Fodder beet is a long-standing and valuable fodder crop on many sheep and cattle farms and its popularity continues.

So says Limagrain forage crop manager John Spence, who quotes 25 years of trial data comparing long standing UK fodder beet varieties and more modern varieties that demonstrate how this crop has stood the test of time.

“It’s noted for its high energy and high feed value,” says John. “Results all show that dry matter and energy yields are consistent, regardless of growing conditions.

“Even in the more climatically 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.”

Fodder beet will yield more than 80 tonnes per hectare of fresh weight, with some varieties well above this and around the 100 tonnes of fresh weight level per hectare.

The average metabolisable energy content for fodder beet varieties trialled annually by Limagrain is consistently 12.5 to 13 MJ/kg DM. “This fodder crop has the highest dry matter and energy yielding crop per hectare available among commonly grown forages in the UK,” adds John.

Depending on the feeding system and the climate, farmers can also consider bolting risks, and choose a variety least likely to bolt, or disease resistance.

“And there are varieties that are rhizomania tolerant and are selected to be less susceptible to mildew, rust and leafspot,” he adds.

Flexi forage

Fodder beet offers the ultimate among other crops when it comes to flexibility. It can be stored in the group over winter and lifted as required, lifted and stored in open clamps, or fed in situ if conditions are suitable.

“Many dairy farmers store fodder beet in clamps then clean it if necessary and chop it into a TMR. Medium rooted varieties are ideal for this as they carry less risk of soil contamination compared with deeper- rooted varieties.”

Fodder beet slots into grass or arable rotations as a break crop. It’s sown in April, possibly after a first cut or early spring grazing, or a cereal crop, into a well-prepared seed bed.

“It’s a demanding crop in terms of nutrients,” he adds. “Land destined for fodder beet will benefit from farm year manure and slurry, and nitrogen can be applied after drilling where necessary.”

It’s also important to keep on top of pests and weeds. “We supply seed treated with a fungicide and pesticide with the option of seed priming to aid germination and get plants off to a good start. But herbicide treatments and fungicides will be required depending on conditions.”

While fodder beet requires quite a few inputs, with growing costs have been estimated to be at least £16 a tonne fresh weight, the yields and feed value make this crop cost-effective.

“And there are added benefits of including fodder beet in the rotation, and of being able to reduce the reliance on bought-in feeds.

“Once farmers introduce this forage, they rarely move away from it. Its flexibility, feed value and consistency make it an attractive option.”

‘More crops like this’

Fodder beet is a staple crop at Marsh Farm, near Alford, east Lincolnshire where it is used in a TMR for dairy cows and also fed with cereals to the beef cattle. Darren Brown grows 12-hecatres (30 acres) of the crop every year which produces about 100 tonnes per hectare (40t/acre) of fresh weight a year.

As well as being a valuable feed, Darren finds fodder beet an ideal break crop for winter and spring cereals, and it slots into the rotation with the grassland. “We’re on clay loam so it’s marginal for fodder beet really, but the crop does consistently well every year.”

Fodder beet follows a cereal crop – typically winter wheat. Pre- sowing, the land is ploughed in autumn, then flat lifted across the plough to loosen the soil and allow for easy root development

Harvesting starts in late October until the end of February and precedes spring barley. He uses one of two local contractors. “The good thing is that we can lift beet as we need it and when conditions are OK. It stores well in mother nature’s larder – in the ground, and in a pile once it’s lifted. It’s very flexible.”

Whatever the growing conditions, the experience in growing and feeding fodder beet at Marsh Farm is good. “Despite different challenges, there’s little fluctuation in yield and feed quality. We’ve had dry summers and wet autumns, but yields and quality don’t seem to vary,” adds Darren. “We could do with more crops like this.”

He attributes some of his success with fodder beet to choice of variety; he’s opted for Limagrain’s Robbos since 2019.

“We ‘dabbled’ with other varieties but come back to Robbos as it’s consistent and reliable. It’s got a clean root and it’s not deep into the ground which makes harvesting, cleaning and feeding easier.”

More info

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.”

For everything you need to know about home grown forage options, download the LG Essential Guide to Forage Crops

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.

Learn more about our high performance grass mixtures here or contact your usual seed merchant for availability

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.

With feed costs continuing to rise, why not consider growing a crop of Fodder beet?

Yielding between 80-100 tonnes of fresh feed per hectare, growing a crop can help reduce your winter feed purchases. It’s not too late to drill, early crops are usually drilled early April but this year’s weather means many crops won’t be drilled until end of the month or even into the first week of May.

