early varieties from Limagrain’s breeding programme, was fully mature by around the 10th September.
“We could have taken the Duke in the first half of September which would have enabled us to drill the following wheat earlier, but we actually delayed harvesting until around ten days later, because nothing else was ready and we didn’t want to have to re-open the clamp,” Neal explains.
Harvesting is largely carried out in-house, with the exception of a contracted-in forage chopper. Neal is not obsessed with yields, so doesn’t measure them, but his contractor reports crops at New Sontley Farm to be well above average for the area.
Maize makes up about 40% of the forage ration on a fresh weight basis, alongside grass silage. These are fed with a protein blend and concentrates in the parlour.
Key species for productive grassland – uses and benefits“We want starch and energy for the ration, but the most important thing we need from our maize is that it provides a consistent feed source,” concludes Neal. “It is a natural crop, grown within the balance of a sustainable rotation, that drives milk production. Earlier varieties, like Duke, will help us to achieve these goals, even in the most challenging years.”
Download the Maize Variety Selection Guide here
To maximise grassland productivity & sustainability, it’s crucial for farmers to recognise the most productive grass species. By understanding the strengths of different grasses, you can choose the right grass mixture to improve yields, enhance soil health, and boost animal performance.
Ryegrasses are the most commonly used species in LG Sinclair McGill grass mixtures but are often complemented with other grassland species, such as Timothy, Cocksfoot and fescues. These offer additional benefits to suit specific situations.
In this article, we’ll look at some of the key species for productive grassland; their uses, benefits, longevity and where they can be best used.
Perennial Ryegrasses (Lolium perenne)
This is the cornerstone species of UK grass seed mixtures due to its persistency, adaptability, longevity and high yield characteristics.
There are many perennial ryegrass varieties, usually subdivided into 3 groups categorised by the date at which they reach maturity. Early varieties typically produce a seed head in England and Wales in Mid-May, Intermediate varieties towards the end of May, and Late varieties in early June. In Scotland heading dates will on average be 2 weeks later due to the different climatic conditions.
Early Perennials
These varieties grow well and bulk up in early spring, making them ideal for early grazing and for conservation cutting.
Intermediate (Mid-Season) Perennials
A denser, more prostrate growth habit than early perennials, these varieties have a longer production season with high persistency and yield potential in grazing and cutting systems.
Mid-season perennials can be used to increase ground cover and forage quality in short-term mixtures and to boost yields in long-term mixtures.
Late Perennials
These varieties are extremely persistent and used in long-term mixtures, particularly those designed for intensive grazing. They offer excellent forage quality as they remain leafy and palatable for longer than other types, with good mid and late season growth and a good yield potential.
Italian Ryegrasses (Lolium multiflorum)
Italian ryegrass is the highest yielding of the ryegrass species lasting 18 to 24 months so is typically a mainstay short term conservation mixture. An excellent species to provide bulk but lower in forage quality than perennial ryegrasses. Their fast germination and establishment make them ideal for sowing as a catch crop.
Italian ryegrasses need frequent grazing or cutting to maintain their quality. They grow vigorously and respond well to nitrogen fertiliser but produce relatively few tillers so the sward can be fairly open. Surplus growth in autumn is best removed to promote winter hardiness.
Hybrid Ryegrasses (Lolium hybridum)
These carefully bred hybrids offer the benefits of both Perennial and Italian species. They are more persistent than Italian Ryegrass, lasting for between two and four years, and have higher yields than Perennial Ryegrass.
They will typically offer better ground cover than Italian ryegrasses increasing their suitability to grazing and are used successfully in mixtures with red clovers to make high-protein sward mixtures.
Tetraploid Ryegrasses
There are tetraploid varieties of both Italian and perennial ryegrasses. Tetraploids have a similar plant size but tend to have broader leaves, a more erect growth habit and deeper root systems compared with diploids. Tetraploids offer several advantages over the diploids, including:
- Increased palatability
- Higher sugars (Water soluble carbohydrates)
- Increased winter hardiness
- Increased tolerance to drought conditions
Timothy (Phleum pratense)
Timothy brings many advantages to grass seed mixtures and is often included in grazing and cutting mixtures for use in the north and west of the UK, where conditions can be colder and wetter.
Timothy grows at lower temperatures than ryegrasses which makes for excellent early Spring growth. It is very persistent and winter hardy, coping with wetter conditions and poorer soils. It will also continue to maintain palatability in mid-summer when other grasses may be past their peak production.
Timothy is a good variety choice in swards for grazing sheep.
Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata)
Cocksfoot has an extensive root system and is used in mixtures grown on lighter or drought prone soils. It has rapid regrowth and good summer production when other species may be affected by lack of moisture.
However, Cocksfoot is lower in digestibility and sugars than ryegrasses and it can easily become ‘tussocky’ and unpalatable for livestock if managed incorrectly.
Westerwolds (Lolium westerwoldicum)
These are annual grasses with vigorous growth giving very high yields. Their short life span of a single year, but rapid growth potential, means that Westerwold varieties are predominantly sown straight as a catch crop rather than being used in mixtures. They are well suited to bulk up silage production and zero grazing but need regular defoliation to prevent a fast decline in forage quality.
Creeping Red Fescue (Festuca rubra)
Winter hardy and early growing, on acidic soils and in wet and cold conditions, if necessary, makes red fescue an option in specific situations. It is used sparingly in grass seed mixtures.
