A HIGH protein crop of forage rape or rape kale hybrids can be ready for feeding to sheep and cattle in 12 to 14 weeks, either as a catch crop following the cereal harvest or as a break between grazing leys.

Martin Titley, Limagrain UK's forage crop manager, said its flexibility when feeding means it could ease the pressure on home grown feed supplies this autumn and winter.

He said: "Dairy, sheep and beef producers could see some real benefits from growing this leafy catch crop. It has a flexible sowing period, from May until the end of August, and is sown either by direct drilling or broadcasting seed. Only minimal cultivation is needed after cereals, making it one of the cheaper forage crops to be grown.

"Forage rape can also be mixed with grass seed for an autumn reseed and the sward can be grazed while the young grass seedlings establish underneath making for a productive sward that much sooner."

He said one of its greatest benefits is its versatility when it comes to feeding. "Not only does it grow quickly, but it can fill the forage gap through autumn and winter and can be utilised when you need it."

According to Kingshay figures, forage rape costs £408 per hectare to grow, making it one of the cheaper forage crop options.

"But the crop will reliably yield 30 tonnes of fresh feed per hectare and, based on our field trials that include 12 years’ worth of consecutive yield data, the crude protein content of forage rape and its hybrids is among the best of any forage crop at 19 to 20 per cent. It has an energy value of 10 to 11MJ/kg DM."

He said sowing forage rape with stubble turnips was also very popular – and will also add to the crop’s winter hardiness, and keep the stubble turnips protected from frost damage," he said. "The variety Hobson is used very successfully here for finishing lambs as it is very palatable and highly resistant to powdery mildew."

Mr Titley said if the crop is required for autumn and winter feeding for dairy and sheep then Interval, the fast growing hybrid variety, is highly popular. It establishes very quickly and has dry matter yield 10 per cent higher than the control variety in Limagrain UK’s trials, and again is highly resistant to powdery mildew.

"Forage rape and rape kale hybrids will also grow in poorer soils and on exposed sites too," said Mr Titley. "In fact, most crops can make a valuable contribution to the supply of home grown forages."