Out-wintering on Fodder Crops - Eblex

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British Seed Houses in the compilation of this publication.
www.bshagriculture.co.uk
For more information contact:
Beef Better Returns Programme
EBLEX
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Huntingdon
PE29 3EE
Tel: 0870 241 8829
Fax: 0871 433 6205
Email: brp@eblex.org.uk
www.eblex.org.uk
©EBLEX 2007
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publication may not be reproduced
without the express permission
of EBLEX.
<strong>Out</strong>-<strong>wintering</strong>
on Fodder Crops
A producer’s guide to out-<strong>wintering</strong>
beef cattle and sheep on fodder crops

The technical information in this booklet was supplied by
British Seed Houses, Milk Development Council (MDC),
Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) and Quality Meat
Scotland (QMS) and compiled by Dr Mary Vickers, MLC.
Edited Matt Mellor, ABC
For more information contact:
Beef Better Returns Programme
EBLEX
Graphic House, Ferrars Road
Huntingdon, PE29 3EE
Tel: 0870 241 8829
Fax: 0871 433 6205
Email: brp@eblex.org.uk
www.eblex.org.uk
While the authors have worked on the
best information available to them,
neither the Eblex Better Returns
Programme, nor the authors shall in
any event be liable for any loss,
damage or injury howsoever in relation
to the booklet or the information on
which it is based.
Reference herein to trade names and
proprietary products and services
without stating that they are protected
does not imply that they may be
regarded as unprotected and thus free
for general use. No endorsement of
named products or services is
intended nor any criticism implied of
other alternative but unnamed
products.
Delivered by
<strong>Out</strong>-<strong>wintering</strong>
on Fodder
Crops
Contents
• The benefits of out-<strong>wintering</strong> for
beef and sheep producers 4
• Fodder crop selection 5
• Growing and managing the
crop pre-grazing 8
• Crop utilisation 10
• Performance and financial
implications 16

The benefits of
out-<strong>wintering</strong> for beef
and sheep producers
Brassica fodder crops such as kale, forage
rape, grazing turnips, stubble turnips, swedes
and new rape/kale hybrids offer beef and
sheep producers the opportunity to:
• reduce feed costs;
• reduce winter housing costs;
• reduce labour and machinery
requirements for feeding;
• reduce machinery costs associated with
silage making and manure handling;
• reduce fuel use and the carbon footprint;
• reduce exposure to forage shortages
caused by drought;
• enhance low input systems;
• increase output per unit of land;
• avoid housing-related health issues;
• expand production without additional
capital cost;
• extend the grazing season;
• grow an alternative break crop in arable
and grazing rotations;
• initiate alternative cropping in
uncultivated areas without
ploughing (using brassicas
as a pioneer crop);
• produce high DM yield
in short growing seasons;
• provide a valuable break
before pasture renewal.
4
Crop selection
Feed budgeting
The first step in the planning of any out<strong>wintering</strong>
system is feed budgeting. Taking a
whole-farm approach, consider the following
points:
1. What are my total feed requirements for
the stock being held on the farm?
2. How are these feed requirements met
under my current system?
3. What opportunities are offered by out<strong>wintering</strong>?
4. How much feed do I want from my out<strong>wintering</strong>
system in order to exploit these
opportunities?
Which crops will meet my requirements?
Having established your feed requirements
from out-<strong>wintering</strong>, you can choose the
appropriate cropping system, which will
depend on:
1. When you want to use the crop.
2. The number and type of stock required to
feed.
3. When the land intended for growing the
crop becomes vacant.
5

GUIDELINES FOR SOWING AND FEEDING (BEEF AND SHEEP) SUITABILITY FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF LIVESTOCK
Brassica fodder crops offer a flexible feeding option for livestock farmers, with the range of
sowing and feeding dates summarised in the table below. In some cases (e.g. some varieties of
grazing turnips and new rape/kale hybrids) crops can offer multiple grazing opportunities when
drilled early in the summer and managed appropriately.
Fodder Sowing
Beet Feeding
Swedes Sowing
Feeding
Kale Sowing
Feeding
Turnips Sowing
Feeding
Stubble Sowing
Turnips Feeding
Grazing Sowing
Turnips Feeding
Rape/kale Sowing
hybrid Feeding
Forage Sowing
Rape Feeding
The most suitable brassicas for grazing during
the winter months are kale, swedes and certain
multigraze rape/kale hybrids. Stubble turnips,
grazing turnips and forage rape are less winter
hardy but are ideal for extending the grazing
season to the end of the year. Many crops can
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
6
also be used as catch crops for grazing during
mid or late summer when other forage
availability can be short, e.g. stubble turnips,
kale and certain rape/kale hybrids. Fodder
beet is a higher input crop and is typically
lifted (as opposed to being grazed in the field).
Brassica fodder crops including kale, grazing
turnips, stubble turnips, and recently
introduced rape/kale hybrids are generally
suitable for feeding to all classes of beef cattle
and sheep. Swedes have more limited
potential, being recommended only for cattle
with fully mature teeth and not being suitable
for broken mouthed sheep.
Breeding cows in late pregnancy should ideally
not be grazed on brassicas, to avoid the risk of
calving in an unsuitable environment.
Varietal choice
There is considerable variation in performance
between different varieties so be sure to ask
questions about:
• yield (and specifically usable yield);
• disease resistance;
• digestibility of stems/bulbs/leaves;
• leaf-to-stem ratio;
• regrowth ability;
• winter hardiness;
• growing height;
• versatility.
7