Meadow Fescue (Festuca pratensis)
Meadow fescue is a nutritious leafy species and traditionally grown with Timothy in grass/clover swards. It is often included in mixtures designed for extensive grazing due to its good performance in low fertility or low input situations.
Putting it all together
LG Sinclair McGill mixtures have been developed through a combination of farm experience, variety and mixture trials as well as animal feeding trials. The current range builds on a foundation of over 50 years of farm success, with the latest research and technology, to produce the very best mixtures available.
Our mixtures are designed using the principles of sward mechanics. This means exploiting knowledge gained from scientific studies, showing the way different varieties and species interact when sown together, to formulate the best mix for each intended purpose.
We include varieties exclusive to LG Sinclair McGill, along with carefully selected varieties from other breeders that have proven performance in the UK Recommended Grass and Clover Lists, and our own variety trials.
Good grass mixtures contribute hugely to lowering production costs, but as a sward ages, its yield and feed quality decreases significantly. This is caused largely by the ingress of lower yielding, lower quality weed grasses.
Now is a great time to take a good look at all your grass fields and if you can answer ‘yes’ to any of these questions then it would be worth considering the various options that are open to you.
Key Questions to Assess the Health of your grass
Q: Are your leys struggling to support the numbers of livestock they did in the past?
Q: Is the speed of re-growth after silage cuts slower than it was?
Q: Have your fields been attacked badly by pests and/or diseases in recent years?
Q: Do you see more and more patchy areas on some fields?
Q: Is the population of weeds and weed grass much higher than you thought?
Q: Have your fields been badly poached in recent years?
Q: Do you detect a reduction in the amount of silage being taken off each field every season?
Q: Has the level of broad-leaved weed infestation been rising?
Q: Could you make better use of the high feeding value of legumes like White Clover?
You have various options if you have answered ‘yes’ to any or all of these questions. It may be that in some cases you will be able to bring the ley back up to speed by close attention to the control of weeds and pests.
Alternatively, it may be necessary either to consider a complete re-seed or perhaps an overseeding operation.
Why is reseeding so important?
Reseeding gives the opportunity to replace older varieties and weed grasses with the newest genetics that offer a multitude of benefits.
The key point to remember is that it is important not to look at the cost of reseeding but instead consider the cost of not reseeding!
More information
Download the grass mixture selection guide here
For Devon dairy farmer Jono Mock, growing early maturing maize varieties is as much about feed quality as it is about harvest date, establishing following crops, soil health or environmental benefits.
All are important, but most notable in terms of the direct impact on the performance of his high-yielding Holstein Friesian herd, is the fact that he knows he is maximising the digestibility of starch from the day he opens his maize silage clamp.
Jono Mock is in the process of expanding his Devon based herd of high yielding Holstein Friesians from 180 to 220 cows.
That’s particularly important for his forage-based dairy system, where maize typically makes up fifty percent of the dry matter of the herd’s ration.
“I remember times when our maize harvest would be later, and we’d often be opening the clamp before the crop was fully fermented,” he says. “The silage would go right through the cows, and we knew we were not making the most of the forage. Now, we’re able to keep the clamp closed for at least four weeks after harvest, possibly longer, and it makes a big difference.”
Farming at Bircham Farm, Burrington, Jono is in the process of expanding from 180 up to 220 cows next year, with a new rapid exit parlour due to come online early in 2025. The farm is in mid-tier Countryside Stewardship, which includes the SW5 Enhanced Management of Maize Crops option. Amongst the requirements are that the crop is harvested before 1st October, and that a cover crop is drilled within two weeks.
Very early varieties that have helped the farm to successfully achieve these objectives in recent years have included Limagrain’s Pinnacle, Ambition and Dignity, and for the last two years he has grown Skipper.
“I first saw Skipper at one of Limagrain’s pre-harvest trial days and it really stood out,” recalls Jono. “We pre-ordered it there and then, and it performed extremely well in 2023, yielding up to 21 tonnes/acre.
This year has been more challenging, with overall yields being nearer to 17 tonnes/acre, but we’ve still harvested a fully mature crop before the end of September and we’re very pleased with the quality.”
Maize makes up 50% of the dry matter of the herd’s ration, with LG Skipper being used to ensure the crop is harvested before 1st Oct
Milk yields currently average around 9,000 litres from a ration of maize and grass silage, with a blend also fed to provide nutritional balance. Going forward, cows will receive supplementary feeding in the parlour, on a feed-to-yield basis, and Jono expects yields to rise.
Calving all year round, the herd is typically at grass for five months during which time quality grass and white clover leys play an important part. Long-term dual-purpose leys, such as the LG Sinclair McGill Castlehill mixture, are integral to both grazing and silage output.
Since growing cover crops after maize, Jono has noted a definite improvement in soil health. He usually grows Humbolt forage rye, though has also grown an Italian ryegrass this year. “We take the cover crop as an early silage cut, around the first week of April, and this ground will either go back into maize or into grass,” he adds.
At Bircham Farm, creating the optimum seedbed is one of the main priorities when growing maize, to ensure the best soil-to-seed contact.
“It does take time to prepare a good seedbed, and often it will mean two passes with the power harrow,” says Jono, “but it’s not an area where we want to take shortcuts.”
Selecting maize varieties which are very early maturing ensures the crop is fully fermented before the clamp is opened.
Drilling typically takes place at the end of April, or the first week of May, but like so many in the cold and wet spring and early summer of 2024, this year it was as late as mid-May. A contractor drills the maize, with an available phosphate source applied in the seedbed. The ground at Bircham Farm is relatively clean, but a pre-emergence herbicide is used if possible, as well as a post-emergence spray as a routine.
