Grazing and feeding

PLANNING FOR GRAZING BRASSICA CROPS

Presowing

Choose paddocks well away from waterways; maintain pasture buffer strips between crop and critical source areas (CSA) as required by your local regional council
Plan sustainable crop rotations, minimising risk of build up of soil-borne plant diseases
Use conservation tillage techniques, slow runoff and reduce downhill slope loss
Direct drill first year crops
Soil test to identify nutrient levels and define fertiliser requirements
Refer to winter cropping and the environment for more information on planting crops to reduce loss of sediment, phosphorus and nitrogen

Feed planning and paddock set up

Feed budget planning is needed well before crops are grazed
Place baleage on crop paddocks before winter, away from CSAs
Check stock water supplies; portable troughs that follow the crop face work well
Match crop type with stock class (e.g. calves and hoggets need crops that contain more protein); young animals may do less well on bulb crops
Match supplement type with stock class. Cereal straws are unsuitable for young stock classes if fed as the only supplement type offered alongside brassica crops
Plan for adverse weather events; allow for nearby standoff areas with extra supplements and good shelter from wind

Grazing management

Utilisation of crop and equal access to crop by all animals is best achieved when long, narrow breaks are offered rather than short, wide breaks
Move the break fence at least once or twice daily to reduce trampling and crop wastage
Minimise breakout risk with hot fencing standards and sufficient voltage
Double fence the crop break to stop access to full crop area if breakouts occur
Graze downhill towards CSAs
Offer extra crop area and more high fibre supplementary feed when cold weather is forecast
Back fencing planning – as required by your local regional council

Key risks of transitioning onto brassicas

Time is needed (up to 10-14 days) for sheep, cattle and deer to transition from pasture to brassica crops
Livestock learning to graze a new type of feed takes time
The rumen needs time (up to 14 days) to change from a pasture based fermentation to one best able to effectively digest brassicas
Cattle need extra care during transition; they are more likely than sheep to have bloat and/or rumen acidosis challenges
The first 14 days on brassica crops is when most animal health challenges occur

Once fully transitioned onto brassica crop, livestock should continue to receive at least 20% of the diet as high fibre supplements. Feed no more than 35% of the diet on a dry matter basis as brassica crop for lactating dairy cows, due to risk of brassica milk taint.