21 August 2018
That was the key take home message at a recent open event on Farming Connect demonstration farm Cae Haidd.
“This meeting was organised in response to the dry summer we have had,” explains Farming Connect Red Meat Technical Officer, Gethin Prys Davies. “During the last two months, countless numbers of farmers have told me how they are down significantly on their silage yield to date and how key crops such as Swedes are struggling. The main objective here today was to go through the crop options still available to them this summer in order to reduce their dependence on bought in feed this winter. “
The farmers who attended Cae Haidd farm, a beef and sheep enterprise unit at Nebo, Llanrwst, Conwy all had one thing in common – insufficient feed stocks going into winter. Paul Williams and his family farm some challenging terrain at the best of times, but this year has proved even more difficult.
“After a very long wet and then cold winter, we now face the challenge of one of the driest spells, I can recall,” explains 45 year old, Paul Williams who farms in partnership with his wife Dwynwen.
“It was great to bring in the experts to the fields, gain from their knowledge and open up the farm for others to share their experiences. Like most farms, we had no forage left after last winter, and with lighter than usual silage crops this year we need implement some sort of a contingency plan.”
Visiting experts on the day were Rhys Owen, Agronomist with ProCam and Osian Rhys Jones, Wales Advisor for Oliver Seeds.
Like many farmers in Wales, Paul grows Swedes as part of his Glastir agreement each year, which are grazed by pregnant ewes in January and February and provides an excellent breakcrop from grass to grass reseed. With an expected yield of ~8000kgDM/ha on a normal year, this year’s crop looks like it will be at best only 50% of that. With a typical feeding value of 12-13ME and 10-11% CP, it is an expensive feed to replace with bought in concentrates.
Osian Jones explained “If you are looking for an alternative forage crop to Swedes to feed during January and February next year, you only have one option really, and that is a winter hardy Stubble Turnip. Stubble turnips can be sown until the end of August, but the later you leave it, the less yield they will produce.”
“With an expected yield of around~4500 to 5000kgDM/ha when sown in June/July, those being drilled in August will only yield around 60% of the crop potential, which is equivalent to approximately~3000kgDM/ha. But with a typical feeding value of 10-11ME and 17 – 18% CP it is a high quality feed source” according to Rhys Owen.
For extended grazing until the end of the year, there are a few other options available to sheep and beef farmers. In terms of days to grazing, stubble and grazing turnips offer the quickest turnaround, with some varieties ready to graze after 60 days.
Forage rape or a Rape/Kale Hybrid are the other two main options, both of which have a similar days to grazing period of 80 – 110 days. Individual varieties vary, but typically Forage rape will have a yield of ~4000kgDM/ha, with a high protein content of 19 – 20%CP, and an ME of 10-11. Rape/Kale hybrids have a similar feeding value with a slightly lower CP content at 18 – 19%, but they do offer a greater yield at up to 6000kgDM/ha. Both have a very high D value at 80%, with the DM% of the hybrids typically 3% higher at 12-15% in comparison to forage rape at 10-12% DM.
“Another option is to under sow these crops with an aggressive grass species,” explained Rhys, “this then allows you to have a boost of forage for this autumn, and early spring growth for turnout, but this will inevitably reduce the yield of the brassica itself.”
Both experts were keen to stress how important correct stock allocation and grazing management is to achieve good utilisation levels. “There can be a huge difference between crop yield and what is actually eaten by livestock. 100% utilization is impossible, but with the use of electric fences and regular shifts, 80% utilization is achievable.”
Should the dry conditions continue beyond August, another ‘later’ option discussed at the event was reseeding with a short term grass ley which could be utilized in either one of two ways. A bulky cut of silage could be taken in 6 – 8 weeks, or it could be strip grazed in the field. Depending on your farm, these grasses can be sown as late as mid-September. “Provided your fields have the correct soil pH and P and K indices, a fast growing Italian or Hybrid ryegrass will produce an excellent crop of silage in a very short space of time, and will grow at lower temperatures than perennial ryegrasses in late autumn and early spring allowing for an extended growing season” Added Osian.
Gethin Davies said: “Every farm is different, but hopefully we have covered a viable option for most farming systems today. With the cost of grazed home grown brassicas in the region of 4 – 6p/kgDM they are definitely an attractive option this year.”