Support from Limagrain’s Graham Parnell has proven invaluable over the years, according to Jono, both in terms of variety selection and also in forecasting optimum harvest dates. Maize is most certainly a cornerstone of milk production at Bircham Farm, and is only likely to become more important as the herd expands. Another very early variety, Duke, new to the Descriptive List for 2025, is now on Jono’s radar: noted for its high starch content and good digestibility, it has all the attributes to suit his system.
“We had a five-year period operating organically, when it was just too difficult to grow maize, and we really missed it,” Jono concludes. “We wouldn’t be without it in our current set up and, because we are growing within an agreement where an early harvest and post-harvest cover cropping are essential, I believe we are making the best of the crop by using early varieties.”
Download the Maize Variety Selection Guide here
With a second consecutive maize harvest significantly hampered by another wet autumn, growers should choose wisely to ensure their 2025 crop is ready to be harvested in good time.
That’s the advice from Tim Richmond, Maize Manager for Limagrain Field Seeds UK and Ireland, who explains that growers no longer have to sacrifice yield or crop quality in order to secure an early harvest.
“Maize breeding programmes have advanced significantly in recent years, with modern varieties such as Gema, Dignity and Skipper enabling growers to produce a high yielding crop in a shorter growing season,” Tim explains.
An early maturing variety like Duke can mitigate wet weather risks according to Limagrain’s Tim Richmond.
“Likewise, Duke – the latest ‘very early’ variety to come out of Limagrain’s extensive UK testing programme – also offers a significant improvement in terms of earliness of maturity, yield and quality in favourable and less favourable maize growing regions.”
Despite being one of the earliest maturity varieties on the 2024-25 BSPB/NIAB Descriptive List, Duke (which has an FAO of 140) delivers an exceptional dry matter yield of 18.1t/ha and combines this with very high quality.
“In fact, its starch yield of 6.96t/ha is the highest of all varieties on the Less Favourable list, and the highest of all Very Early varieties on the Favourable list,” Tim explains.
“Duke also has superior feed value thanks to its improved cell wall digestibility which increases its ME yield – something that is unusual for such an early variety. It also has good potential as a crimping or grain variety, and, thanks to its very early vigour and good standing ability, is less likely to be impacted by another wet year as it can be drilled later in the spring but will still be ready to harvest in good time.
“And, should the 2025 maize harvest be hampered by another bout of wet weather, Duke’s excellent disease resistance and stay green genetics will ensure it’s still in premium condition even if harvesting is delayed.”
Cover cropping and SFI potential
As well as enabling growers to exploit optimum harvesting conditions, Duke’s very early maturity also gives growers more time to establish a following crop.
Limagrain’s extensive testing and screening programme assesses all new varieties in UK conditions.
“Planting a winter cover crop after maize is now the recommended best practice, as it delivers important soil health benefits, but can also allow growers to access additional payments through the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI),” Tim continues.
“Italian Ryegrass and Westerwolds are proving popular as winter cover crops after maize, as are forage rye varieties such as Humbolt which performs well in most scenarios.”
Undersowing maize with a companion crop is another potential SFI payment opportunity, and it has the added benefit of ensuring the cover crop is already established when the maize comes off. “Undersowing does however need access to the right equipment and must be done at the correct timing to avoid the risk of affecting the primary crop’s performance,” Tim says.
“Alternatively, a multi-species cover crop such as Limagrain’s Lift n Fix combination of forage rye and common vetch will provide the ideal combination of a crop that mops up residual nutrients whilst fixing nitrogen for future cropping rotations.”
Further technical info and data
Download the Maize Variety Selection Guide here
One Cumbrian dairy farmer has found an ideal break crop for his grazing platform that also provides a valuable extra forage through summer
‘It’s a valuable addition’ is how Cumbrian dairy farmer Jack Carr describes his new-found forage. He’s grown the hybrid brassica Skyfall for the first time this summer – 2024 – as a break crop, but he’s particularly pleased with its value as a grazing alternative that slots very nicely into the summer rotation for his dairy herd.
Jack Carr
“We’ve a 27 acre (11-ha) grazing platform around the dairy, and we keep this as fresh and productive as possible by reseeding regularly,” says Jack who runs the 200-acre (81-ha) livestock Leesrigg Farm near Wigton with his father Bryan.
“I look to reseed every four or five years, but I avoid following grass with grass immediately. I also I don’t want to ‘waste’ too much time with land out of grass around the dairy. So a quick break is ideal.”
Limagrain’s forage manager in the North and Scotland area, John Heaphy, suggested the bounce back brassica Skyfall after seeing the success of this relatively new forage on sheep and dairy units.
“It’s ideal as a break crop on dairy units,” he says. “It’s a palatable, leafy, high protein feed which can be fed either in the summer, when grass growth might be limited, or sown later and grazed into autumn.
“And if conditions are right, it only takes five or six weeks to grow so it can slot into the grazing rotation and take the pressure off grazed grass in mid to late summer. An added benefit is that it regrows thanks to its deep roots, giving two or three rounds of grazing typically of the same quantity and feed quality.”
Star performance
Keen to put the crop to the test, Jack sowed 7 acres (2.8ha) of Skyfall on June 12, after ploughing up a five-year old grass ley in his grazing platform. He was grazing it by late July.
“It’s a fast-growing crop,” says Jack. “We sprayed off the grass, ploughed the ley and added a mineral at the same time then power-harrowed and drilled the seed at the rate of 5kg per hectare.
