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Forage crops |
Factors to consider |
| Cereals |
Flexible as can be grazed or ensiled (whole crop silage). Silage quality general lower ME than good quality maize silage but is less risky in comer regions or exposed locations. In North Island difficult to get good grain fill reducing silage quality. |
| Triticale |
Range of cultivars from single to multiple grazings. |
| Oats |
Best suited single grazing; or multiple cut and carry where height controlled. Quality changes with maturation, protein declining, soluble carbohydrate increasing. |
| Multiple-graze cereals e.g. triticale, rye corn, oats |
Sown in autumn; grazing time in winter not as flexible as Italian ryegrass. |
| Brassicas |
Fall into two categories - summer feed or winter feed. All provide high quality feed and bulbing brassicas a source of carbohydrate (stored starch & soluble sugars). Dangers feeding can be avoided by careful transitioning between diets (at least 10 days) and supplementing with straw & silage to increase gut fill & reduce rate of intake and by offering two - three smaller breaks during the day. High sugar & low fibre: rumen acidosis Toxic components SMCO, glucosinolates and high nitrate SMCO - reduced performance 'red water' disease; highest risk mature kale, flowering brassicas and secondary re-growth. Rape scold in second-growth Pasja. |
| Swedes (approx 12.0) |
Low DM% 11-12% which can limit intake. |
| Kale (approx 12.5 ME) |
High in protein, good levels of soluble carbohydrate and high levels of calcium (7-8g/kg DM compared to pasture 2-2.4g/kg DM). Can be ensiled; need to manage effluent loss. Utilisation 75-80% ideal conditions; 50-60% in the wet. SMCO - greatest risk in mature kale crops; use little to no sulphate fertiliser. Nitrate poisoning: excessive fertiliser use and exacerbated by certain weather conditions. High Ca/P ratio which can cause milk fever in early lactation. |
| Turnips |
Use long narrow breaks. Introduce cows gradually to adjust to crop; offer a maximum of 2kg DM/cow (approx 2-3m2/cow/day) in first five days increasing over next five days, up to 5kg DM/cow/day; no more than a third of the daily ration. For more information refer to DairyNZ Farmfact Barkant turnips: feeding the crop (1-67). |
| Chicory |
Management is similar to turnips with time required to adjust crop. Pre-graze at 25-35cm height; graze to 5-10cm. Do not graze lower than 5cm. For more information refer to DairyNZ Farmfact Chicory (1-72). |
| Fodder beet |
Not the same management as kale and swedes. Need to transition cows onto crop over 10-14 day period. graze the roots and crop together. Transition cows off crop 2-3 weeks prior to calving and supplement with magnesium. For more information refer to DairyNZ Farmfact Fodder beet: feeding dairy cows (1-73). |