Growing and managing
the crop pre-grazing
Independent trials at SAC have shown that
provided a proper field risk assessment is
combined with good agronomic and grazing
management out-<strong>wintering</strong> can be successful
on many farms.
Field choice and preparation
• Choose fields where grass production is
falling.
• The soil must be free draining and dry
out quickly.
• Ideal sites offer shelter for livestock, but
have sufficient air flow to allow fields to
dry out.
• Avoid steeply sloping fields or those
close to water courses or water supplies.
• Soil test 8 weeks prior to sowing.
• Soil pH should be at least 5.6 (optimum
5.8-6.5).
• Apply fertiliser and lime according to soil
test results.
• Control weeds prior to sowing.
To minimise disease risks brassica crops
should not be continuously grown on the same
area. A gap of 4-5 years (drier areas of the UK)
or 7-8 years (wetter areas) between crops is
advised.
8
Environmental impact
Careful field selection is crucial to minimise the
risk of soil poaching and runoff.
Fields with sandy soils, good soil drainage
characteristics and gentle slopes are
preferable to heavy clay soils which are poorly
drained or steep slopes where considerable
runoff can occur leading to soil erosion
problems. Fields should not be near
watercourses.
Providing a dry area of run-back (a loafing or
grazing area at one end of the field where
stock may find shelter) is recommended. Avoid
vehicles travelling in the field during the winter
by putting bales out in the summer. Organise
feed fences to provide maximum frontage and
a narrow strip of accessible fodder, and avoid
overstocking. Finally consider reduced tillage
techniques for establishment.
Sowing
Earlier sowing leads to higher yields in both
root and leafy brassicas crops, but remember
that crops can become less digestible as they
mature (with utilisation falling) if they are sown
too early for the planned grazing period.
Seed can be broadcast or drilled into a
cultivated seedbed but where conditions are
good can be direct drilled. Kill off any existing
swards with glyphosate. Direct drilling
improves the retention of soil moisture and
produces a firmer surface for grazing that is
less prone to poaching compared to fields that
are ploughed and then
drilled. Crops should
be direct drilled
into clean, open
ground to aid
germination.
Sow seeds
to a maximum
depth of 10mm
to ensure uniform
germination. Roll the
field after sowing.
Pest control
It can be a wise investment to use treated
seed to protect seedlings again insect attack.
Common pests include flea beetle, diamond
back moth and slugs and it is important to
monitor crops closely throughout. Control is
usually most cost effective if the potential
problem is spotted early. Seek advice from a
qualified agronomist at the earliest opportunity
and take prompt action.
Weed control should be carried out in the
previous crop, or through the use of a preemergence
herbicide after drilling.
Fertiliser
Brassica fodder crops respond well to good soil
fertility and are particularly responsive to nitrogen
(N) and phosphorus (P).
Soils must always be tested as part of the
planning stage, and where indices for N, P and K
(potash) are 0 or 1, a cost effective response will
be achieved from fertiliser applications. Seek
advice from a FACTS qualified adviser, using RB
209 as a guide, however the following table is
included as an indication of a typical application
regime.
EXAMPLE FERTILISER APPLICATION RATES AND TIMINGS FOR DIFFERENT CROPS
CROP Nitrogen Phosphate Potash N applied N applied
kg/ha P20 5 kg/ha K 20 kg/ha at sowing later
(units/acre) (units/acre) (units/acre) (% of total) (% of total)
Swedes 75-100 75-100 75-100 50% 50% at
(60-80) (60-80) (60-80) 10-12 weeks
Kale 100-120 80 (65) 80 (65) 50% 50% at
(80-96) 10-12 weeks
Stubble turnips 80-120 70 (55) 70 (55) 60% 40% at
(64-96) 6-8 weeks
Grazing turnips 40-60 30-40 30-40 100% Further N may
(32-48) (24-32) (24-32) be applied
for regrowth
Forage rape 50-80 40-60 40-60 100% Further N may
or rape/kale (40-64) (32-48) (32-48) be applied
hybrid for regrowth
Source: British Seed Houses
9
Seed treatment can protect brassicas against diseases such
as Alternaria (shown) in the first few weeks.
A trial plot of kale showing benefits of seed treatment (left)
compared with untreated seed.