“We added 50kg/ha of a 25:5:5 fertiliser after drilling as the crop emerged. Establishment was very good, and the crop got off to a good start.”
Cow numbers were reduced a few years ago from 110 British Friesians to 60 cows when Jack’s grandfather stepped back from the business, but numbers are now being built up, aiming for 140 milkers plus followers. They’ve also introduced robotic milking which is working well.
While Skyfall was part of the grazing rotation, cows were directed from the robot through gate ‘A’ for nine hours a day on to the crop. This was then reverted to exit gate ‘B’ for the remaining hours each day, diverting cows back onto grass.”
They found no difference in yields or milk quality when cows grazed the Skyfall. Average milk yield – recorded through NMR – is currently 8170kg at 4.49% butterfat and 3.52% protein, with 4,500kg of the milk yield coming from forage. Milk sold to Arla.
“But it gave the cows some variety in their diets, and it took some pressure of the grass,” adds Jack.
“At first the cows stopped and thought ‘what’s this’, but it didn’t take long – as they are inquisitive by nature – before they were on the crop and grazing it enthusiastically.”
Once the crop was eaten off, in about 10 days, the ley was closed-up for regrowth. “And this is exactly what it did – very quickly. We added a bit of nitrogen, and it helped it move on at a good rate.”
By mid to late August re-growth was good enough to open it to the cows again for a further 10 days. “Again, the cows performed well, and we could have done a third round, but I was keen to prepare the ley for an autumn reseed,” he says, adding that he’s equally pleased to be giving the land a break from grass so any pest cycles are broken while still getting a good feed off it for his milkers.
“The system here is geared up to get more from forage,” adds Jack. “We’ve rented more land – which is how we’ll expand the herd.”
He adds that improvements in silage making have spurred on the herd’s milk production form forage with grass silage making up most of the forage in the TMR.
Average ME across three cuts of silage is 12MJ/kg DM and dry matters are between 28% to 30%. Wholecrop silage is produced on the farm too and these forages are balanced with a blend from feed company Newbreed. Cows are topped up and fed to yield in the robot.
“The system here aims to make best use of our crops. I look for efficient cows too that make more milk from the same inputs. We’ve added some Norwegian Red bloodlines to help achieve this.”
The grazing season is relatively short, from May to September, so crops to eat in situ has to be high quality.
“Skyfall works well,” says Jack. “It’s a fast growing break crop that offers a good feed so it’s far more efficient than ploughing up a ley and leaving it empty before a reseed. It’s worked well this year, so I’ve re-ordered some Skyfall seed for 2025.”
SKYFALL ADDS A SHINE TO SUMMER GRAZING
Limagrain UK’s bounce back brassica Skyfall is a highly nutritious leafy forage crop for grazing cattle and sheep in summer through to autumn.
Fast growing, it is sown between May and July and ready for grazing five or six weeks later, depending on growing conditions. And after the first round of grazing, it is closed up for three to five weeks while it grows back. Its deep narrow roots allow it to thrive in drier soils through summer. This, and the crop’s hybrid vigour supports regrowth and a second and maybe a third grazing crop through the season.
In field trials Skyfall produced between 30 and 35 tonnes/ha of a palatable soft-leaved forage where the crop was sown in July.
Skyfall is an ideal break crop too and can break pest and weed cycles before a grass reseed. Or it can be used in a mixed arable rotation.
SKYFALL – key facts
• High protein forage
• Fast-growing – as little as 5-6 weeks from sowing to grazing
• Leafy and palatable grazing crop for cattle and sheep
• Produces 65 tonnes/ha over 3 grazings
• 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
Broadening the range of forages can build more resilience into dairy businesses. So it could be worth widening the forage net in 2025. Limagrain’s forage crop manager John Spence looks at the forage options for dairy producers to consider.
There’s plenty of choice – and plenty of benefits to be had – when it comes to selecting forages for dairy cattle.
More forage production by ‘filling the gaps’ between reseeds, and reducing fields left fallow for any length of time will boost milk from home grown crops. And there are many options that promote productivity and soil health, and in doing so meet Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) criteria.
“King of the forages is grass,” says Mr Spence. “Growing other forage species within the grass rotation will support the longer term productivity of these grass crops by breaking the grass pest and disease cycles.”
After a wet cold spring in 2024, which disrupted reseeding on some units, conditions have been more favourable for autumn reseeds. “But there will be more to do in spring 2025 to get back on track,” he adds. “In these cases, tempting as it may be to follow grass with a reseed immediately, a highly nutritious brassica could be a better option.”
Bounce back brassicas
Brassicas slot into the grass rotation on dairy units very successfully, either for summer feed, or in autumn and winter. 
He highlights the ‘summer’ brassica Skyfall that has two or three re-growths in a season. “Skyfall is unique as it is sown from May and grazed five six weeks later, then closed up for about six weeks to allow it to ‘bounce back’ before grazing again. In many cases this cycle can be repeated a third time. And, thanks to its fast growth and re-growth, there’s still time for an autumn reseed.”
Fodder Beet
Fodder beet is also well worth considering as a break crop and is popular on dairy units because of its high feed energy value. This fodder crop has the highest dry matter and energy yielding crop per hectare available among commonly grown forages in the UK.
The average metabolisable energy content for fodder beet varieties trialled annually by Limagrain is consistently 12.5 to 13 MJ/kgDM.