Later drilling may also help reduce bolter numbers. You should try to drill 100 – 110,000 seeds per hectare, with a view to establish 80 – 100,000 plants per hectare at harvest. Drill widths range from 45-50 cm with seed spacings of 15-20cm. Seedbed conditions are vitally important, with a requirement for a fine, firm seedbed with a soil temperature above 5˚ C.

With rotational options limited in some regions, Fodder beet will allow you to drill barley, or a grass reseed in the spring and also help fill any feed gaps that may have appeared this spring.

CHECK OUT OUR BRAND NEW FODDER BEET VIDEOS OVER ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Brothers 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

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

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

For more info on forage options to suit your farm business, click here or download the LG Essential Guide to Forage Crops

New LG fodder beet varieties raise the benchmark. And add more feed value from home grown forage

New trial data from Limagrain UK, published in January 2023, shows that new fodder beet varieties are raising the benchmark for dry matter yields. But another highlight is the crop’s ability to produce consistently high yields in varying seasonal growing conditions seen in the UK in recent years.

Dedicated UK Fodder Beet Trials

Limagrain UK has run fodder beet trials on its Lincolnshire site since 2008 and compared the performance of commercially available varieties of fodder beet.

“We’ve seen significant improvements in dry matter yields in the past decade, particularly among newer varieties,” says Limagrain UK’s forage crops product manager John Spence. “These fodder beet varieties are raising the benchmark and achieving record yields. They offer a consistently high energy and dry matter home-grown forage for livestock diets.”

In the latest ranking, the new fodder beet variety Fosyma has an average dry matter yield of 14% above the control variety Magnum, equivalent to more than 2.5t DM/ha.

“Fosyma has 21.3% dry matter, and it is one of only a few varieties which are rhizomania tolerant. Fosyma also has good resistance to powdery mildew, rust and leaf spot,” adds Mr Spence.

Fosyma has other proven benefits that add to its appeal. “Its high dry matter is combined with its medium-depth root. We usually associate high dry matter fodder beets with deep rooted varieties, so Fosyma, with a relatively high proportion (35%) sitting out of the ground, bucks the trend. This makes it suitable for grazing in situ as well as for lifting and it carries less risk of soil contamination than the deeper-rooted varieties.”

Another key advantage of Fosyma is its high tolerance to bolting. It is one of the least likely varieties of fodder beet to bolt. This is particularly beneficial in more extreme seasons, such as the cold spring in 2022, followed by warm weather which can encourage bolting.

Fosyma has been included in the trials since 2019 and has been available to UK growers for the past two years.

High yielding and rhizomania tolerant variety Brick is in second place with a dry matter yield 9% above the control and a dry matter content of 22.8%. It is slightly deeper rooted than Fosyma with 25% of the root out of the ground. These characteristics give the variety excellent winter hardiness.

Reliable Robbos

A more established variety that has held its popularity in livestock diets is Robbos due to its flexibility, combined with high yields. With only 60% of the root in the ground, it is ideal for grazing sheep and cattle, and among shallower-rooted varieties, it offers a high dry matter content of 19.8%. Robbos has been included in the Limagrain UK annual trials since they started in 2008 and it gives consistent and reliable results.

“Fodder beet is really showing its colours as a consistent and reliable livestock feed,” adds Mr Spence. “We see very little variation in yields within a variety between cold, wet or dry seasons.

“Even after the dry summer of 2022, the crops still produced outstanding yields, and this was even more pronounced among the newer varieties, such as Fosyma, which maintained yields achieved in the previous year and well above 20t DM/ha.”

“So, for the same growing costs, farmers can produce significantly more dry matter per hectare by opting for the higher yielding fodder beet varieties.”

Sown in April, fodder beet is harvested from October onwards and can be fed in a total mixed ration or ad lib with maize silage, or it can be grazed in situ.

Limagrain UK publishes its annual trial data, available to all growers to enable them to make informed decisions. There are no recommended lists for fodder beet.

Limagrain UK’s latest fodder beet trial results are available here

Pembrokeshire dairy farmer Roger James relies on a high energy diet in early lactation to keep his 300-cow cross bred dairy herd in good body condition and able to support milk production and high fertility levels in a trouble-free fashion.

He gets this from a combination of breeding and nutrition.

Roger says his medium-sized strong cows are ideal – a cross of Montbeliarde, Norwegian Red and British Friesian genetics. “And if we feed them properly, they produce good quality milk, stay fit and get back in calf easily.”

The diet is based on a TMR comprising grass and wholecrop silage and fodder beet – all home-grown forages – plus  molasses and a blend, as well as a rumen buffer, vitamins and minerals. This supports average yields in this NMR-recorded herd of 8,000 litres at 4.35% fat and 3.50% protein on twice-a-day milking.

“The fodder beet gives our cows plenty of energy and that, in turn, results in good fertility,” says Roger.