Crop utilisation & feeding
management
Some nutritionists recommend that brassicas
should not make up more than 50% of dry
matter intake but farmer
experience suggests
that up to 70%
inclusion can be
achieved
successfully.
Brassicas
should always
be fed with ad
libitum fibrous
forage (straw,
silage, hay) to
improve the
“scratch factor” in
the rumen.
Overfeeding can lead to
reduced intake and
performance, with health problems such as
iodine deficiency (goitre) and anaemia
becoming a risk.
<strong>Out</strong>-wintered cattle have a higher energy
requirement compared with those housed
indoors and at least 15% more feed energy
may be required.
10
Strip grazing
The key to success with grazing fodder crops
is strip grazing using an electric fence to
maximise crop utilisation and minimise
wastage. Each strip (break) should be long
and narrow to allow all the animals to access
the crop at once. The fence should ideally be
moved daily, with the area provided being
determined using the calculation explained on
page 15.
Introduce stock to the crop slowly on full
stomachs to avoid digestive upsets. Start by
allowing the stock access to the crop for 1-2
hours a day, building up to unrestricted access
after 7-10 days.
It is strongly recommended that a wide-access
run back area is provided, in accordance with
good agricultural practice. A dry run-back area
increases utilisation and animal welfare, and
also reduces the risk of contamination of hides
and fleeces. Starting grazing from the top of a
sloping field (rather than the bottom) may help
to reduce run off.
Avoid channeling stock through gateways to
adjoining fields to avoid poaching.
Making fibre and minerals available
Generally no supplemental concentrates are
required, although minerals should always be
available. Brassicas are high in calcium which
may pre-dispose pre-calving cows to
hypocalcaemia if they are not fed a low
calcium forage such as straw/hay at the same
time. Brassicas are moderate to low in
phosphorus and magnesium content;
therefore, dry cow rations may require
additional phosphorus and magnesium to meet
the animal’s requirements. They are also low in
trace elements, particularly copper, iodine and
selenium.
Livestock must have access to
hay, straw or grazing to promote
saliva production and healthy rumen
function. By placing or leaving bales in the
field during the summer the need for
machinery to go into the field during the winter
is avoided, minimising the risks associated
with soil compaction and run-off from
wheelings.
An adequate water supply is essential at all
times.
11

Feeding tips
Cattle:
• Identify any animals that will not eat
brassicas and manage separately on
another system.
• Don’t feed cows close to calving on
brassica crops – manage separately.
• Only healthy animals in good body
condition should be considered for out<strong>wintering</strong>.
• Foot-trimming prior to the start of the
out-<strong>wintering</strong> period will help to minimise
the risk of lameness.
• Beef cattle must be fully functioning
ruminant animals before they can be
reared on brassica-based out-<strong>wintering</strong>
systems, and preferably at above 200kg
liveweight.
Sheep:
• Check all sheep’s feet prior to the start of
the out-<strong>wintering</strong> period, and use foot
trimming only when necessary. Try to
remove any lame sheep quickly from the
crop for regular treatment (one to two
times per week).
• Avoid grazing older ewes or any breeding
stock on roots due to the risk of damage
to teeth.
• Clip the bellies of lambs and crutch prior
to grazing on fodder crops to reduce the
risks of fleece contamination. One comb
width either side of the midline should be
sufficient and will reduce the risk of skin
damage.
• Present clean lambs for slaughter, which
may mean that they need to be moved
off the crop for the last few weeks.
12
Nutritional quality
The energy content of leafy and root brassicas
are typically higher than that in forages and
similar to that in concentrate feeds and
cereals. They have a high readily digestible
carbohydrate content but are low in fibre.
Therefore, brassica forages and roots should
be accompanied by a fibre source such as
straw or hay to prevent the occurrence of
rumen acidosis or bloat. Roots tend to have
lower protein contents than leafy crops. It is
advisable to supplement root crops with
sources of dietary protein and leafy crops with
additional energy when these are used for
finishing lambs.
FODDER CROP PRODUCTION AND COMPOSITION
Sowing Days to No of Summer/ Dry Digest- ME CP % Average Establishrate
grazing grazings winter matter ibility (MJ/kgDM) (% DM) Utili- DM yield ment
(kg/ha) possible use % (D-value) sation t/ha*** £/ha****
Swedes 1.00 170-250 1 winter 17-20 87 12-13 10-11 80 11 218
Kale 6.25 150-220 1 both 15-17 80 10-11 14-17 80 11 222
Stubble turnips 5.00 60-100 1 both 12-15 85 10-11 17-18 80 7 153
Grazing turnips
Rape/kale
5.00 60-100 2+ both 12-15 75 10-11 17-18 75 6 153
hybrid 6.25 90-110 2* winter** 12-15 80 10-11 18-19 80 8 158
Forage rape 6.25 90-110 2 both 10-12 80 10-11 19-20 80 7 152
* Care should be taken when sowing early as this is a vigorous crop and if not grazed will bolt.
** Can also be sown for summer use, but care should be taken to utilise when ready.
*** Yield based on summer crops.
**** Cost of establishment (2007) includes ploughing, combination drill/precision sowing, seed, fertiliser and sprays.
Choosing kale varieties with a high leaf-to-stem ratio reduces the amount of wasted crop.
13