Sown in spring, possibly after a first cut or early spring grazing, fodder beet can be grazed in situ by youngstock or dry cows or lifted and chopped for use in a TMR. It can be stored in a clamp or in the ground and feed through the winter – it offers a lot of flexibility.
“Once farmers introduce this forage, they rarely move away from it, particularly where it’s chopped and added to a TMR,” says Mr Spence. “It’s appetising and brings an energy boost to diets, but the consistency of the crop adds to its attractiveness.
“We’ve got more than 25 years of trial data comparing long standing UK fodder beet varieties, such as Robbos, and five years of data on more recent varieties, such as Fosyma. Results all show that dry matter and energy yields are consistent, regardless of growing conditions,” he adds.
Even in the challenging conditions of the past few years with long dry periods and, at times, very wet conditions, yields and feed value have not wavered much. These two varieties have both yielded more than 18 tonnes per hectare of dry matter consistently. Fosyma consistently heads the ranking with an average dry matter yield 12% above the control variety.
Forage rape and stubble turnips
Returning to brassicas, those looking for a forage crop to sow later in the season, possibly after multiple silage cuts or grazing rotations, can consider forage rape and stubble turnip. Sown anytime from May to September, the two crops can be sown separately or together.
“The high protein forage rape and high energy stubble turnip are ready for grazing 12 to 14 weeks after sowing. So, if it’s sown in late May, the crop is grazed in late summer as grass growth slows up. If it’s sown later, these hardy crops can be grazed through to January if conditions are suitable, which will reduce winter feed costs.”
Both forage rape and stubble turnips should be introduced to cattle gradually with a run back onto grassland. Choice of variety will influence feed value with newer varieties, such as Unicorn forage rape, being selected for improved digestibility while maintaining protein levels of 15%.
The new stubble turnip Hector brings extra energy with an ME of at least 12MJ/kg of dry matter.
“These forage crops might be less fashionable, but trials using these modern varieties show off their value in the forage rotation on dairy units,” says Mr Spence.
Herbal Leys
Herbal leys feature strongly in many forage plans for dairy and livestock units. There has been a huge surge in popularity and are now becoming mainstream. “But I’d recommend making careful choices.”
While a basic herbal ley might qualify for the SFI payments, there’s a wide range in performance between these and better quality mixtures. “If you choose cheap and cheerful, you’ll pay for it. There’s a lot to be gained from a well formulated mixture suited to the farm, conditions and feeding system.”
A herbal ley mixture qualifying for the payment must contain one grass species, two legumes and two herbs. This is the minimum requirement. Further guidance set out by Defra to encourage growing a high-quality herbal ley recommends five grass seed varieties, three legumes and five herbs.
“I’d encourage livestock farmers to go for a high quality herbal ley. Not only does it qualify for the payments, but it will also out-perform the basic mixes when it comes to animal performance,” says Mr Spence, adding that Limagrain has set this higher benchmark as its minimum for its herbal seed mixtures.
“We’ve designed herbal ley mixtures that are robust and productive and offer high feed value. We’ve achieved this by using species with proven performance on farm and in UK trials to ensure the full benefits of the herbal ley are achieved.”
For example, plantain and chicory herbs are screened at Limagrain’s innovation site, with the best varieties selected based on their yield and complementary growth pattern. These species are also deep rooting to provide drought tolerance and have anthelmintic properties.
“Proven species of legumes are also used, and we’ve selected varieties that can achieve production goals as well as meet environmental targets. These mixtures do far more than simply meet the payment criteria.”
CONSIDER THE PURPOSE BEFORE CHOOSING
He also encourages farmers to consider the purpose of the herbal ley before choosing a mixture. “If it’s for cutting it should include hybrid and earlier heading ryegrasses, but not include chicory because this loses its persistency under conservation management.
“But for a grazing mixture, chicory works well alongside plantain, white clover and other species that tolerate more regular defoliation, along with later heading grasses.”
Mr Spence adds that herbal leys aren’t for all dairy farmers. “There are clear benefits to herbal leys but their productivity can sometimes struggle to match that of a well-managed perennial ryegrass and white clover ley, particularly in intensive systems,” he adds.
Those growing high production grass swards that are missing white clover can opt to over-sow it, to meet the SFI criteria for legumes on improved grassland (CNUM2). This will bring nitrogen fixing benefits, improve protein content and add to the ley’s production in drier months. Using a pelleted clover, that is heavier, will significantly improve establishment rates.
With more unpredictable weather patterns, planning forage rotations may seem more complex. “But careful and thoughtful planning on the choice of forages and opting for proven varieties will add resilience and boost production from home grown crops,” he adds.
“The aim is to keep a good supply of high quality home-grown forages and reduce the vulnerability caused by the season and situation.”
Greater resilience in forage cropping comes from improving output per acre of quality forages with proven feed value.
Monitoring and managing soil health and pest and weed protocols is vital.
And there’s mileage in rethinking rotations and using the ‘best’ crops between grass crops to break the pest cycles and to improve soil health, and to avoid leaving the land fallow but instead increase output of forages per acre.
Forage brassica and fodder beet are good options. Fodder beet can be grazed or lifted to give a consistent high energy feed and can be sown from late March to late April. Sown in May, Skyfall bounce back brassica provides regrowth after grazing every three to six weeks from mid-July. Sown in June/July, stubble turnips are grazed in autumn and early winter.
