Brassica Reference Manual - Agricom

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5. GRAZING MANAGEMENT AND ANIMAL WELFARE 5. Grazing Management and Animal Welfare 5.1 Best practice brassica grazing The successful grazing of livestock on brassicas requires farmers to be aware of a number of factors that may impact on the productivity and health of animals; feed quality, crop utilisation, crop access, feeding fibre, animal health issues eg rape scald, photosensitivity, SMCOs, Goitre nitrates. 5.2 Feed quality comparisons The quality parameters of a feed influence stock performance. Adequate energy, protein and mineral supplies are especially important for high producing stock. A general guide to crude protein (CP) requirements for ruminants is (as percentage of DM): 10-14% CP – minimum required for adequate growth, 15-18% CP – minimum required for adequate lactation. Table 16. Approximate nutritive values for a range of feeds Crop Dairy cow research Research into the use of brassicas for subtropical dairy farms by the Wollongbar Agricultural Institute concluded that brassicas provide an excellent source of energy and protein for lactating dairy cows in the autumn/winter period when grazed at the 6 leaf stage of regrowth (equivalent to a 30 day grazing interval on the north coast of NSW), in conjunction with the use of a high fibre supplement (Slack & Fulkerson, 2002). 29 Crude Protein (%) Digestibility (%) Metabolisable Energy (MJME/kgDM) Green pasture 22 82 12 Dry pasture 10 53 7 Hunter forage brassica* 17 86 12 Winfred forage brassica* 22 78 11 Turnips 12 88 13 Corn 8 71 10 Millet 10 65 9 Sorghum 11 65 9 Tonic plantain* 22 78 11.3 Chicory* 23 79 11.7 *Hunter, Winfred, Tonic and chicory values collated from historical feed tests collected by PGG Seeds research staff.
5. Grazing Management and Animal Welfare 5.3 Crop utilisation Strip grazing (break feeding) is the best practice for manipulating utilisation rates, diet quality, crop life, and crop regrowth potential. Generally, as crop utilisation increases animal intake per head decreases. Figure 9 illustrates a typical strip grazing method. Aim to position the front hot wire parallel to the longest side, to give a large front face and a shallow depth of break. This will minimise wastage from soiling. A back wire is recommended when using a multiple grazing brassica to maximise regrowth potential. An adjacent run-off or sacrifice paddock can be used to hold stock overnight, or during periods of cold wet weather, or as an area for feeding of supplementary crops. Figure 9. An example of a strip grazing method for brassicas. Overnight or run-off paddock Electric temporary fence (front wire) Electric temporary fence (back wire) Stock trough (permanent or mobile if back fencing) Gate Laneway Ungrazed crop New grazing strip Previous break Regrowth area 30 5. GRAZING MANAGEMENT AND ANIMAL WELFARE
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Page 3 and 4: 1. Introduction The plant breeding
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Page 7 and 8: 2. Brassicas Forage Rape - Winfred,
Page 9 and 10: 2. Brassicas 2.4 Forage brassica de
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Page 15 and 16: 2. Brassicas Ace was commercially r
Page 17 and 18: 3. Companion Species with Brassicas
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Brassica Reference Manual - Agricom

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