STOCKING AND COST GUIDELINES FOR OUT-WINTERED BRASSICAS
Number of animals per ha for 100 days Cost of fodder per animal
DM yield (crop is 70% of diet) (p/day)*
(kg/ha) Suckler cows Stores 350kgLW Ewes Lambs Suckler cows Stores Ewes Lambs
Swedes 9,000 16 15 87 68 13.6 14.5 2.5 3.2
Kale 11,000 19 18 107 84 11.7 12.3 2.1 2.6
Stubble turnips 6,500 11 10 63 49 13.9 15.3 2.4 4.0
Grazing turnips 3,500 9 8 49 38 17.0 19.1 2.4 4.0
(+2500 regrowth)
Rape/kale
hybrid 6,500 11 10 63 49 14.4 15.8 2.5 3.2
Forage rape 4,000 7 6 30 30 21.7 25.3 5.1 5.1
Assumptions: 500kg suckler cows; liveweight gains for store cattle of 0.75kg/day; 55kg ewes on maintenance feeding;
liveweight gains for lambs of 200g/day.
* Costs include variable costs specific to the crop (British Seed Houses, 2007).
Practical experience suggests that the grazing fence should be long enough to allow all animals
in the group to graze the crop at the same time without any difficulty in accessing the crop, even
for the most timid animals.
Measuring dry matter yield of your crop and calculating daily
grazing requirements
For accurate feed planning it is essential to measure the DM yield of
your crop. This is easily achieved using:
• A 1m square frame • A seed bag
• A pair of garden shears • Some scales
A number of samples should be taken from each field, picking
representative sampling points.
1. Place the frame in your forage crop.
2. Use the shears to cut each plant within the frame (about 10cm from the ground) and put the
harvested crop in the bag.
3. Hook the bag onto the scales and record the crop weight per meter squared.
4. To calculate DM yield per hectare multiply the fresh weight per m 2 by 10,000, then multiply
by the expected crop DM percentage (See table on page 13).
14 15
1 2 3 4
FORAGE BRASSICAS – DAILY FEED REQUIREMENTS
1 Livestock Total Intake Estimate total daily intake on 8kg DM/day
the basis of a dry matter requirement of 3% of liveweight.
2 Brassica % of Diet
(How much of the diet will be grazed brassica?) 70%
3 Brassica Daily Requirement (Box 1 x box 2) 5.6kg DM
4 Number of Livestock 25
5 Daily Requirement from Brassica (Box 3 x box 4) 140kg DM
6 Estimated Crop DM Yield/m2* 0.8kg/DM/m2 7 Total daily grazing area required (Box 5/box 6) 175m2 of brassica
8 Length of Feed Face 120m
9 Fence to be moved (Box 7/box 8) 1.5m/day
EXAMPLE Your Livestock
based on a 270 kg and Fodder Crop
weanling requiring Requirements
8kg/DM/day
*Based on crop yields of 10t dm/ha, (1kg/sqm) x 80% utilisation
Grazing management is important to optimise the potential of these crops. Strip grazing small areas will provide the most
efficient utilisation. Grazing larger areas will increase trampling and waste of available forage.