“We target, and usually achieve, a 365-day average calving interval. Getting cows back in calf is the cornerstone of our management system here. We’re mainly autumn calving and look to calve 240 cows in an eight-week period from October.”

Fodder beet is introduced to the ration early in December at a rate of 6kg per cow per day, increasing to 8kg per head by the end of the month to get the energy up, ahead of starting to AI cows from the beginning of January.

Around 3.6 hectares of fodder beet is sown in April and provides a break crop for wholecrop wheat. “The land is free-draining, and the fodder beet grows really well, whatever the season throws at it,” he says. “We lift about 320 tonne of fodder beet each year, and yield doesn’t vary much from year to year.” Average yield is about 90t/ha.

He says that during the decade of growing the crop, he’s never had a bad harvest. “In fact, we’ve had some of our best yields when it’s been really dry and hot, such as in 2018 and in 2022. I think the extra warmth in the soil, when it did eventually rain, meant the beet grew like mad and more than made up for lost time.”

Fodder beet grown at Moat Grange, just south of the Preseli hills in the heart of Pembrokeshire, is lifted in early November and stored in a clamp, before being washed, chopped and added to the TMR.

“We feed it in the TMR even after the cows are turned out in mid-March. They’re given a buffer to support yields and fed concentrate in the parlour until milk eases off and they’re approaching drying off.

“The fodder beet keeps well, until mid-April when temperatures warm up and it starts to go soft. But we aim to have finished feeding it all by then.”

Roger is discerning about the variety he grows and takes advice from his Wynnstay adviser Laurence Couzens.

“We’ve opted for Robbos for the past few years, and I’m pleased with it. It offers a high dry matter yield and feed value. And the smooth skin, and the fact that it’s not too deep rooted, means it lifts out clean and easily, making it easier to wash.

“I know I don’t necessarily need to wash it, and many growers don’t, but I prefer to reduce any risk of soil contamination,” says Roger.

He farms the 174-hectare unit, which has been in the family for more than 100 years, in partnership with his father Robert and brother Simon.

Roger manages the dairy herd and followers with the help of a cowman and two full-time staff. His partner Angharad is also developing a gelato business – Llaeth Preseli Milk and Gelato – using milk from the herd.

“Milk quality from healthy and productive cows is important to us,” he adds. “We sell pasteurised milk and handmade gelato directly from the farm. The milk is sold through a vending machine, and the gelato is served from a trailer in our ‘gelato garden’. Both these ventures are brand new and going well so far. Most of the herd’s milk is sold to First Milk and used for making cheddar cheese.

“We’re aiming to get the best from our unit and our cows. Our home- grown forage is vital. First cut is taken in mid-May – a little later than some would take it, but it means there’s more fibre in the silage and this balances well with the wholecrop. The fodder beet is the icing on the cake. Cows keep well on this, and production, health and fertility are good. So is our gelato!””

KEY FACTS ON FODDER BEET

• Sown in March – April

Can be part of a grass rotation or an alternative to spring cereal crops to provide livestock feed and break the pest and disease cycle

• Harvest flexibility

Crop can be lifted from late October until March. Little loss in feed value, if any, is typically seen in later harvested crops.

• 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.

• Choice of variety to suit the system

Consider root depth, disease resistance, bolting score

There are no recommended lists for fodder beet varieties, but Limagrain UK’s annual fodder beet trial results are available to all growers and farmers.

more information

Learn more about Robbos 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

Growing fodder beet to feed cattle and sheep is helping Shropshire mixed farmer Gordon Tomley safeguard against high feed prices and benefit soil health as part of his cereal rotation.

Mr Tomley grows 12ha of fodder beet a year to feed his 500 head of cattle – from his own 80-cow suckler cow herd and 200 bought-in dairy cross weaners a year – and 700 ewes. He says stock do well off it, with cases of twin lamb disease in ewes almost disappearing, and Angus heifers and steers averaging at least 1kg a day liveweight gain.

It also provides a good break crop for this mixed farm, which includes 243ha of arable. The main rotation includes two wheat crops, winter barley, stubble turnips, fodder beet and potatoes.

Feeding rate

Throughout the winter, heifers and steers over 12 months old are fed whole fodder beet in bunkers at a rate of 3kg to 4kg a day and ad lib silage, building to 15kg to 18kg as they head towards finishing.

In the last three months of finishing, they are also fed barley straw and ad lib corn to get the finish. However, Mr Tomley says they will always choose to eat fodder beet over corn any day.

“There’s a saying that 4kg of fodder beet is worth 1kg of corn. It certainly helps us get a good finish on cattle at a cost to feed of about 2p to 3p/kg,” he adds.

