Carwed Fynydd, Denbigh, Conwy
Focus Site Project: Fodder Beet and Kale production – seed to feed guide and benefit to a suckler beef system
- Carwed Fynydd is an upland suckler beef and sheep farm. The farm rises to approximately 800ft above sea level, and can be prone to summer drought conditions due to free draining soil and occasional shallow soil areas
- Currently, suckler cows at Carwed Fynydd are out wintered on Kale, with bailage laid out in the fields shortly after planting.
- The system is very successful at present, and has resulted in a dramatic reduction in winter costs, but the focus site is keen to look at growing Fodder Beet to reduce winter fodder area and free up more grassland.
Project Aims
- The aim with this project will be to evaluate the cost and production benefit of growing Fodder Beet instead of Kale, or to see if there is an opportunity for both crops to complement each other
- Although there has been much work on out wintering systems in the past, it is still fairly unusual to winter cattle outdoors in North Wales. This project should hopefully give other farmers confidence to determine if they could look at out wintering themselves, if they have suitable land.