Performance & Financial
implications
Suckler cows
Trials at the SAC have demonstrated that under
appropriate field conditions, non-lactating, spring
calving suckler cows can be out-wintered on both
kale and stubble turnip systems with no concerns
in relation to liveweight or condition loss.
However, it was noted that only cows in good
condition at the start of the winter should be
considered as suitable for out-<strong>wintering</strong> and
that choice of free-draining fields, good dry
lying areas, easy movement of electric fences
on a daily basis and good stockmanship were
all critical aspects of a successful out<strong>wintering</strong>
strategy.
FEED COSTS AND RESPONSE OF DRY SPRING CALVING SUCKLER COWS OUTWINTERED ON
BRASSICAS
Feed costs (p/cow/day) Weight
gain/loss
Straw costed at (kg/day)
£20/t £40/t £60/t
Stubble turnips 50 62 74
Kale 60 72 84
Yellow turnips 70 82 94
Urea treated straw 38 66 94
Silage/Deferred grazing 38 38 38
16
Good
+0.21 Gain
Good
+0.00 Loss
Satisfactory
-0.14 Loss
Poor
-0.89 Loss
Good to New Year.
Poor after
-0.60 Loss
Housed (control, excl
Good
50 77 121
shed fixed costs) +0.32 Gain
Source: G Hill, SAC, 2005
Growing brassicas adjacent to a cereal crop will allow stubble
to be used as a run back area when the crop is grazed.
No adverse effects were seen in any aspect of the subsequent calving performance figures due to
the out-<strong>wintering</strong> treatments.
Growing cattle
Growth rates for growing cattle out-wintered on
brassicas are reported to be between 0.6 – 0.9
kg/day, although cattle can lose weight in the first
weeks of grazing the crop before actual growth
rates are established (gradual introduction to the
crop reduces the risk of weight loss - see page
10). Good growth rates depend on feeding good
quality forage with the brassicas and silage or
good quality hay would be preferable to straw.
In general, the limited information currently
available suggests that there is little difference in
the overall cost of out-<strong>wintering</strong> cattle on
brassica-based diets in the UK compared to
housed diets. There is therefore scope for out<strong>wintering</strong>
where shed space is limited, and/or
when shed space can be used for alternative
purposes. There are also potential savings
FEED COSTS AND PERFORMANCE OF WEANED SUCKLED STEERS
17
through a reduced requirement for conserved
forage and bought-in feeds, muck storage and
disposal, and in the costs of heating, lighting and
fuel to service housed cattle.
Practical experience with the SAC demonstration
project indicates that the amount of time involved
in visiting the out-<strong>wintering</strong> fields to move the
electric fence on a daily basis is similar to the
time taken to feed and provide straw bedding to a
comparable group of animals housed and fed
indoors on straw bedded yards.
The work also showed that compensatory growth
can be achieved cheaply at grass following the
out-<strong>wintering</strong> period. As the table below shows,
this resulted in similar weights being achieved to
those cattle reared indoors by the end of the
subsequent summer.
Over-<strong>wintering</strong> treatments of weaned steers
Kale + straw Kale + silage Housed
Daily costs over winter (p/day incl fixed 49 51 79
costs)
Growth rate over winter (kg/day) 0.74 0.76 0.87
Total feed cost over winter (p/kg gain) 0.66 0.67 0.91
Liveweight at end of following summer 494 489 492
grazing period (kg)
Average growth rate over winter and 0.69 0.67 0.70
summer since weaning (kg/day)
Source: G Hill, SAC, 2006

Sheep Performance & Financial implications
FINISHING LAMBS ON FODDER CROPS
Average stocking rate
(lambs/ha)
Growth rate
(g/day)
Area of grass run back
per 100 lambs (ha)
Short keep lambs Medium keep lambs on Long keep lambs
on forage rape swedes or kale finished on swedes
50 86 38
273 147 243
1 1 1
Hay fed (kg/100 lambs) - 1120 2310
Concentrates /cereal
fed (kg/100 lambs)
Total variable costs
(£/lamb/day)
Total variable costs
(£/kg LWG)
Source: The Farm Management Handbook 2006/07, SAC 2006
The table above gives an example of the type of
performance that is possible from grazed fodder
crops.
Forage crops are potentially cheap sources of
feed for holding or finishing store lambs and
finishing cull ewes. Growth rates up to 250g per
1000 1000 1500
0.15 0.10 0.14
0.55 0.68 0.58
18
day have been reported, however performance
can be variable and will depend on crop yield and
efficiency of utilisation. Utilisation tends to be
optimised when grazing pressure is high and
weather conditions are good, soiling of crops will
lead to rejection.