Reseeding regularly adds resilience with significant increases in output per acre. This can be boosted even more with high performance grass seed mixtures based on proven UK trial data, and by selecting the right mixture for the job in hand. Trying to save a few £ on seed mixtures, which is a small proportion of the reseeding costs, is false economy.
Herbal leys and clovers are in vogue. Introducing these mixtures is incentivised with payment rates for CSAM3 herbal leys of £382/ha and £102/ha for CNUM2 Legumes on improved grassland.
But a word of warning. Too many growers are choosing least cost mixture options with ‘unknown’ species varieties. While these mixtures might comply with the rules, they don’t give the production benefits that can be achieved from specifically designed mixtures with a track record. For example, varietal choice of plantains and chicory can make a big difference to production.
Download the grass mixture selection guide here
The challenges of dry summers and increasing input prices have tempted one East Lothian beef farmer into trying out fodder beet for finishing his beef cattle.
And Anderson Waddell has no regrets, and for now, he’s committed to a crop each year. In May 2023, his contractors sowed six hectares of plant breeder Limagrain’s Robbos fodder beet and lifted about 120 tonnes per hectare fresh weight (50t/acre) of the crop in November. He’s recorded good intakes of this high energy feed and found an improvement in the finished cattle.
Anderson runs the 150-hectare beef and arable family farm at Pencaitland, East Lothian, 14 miles southeast of Edinburgh. He buys about 90 six-month old male calves, mainly from one farmer, between October and December each year. Most are pure Charolais, and the rest – about 25% – are Limousin.
These calves go out to grass the following spring at around 300kg liveweight and are then housed from 430kg to finishing weights of 650kg to 700kg.
Indoors, cattle get a diet of grass silage and homegrown barley in troughs which this year has been mixed with chopped fodder beet.
“By October each year I can have about 280 cattle on the farm, so I need a reliable source of high quality feed,” he says, adding that the dry summers have knocked back silage yields and increasing input prices have affected the cost of growing barley.
“So I was keen to look at alternative home grown feeds to eke out supplies of silage and reduce my reliance on feed barley. I am to be self-sufficient in feed supplies.”
Many friends in the area grow fodder beet so Anderson asked around for some tips and took the recommendation from his seed merchant Dods of Haddington.
“The reliability and consistency of fodder beet yields, and its feed value made it an attractive option, and the variety Robbos, which is tried and tested was recommended and a lot around here grow it,” he adds. “So it seemed like a good option to start with.”
The crop was sown into prepared land following barley. Anderson applied plenty of dung on the stubble prior to ploughing and preparing the seed bad.
“Input costs after sowing were relatively small – just three weed treatments were applied between May and June. Establishment was good and despite some dry conditions, the crop kept growing.”
His contractor lifted the crop in November – which Anderson admits was a bit late in view of the wet conditions. “But it yielded well and it’s certainly taken pressure off the silage and barley. Cattle have grown well and they’re killing out better.” 
He wants to improve the chopping equipment – last winter he used a Ritchie Root bucket feeder, which was not ideal. “I’ve still a bit to learn with growing and feeding fodder beet but it’s just what I needed in the diet and it’s cost-effective,” he adds.
“And I also have plenty of organic matter on the field to promote soil health ahead of the next crop of spring barley that will be drilled in May. So, fodder beet is giving me just what I wanted from a forage crop – it’s a win-win for now.”
Find out more about Robbos fodder beet here and download our latest UK trial results for fodder beet.
Highest yielding Recommended varieties on show at CerealsPlant breeders Limagrain UK will showcase their impressive portfolio of varieties across crop sectors at Cereals 2024.
After several years absence from Cereals, the breeders have returned to the Event on the back of their resounding success on the 2024/2025 AHDB Recommended List.
“Producing the highest yielding varieties, backed up with desirable agronomic characteristics is an exceptional achievement for any breeder. What’s more, these varieties have proven to be robust and consistent performers across seasons and regions,” explains Ron Granger, Limagrain’s arable technical manager.
Visit stand 606 to find out more about the highest yielding winter wheat LG Beowulf, LG Caravelle the highest yielding 2-row winter barley and the highest gross output oilseed rape varieties LG Armada, LG Adeline and LG Academic.
There will also be experts on hand to discuss Limagrain’s very diverse portfolio, including maize, forage crops and SFI options as well as an opportunity to enter a prize draw to win free seed.
“We are here to listen and share our expertise on how to get the very best out of Limagrain genetics, and the Cereals Event gives us the opportunity to do this directly with the farming community we serve,” he says.
Visit LG on stand 606, buy tickets here
Modern fodder beet suits arable rotation and provides essential livestock feedBrothers Richard and Fred White who run a 650-hectare mixed farm have grown fodder beet as part of their crop rotation for the past 23 years
Brothers Richard and Fred White run a 650-hectare mixed farm, comprising beef, sheep and arable enterprises, in Warwickshire, and they’ve grown fodder beet as part of their crop rotation for the past 23 years, waxing lyrical about its record yields and its part in ticking a lot of boxes in their farming system. 
They began growing Limagrain UK variety Fosyma in 2020 after a recommendation from Wynnstay’s Emma Edwards. This high-dry-matter fodder beet variety is pink-skinned and conical-shaped, and it combines a dry matter content of between 20% and 21% with a relatively high proportion of its root (40%) out of the ground, leaving just 60% in the ground.
Essential part of the rotation
“It fits well into our rotation, usually following and preceding winter wheat,” explains Richard. “We also grow forage maize to feed to the 180-head beef herd, as well as oats and barley, which is also rolled and fed to livestock.”
