July 2024 | REDMILLS-AGRI
A Quick Guide on When to Sow & Feed Forage Crops to Cattle
There is a broad range of forage crops available to farmers but it is about finding the one that is most suited to your management system. The following grid gives a summary of the times of year most suited to growing forage crops, grazing periods and sowing rates:
| Crop | Sowing Period | Grazing Period | Sowing Rate |
| Rape | May - August | 10-12 Weeks after sowing | 2.5kg/ac direct drill or 4.5kg/ac broadcast |
| Kale | April - Early June | Autumn & Winter | 1-2kg/ac direct drill or 3kg/ac broadcast |
| Stubble Turnips | April - June | 8 weeks after sowing | 2kg/ac direct drill or 3kg/ac broadcast |
| Swedes | April - June | Autumn & Winter | 1kg/ac direct drill or 2kg/ac broadcast |
| Forage Rye | Forage Rye | Winter & Spring | 75kg/ac direct drill |
Each of the crops outlined above have specific fertiliser, pest and disease control requirements – along with a wide choice of varieties.
For an effective disease and weed control programme for successful sowing of forage crops , contact the RED MILLS agronomy team.
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