His 80 dairy cross Angus suckler cows receive 10kg a head a day of beet, and anything under 10 months is on between 5kg and 8kg a day.

Dairy x Angus heifers are averaging 315kg and steers 335kg to 340kg at about 20 months old when they are finished.

Ewes do equally as well on the home-grown product. He farms 400 Welsh and Beulah ewes on a hill farm nearby and he feeds whole ad-lib fodder beet, using a Marshall spreader, from December until six weeks post-lambing in April.

He also has 200 half-bred Mules on the home farm which are fed ad-lib fodder beet over winter. None of the ewes receives corn, as the fodder beet provides plenty of energy, and Mr Tomley says feeding fodder beet ‘takes a lot of hassle out of the job’.

He adds: “When you have a lot of stock, it’s good to know the fodder beet is there. It means we are not at the mercy of the marketplace, safeguarding us against high feed prices.”

Fodder beet also provides an added income stream as Mr Tomley sells up to 20% of the crop to neighbouring farmers, which this year was at £45/t.

Variety selection

Variety selection is critical to achieving such good performance in his stock, a key focus for agricultural merchants Wynnstay who offer support to growers and farmers in the region.

“We see big improvements in the reliability and consistency of higher yields and the improved feed value in the more recent varieties,” says the company’s grass and root seed manager Colin Jones.

Mr Tomley grows Robbos on his medium loam soil type. It yields more than 80t/hectare and has a dry matter of 19%.

“Robbos isn’t such a hard variety, which is good for the sheep as it’s a little softer on their mouths. It also keeps its leaf well, so if stock is grazing it directly, there is feed value in the leaf. The good leaf also helps protect it against frost,” he adds.

Mr Tomley also notes the cleanliness of the variety. “The first lot we lifted last year didn’t need cleaning as Robbos has a clean root. Our contractors’ machines help too, as they spin off any soil,” he says.

Before growing Robbos, he grew Magnum for many years, but the yield was lower, but it needed the same inputs.

Mr Tomley uses a contractor to sow the crop, usually around April 10, and it follows a crop of stubble turnips. The first batch of fodder beet is usually lifted at the end of November, with a second lift in January and a third at the end of February.

He stores it in a heap on a concrete pad next to his silage clamp, with the roots able to keep for four to five months.

Getting a good crop requires some key management, though. Mr Tomley explains: “If you want the yield, then you must make sure there is no weed competition early on. We use one pre-emergence and one post emergence herbicide and fungicide for powdery mildew and yellow virus to protect the crop.”

He also applies 10 tonnes/ha of layer manure and 20t/ha of farmyard manure, which is ploughed in. The ground is then flat-lifted and worked, ready for sowing. “Last year, it paid off applying at the end of August after the dry summer,” he adds.

Middleton Farm Facts

• 162ha grassland and 243ha of arable
• Growing 12ha of fodder beet variety Robbos a year
• Growing, lifting and sowing costs £1485-£1605/ha
• Fed to 500 head of cattle and 700 ewes

About Robbos Fodder Beet

• Has the potential to produce high dry matter yields with its clean yellow roots and medium dry matter content.
• Ideal choice for both dairy and beef production, and for first-time fodder beet growers.
• Robbos fodder beet is UK proven with large leaves and clean roots.

More information

Learn more about Robbos fodder beet here or contact your usual seed merchant for availability

The latest UK trial results data on fodder beet (including Robbos) can be downloaded here

Give the arable crop rotation a break and sow a forage crop this autumn, to help achieve better weed control and boost home grown feed supplies. Mixed cereal and livestock units are encouraged to think about growing forages on some of their arable land, as this will help weed control by breaking the life cycles of some damaging weeds and diseases.

Forage crops – and any grazing livestock – add organic matter to the soils, which is especially valuable in nutrient depleted soils. Soil structure and condition warrants attention on many arable units, and rotations that include forage crops are more sustainable in the long run.

Forage crops, such as; fast-growing brassica and root crops, and short-term grass leys, can be sown post-harvest to give a much-needed break in the cereal rotation, as well as providing a valuable feed crop.

Roots and brassicas can be grazed-off ahead of a spring drilled cereal crop, or ahead of a grass reseed. Leaving a grass ley down for two to three years will also help break the blackgrass cycle.

Interval Rape Kale Hybrid

There are plenty of high feed value varieties to choose, that can improve livestock growth rates and performance.

Our recommendations are:

Samson stubble turnip – for grazing October onwards
Interval rape-kale hybrid – high protein leafy forage
Meatmaker and Autumn Keep brassica mixtures – contain stubble turnips, forage rape and Kale. The high protein content of both forage rape and Kale complements the high energy stubble turnip bulbs to provide an excellent, well balanced winter feed.