Forage Rape

A quick growing, leafy brassica plant, this species provides a very palatable, high yielding, protein rich crop for livestock.

Uses

Forage for livestock grazing and a break crop between grass to grass reseeds.

Persistence

An annual species

Strengths

This species is fast to establish and provides plenty of winter forage for livestock. It is a useful break crop for arable rotations, encouraging the return of manure to hungry arable land. An important break crop between grass reseeds to reduce pests and disease, which is particularly important with the withdrawal of key insecticides.

Frost Tolerance

Reasonable frost tolerance.

Yield

4.5t DM per ha.

Sowing Rate Advice

4kg per acre / 10kg per ha.

On productive land with a good quality seed bed, sowing rates maybe dropped to 3kg per acre if drilled and given good seed to soil contact by rolling.

Mixture Sowing Rate Advice

0.5kg per acre / 1.25kg per ha.

Sometimes mixed with stubble turnips as an over winter sheep fattening mixture.

Ideal Sowing Time

It has a wide sowing window from spring until autumn, depending where the space falls in the rotation.

Management

Strip grazing will utilise the crop most efficiently. If the plant is not over grazed, and the stock are excluded to allow it to recover, some regrowth may occur, for a second grazing.

Distinguishing characteristics

Seed
The seed is a rounded shape, varying in colour from dark brown to black. It has a smooth texture and is approximately 2mm in size.

Seedling
The seedling produces two kidney shaped, waxy cotyledons on long stalks. As the first true leaf appears, the leaf veins become more obvious, along with the toothed leaf margins.

Flowering Plant
An upright, leafy green plant, often mealy to the touch. Leaves have a very prominent mid rib. With angular toothed margins. If allowed to seed it produces yellow flowers. A shallow rooting species.

Additional Info

Average seeds per kg - 300,000. Average protein content 19%. Growth Period 12 weeks.

Works well with

It can be used with other palatable brassicas for livestock grazing, or with mustard and radish for quick growing, 'patch up' cover for failed game crops.

Buy Forage Rape Straight

You can find Forage Rape in the following mixtures

• Early Fold Root Mixture
• Pig Rooting Mix Short Term 1-2 Years
• Pig Rooting Short Term 1-2 Years 70% ORGANIC
• Retrieve Mixture
• Retrieve Mixture 70% ORGANIC
• FlexiCover One Year Game Mix
• Flexi Game Cover 1 Year Mix 70% Organic
• Diverse Grazable Cover Crop (SAM2)
• Diverse Grazeable Cover Crop (SAM2) 70% Organic
• Cotswold Partridge Game Mix
• Cotswold Partridge Mix 70% Organic
• Summer Early Graze