Contractors estimate the cold, wet spring and early summer in the south has put the sowing of winter crops six to eight weeks behind where they should be, but Barenbrug Agriseeds agronomist Shannon Morton warns yields of crops sown so far could be back 15 to 20%.
She is urging farmers to do a winter feed budget to identify any deficit and says it is not too late to sow rape or Italian ryegrass to fill a void.
But time is running out and she says farmers need to act quickly.
“Interval rape sown in January will typically produce 5-6 tonnes dry matter/ha for winter and can reach 7-8 t DM/ha with good conditions.
“Alternatively, Tabu+ Italian ryegrass is very fast establishing, so it will give one-to-two grazings before winter, if sown early.
“Typically, it will then provide 3-4 tonnes DM/ha to be strip grazed in winter, holding its feed quality much better than a normal permanent pasture.”
She says interval rape is better where bulk winter feed is needed but being able to graze Italian ryegrass before winter makes it easier to manage.
Fast growing Tabu+ will provide pasture in spring for set stocking lambing ewes or feeding cows.