He and Fred thought Fosyma would do well on their Tamworth-based farm, particularly because they lift and feed fodder beet to their Hereford cattle and sheep during the winter.
It’s medium-depth root reduces the risk of soil contamination and offers flexible feeding and end-use options. Their contractor uses root-lifting equipment, typically harvesting the 23 hectares of the crop that they grow each year. Soil contamination has never been an issue for the Whites.
Market options
They store and feed approximately 50% of the fodder beet to their own sheep and cattle. The other half is sold off farm, for between £45 and £50 per tonne. Some has gone to AD plants, and some has also been sold to feed to deer om a nearby estate.
“They really enjoy fodder beet – as do our cattle and sheep. They all do really well on it.”
Producing home-grown feed and forage is a priority for the brothers, but fodder beet is also a useful break crop. “We typically sow is at the end of April, after applying plenty of manure,” explains Richard, adding that the farm comprises a mixture of different soils.
“We have heavy, medium and light soils and the crop is sown across them all – we mix it up. And is performs well – we always see good yields.”
Once in the ground, Richard says the fodder beet ‘doesn’t hang about’. “It germinates and grows quickly. We do need to control weeds, to prevent competition, but once well established the crop’s canopy helps to suppress them.”
The crop is typically ready for harvest at the end of September, but they leave it in the ground until lifting in mid-October. As soon as the beet is lifted, they’re ready with the drill and sow winter wheat into the ground. So they’re not leaving the land fallow over winter.
Palatable yields
For the past three years Fosyma has yielded between 30 tonnes and 35 tonnes per acre (75 tonnes and 87 tonnes per hectare). It’s stored outside in a clamp made from straw bales and feeding to outwintered livestock starts when grass growth slows, which is usually at the end of October.
“It’s fed whole, on the ground, to cattle and sheep. We don’t have to chop it. And they love it – there’s no waste.”
Richard adds that as well as adding ‘interest’ to winter rations, fodder beet also supports lamb growth.
The 450-ewe flock lambs in late April, and lambs are finished on the farm’s 400 acres (160-hectares) of permanent pasture and fodder beet during the winter. “We start selling lambs in January, at around 45kg LW,” he says.
Home grown forage saves £
“We don’t buy in any feed or concentrates for the ewes or the lambs – the system is completely forage based.”
The beef enterprise is also predominantly grass based, with only home-grown cereals fed as part of winter ration when cattle are housed. Cattle are finished and sold, at between 24 and 30 months, to local butchers in Atherstone
In 2021, Richard grew a crop that looked very ‘bare’. “The seed went in well, as usual, but were no beet plants and there were no weeds either. It was odd and Limagrain UK’s Brian Copestake came to take a look because I was at a loss as to what had happened.
“He said it was a flea beetle problem and while I was deliberating about re-drilling, the field suddenly sprouted green rows of beet plants. It soon caught up and within weeks we had a field full of strong and healthy beet that as well up to calf level. It bounced back well and I don’t think I’ve ever seen any other crop do that.” 
All-weather crop
Fodder beet also performs well in both wet and dry summers. “We noticed how much deeper rooted the crop was in 2022, due to the drier than typical conditions. It tolerated the more extreme summer and actually outperformed the 2021 crop.
We harvested 98 tonnes per hectare, which we were extremely pleased with,” says Richard, adding that poorer performing crops of different fodder beet varieties have yielded just half that at 50 tonnes per hectares.”
The Whites are planning to grow a similar hectarage of Fosyma in 2023.
“The variety (Fosyma) is the best we’ve ever grown, and we’ll certainly be drilling it again in 2023. Fodder beet has been an essential part of livestock rations and the crop rotation here for 23 years, so that’s not set to change,” adds Richard.
Learn more about Fosyma fodder beet here or contact your usual seed merchant for availability
The latest UK trial results data on fodder beet (including Fosyma) can be downloaded here
The climate is keeping us on our toes and this year (2023) has been no exception. It calls for flexibility and agility when it comes to growing forage crops. Limagrain’s forage crop manager John Spence sows some seeds of ideas on future proofing home grown feed supplies going forward.
“We’re ending the year with decent stores of grass and maize silage, but this doesn’t tell the full story,” says John Spence. “A cold late spring delayed grass growth, then for most grass silage making started well, until heavy rain arrived.
Hot and dry conditions weren’t as extreme as 2022, but some were affected with poor grass growth, then some respite and good grass growth through a mild autumn until heavy rain put some areas under water at worst and at best caused the late sowing of forage catch crops which will certainly hamper their yield and quality.
So farmers are faced with balancing more extreme weather conditions and the drive to improve sustainability and economic viability by producing more feed value from home grown forages.
“Marrying the two is quite a challenge,” adds Mr Spence.
“Agility and flexibility are key when it comes to planning. Avoid planning everything in stone and being too rigid with the cropping.”
Forage choices
The dairy system will determine forage options, with more alternatives typically possible in grazing herd situations. “A herd housed full time will usually rely on conserved high quality silages. “This has to remain the priority,” says Mr Spence. “But introducing forages like fodder beet and forage rye can really boost output from homegrown forages, as well as opting for higher production grass seed mixtures and clovers.
“Grazed herds can consider kale too, and some brassicas like Skyfall that ‘bounces back’, in effect giving two grazing crops, through summer which can take the pressure off the grass.”
Fodder beet, though, has been used in dairy cow diets for many years in areas where it can be grown on farm or locally on contract.
