Transitioning onto brassicas (kale, swedes, turnips and rape) can be completed over a shorter time frame than fodder beet. Poorly managed transition can result in sick or dead cows.
Farmer tip
“I plan how I am going to transition cows onto crop – I either leave the first 6m of the paddock in pasture, or work out how I am going to on off graze them for the first week so they don’t get too much crop before their rumens adapt.”
Cow diets and transitioning
- Cows must be transitioned onto winter crops to allow the gut bacteria time to adjust to a new feed source.
- Transitioning onto brassicas (kale, swedes, turnips and rape) can be completed over a shorter time frame (7-10days) than fodder beet (14-21days).
- Poorly managed transition will result in sick or dead cows.
- See Fodderbeet transitioning.
- See how best to add your cows transitioning plan into your winter grazing plan here.