“This is a high energy crop, highly digestible and ‘enjoyed’ by dairy cows. We’ve tested a range of varieties in our own UK farm trials for more than 10 years and yields are consistently reliable, even in dry hot summers,” he adds.
“And new modern varieties are out-performing some of the older fodder beets. Limagrain trials consistently show the variety Fosyma to have the best dry matter yield at 14% above the control variety Magnum, and 5% above its closest rival Brick.” 
Fodder beet’s feed value at 78% digestibility and 13MJ/kg of dry matter is a valuable addition to any dairy ration.
Kale might have been out of fashion. “But not anymore,” adds Mr Spence. “Here again, new varieties with improved feed value have brought the crop back into the spotlight.”
He highlights Bombardier – a relatively new kale variety with a nutritious stem and leaf with 72% digestibility in UK trials and 17% crude protein It’s sown between April and June so it can follow first cut silage and provide a valuable break crop in the grass rotation.
“A kale crop can slot into the plan for many grazing herds. It’s fast-growing so cattle can strip graze it as a buffer feed in mid-summer to take the pressure off the grass.
But it has a long shelf-life too, so it’s a useful crop for youngstock and dry cows in autumn and winter. In either situation it can be used as a break crop and followed with a grass reseed. Break crops between grass crops are increasingly important in breaking the pest cycle and improving productivity of grass leys.”
Forage rye has been particularly popular this autumn – 2023, with crops following harvest or early maturing maize varieties. It can be sown until late October and is ready for cutting or grazing in early spring, even before Italian ryegrass.
A crude protein content of 12% and an ME of 10MJ/kg DM makes it an ideal forage for late lactation or dry cows, or youngstock. And once finished, the field can go back into maize or a spring reseed.
“A crop of rye will provide a valuable feed to eke out silages and it’s also a great crop to mop up residual nutrients and maintain soil health. The only caveat maybe sowing in a very wet autumn, but most farmers were in time this year, as the first half of autumn was warm and dry. So again, a flexible approach is needed and the will to act if conditions are right.”
Grass is king
Grass is the most important forage for most dairy farmers, and increasing its productivity and feed value should be on-going. This includes regular reseeding and taking advantage of improved grass seed mixtures and always selecting a grass seed mixture to suit the system and purpose of the crop, as well as the growing conditions and soil type.
“There are new varieties, improved grass seed mixtures and enhancements to match changing conditions. So farmers should seek advice and look for mixtures with proven trial results and good performance on UK farms and be discerning in their choices,” adds Mr Spence.
Limagrain trials in 2020 highlight the benefit of reseeding and of selecting proven mixtures. Table 1 highlights the productivity of a one year old ley and a four year old ley. The additional 45% of energy produced by the new sward was equivalent to more than 6,000 litres of milk (assuming 5.3MJ/litre).
Table 1
|
|
Age of Sward (Years) |
|
|
|
|
4 |
1 |
Benefit of New Ley |
|
1st Cut DM yield (t/ha) |
3.57 |
6.06 |
+2.49 |
|
ME (MJ/kg DM) |
10.8 |
11.9 |
+1.1 |
|
ME yield (MJ/ha) |
38,669 |
72,072 |
33,403 |
Source: Limagrain UK Trials, May 2020
“The additional energy yield value from younger leys will increase the proportion of milk yield from home-grown forage, reduce bought-in feed costs and this will justify the cost of the reseed. Depending on the age and quality of the ley, estimates suggest the additional yield in year one of a reseed will cover its cost.”
Trials have also demonstrated the benefits of improved mixtures with proven feed values. LGAN is the accreditation given to LG mixtures that meet the company’s combined yield and feed value criteria, and table 2 shows the performance range at first cut of the one-year-old mixtures on trial.
“The best performing mixture at first cut was LGAN Quality Silage, which produced more than 7t/DM of 12.5ME silage. The trial year, 2020, was particualrly dry, so these results demonstrate the big gains that can be made by using high-feed-value mixtures.”
Table 2
|
|
Max |
Min |
Range |
|
DM yield (t/ha) |
7.81 |
4.78 |
3.03 |
|
ME (MJ/kg) |
12.5 |
11.6 |
0.9 |
|
ME yield (MJ/ha) |
93,703 |
55,384 |
38,319 |
Stock up on clover
A forage outlook for 2024 wouldn’t be complete without highlighting the benefits of clover in grass leys.
“Any new reseed with clover in the mix or overseeding a ley with clover is eligible for an annual payment of £102 a hectare under the new SFI action NUM2 (Legumes on improved grassland),” says Mr Spence.
“This more than pays for the seed, and it brings all the benefits in soil health, nitrogen fixing and feed value. And in mid-summer, the clover provides good feed value when perennial ryegrass growth slows down.”
A lot of focus is also being placed on multispecies leys, with sustainability schemes encouraging dairy farmers to integrate them into their systems. “There are payments available under the new SFI scheme for sowing multispecies leys which will be worth investigating in the forage planning for 2024.
“There is a lot of considerations and it’s worth having an open mind to new ideas and options.”
FORAGE PLANNING POINTERS
- Plan to increase output from homegrown forages
- Throw the net out wider – look at all the options
- Have a flexible plan and be agile to adapt to the season’s weather conditions
- Have a robust and productive rotation for the farm – no one rotation fits all
- Use a forage break crop between grass reseeds
- Look at improved forage crop varieties with better protein and energy contents
- Clover in grass leys is a must
- Improving grass quality and feed value is on-going
- Carefully select grass seed mixtures with proven feed value