Our cows don't like turnips

[Chris H]

We planted T-Raptor, a turnip/rape hybrid, on Labor day. Got a spotty stand, slightly low spots retained enough moisture to start growing, the rest laid there for a month. We did get a nice stand of volunteer fescue which is about 6 inches tall. The turnips are from 8 to 18 inches tall. The cows eat all around the turnip plant, go back to the field where we have processed cornstalks & some corn, eat the choicest thing there, then go back and eat turnips, then return to the stalks.

I'm strip grazing the turnip field so they are forced to eat everything before they move on. I'm wondering, will they develop a taste for turnips eventually? The strips have enough for 2 days grazing, first day they eat the fescue, second day they eat the turnips.

 

[novatech]

Mom and dad tried to force feed them to me. Never did develope a taste for them. Mom even told me they were potatoes one time, took a big bite, never did forgive her for that one.
You got smart cows. :lol:

 

[sizmic]

They are exceptionally high in protein, your cows are smart and they know they don't need that much. Sorta like free choice mineral.

Sizmic

 

[kickinbull]

This kind of reminds me what my neighbor Perry told me. He was visiting with another neighbor about what to feed their dogs. Perry said his was eating turnip greens. the other guy went home to try it. He came back and said his dog wouldn't eat them. Perry said, mine didn't either, for the first 2 weeks. lol.

 

[Chris H]

As of this morning, some cows prefer the turnips, some eat them along with the grass, but most still select the grass first. But they're cleaning it all up.

We're pleased with how the turnips are working out, even if we have to force the cows to eat them. Giving them a strip every day or two and feeding corn stalks is making a pretty cheap feed right now. They're gaining weight, and it's obvious they're getting plenty of protein from the turnip/volunteer fescue. It's dangerous to stand behind them, :lol:

 

[Jogeephus]

As of this morning, some cows prefer the turnips, some eat them along with the grass, but most still select the grass first. But they're cleaning it all up.

We're pleased with how the turnips are working out, even if we have to force the cows to eat them. Giving them a strip every day or two and feeding corn stalks is making a pretty cheap feed right now. They're gaining weight, and it's obvious they're getting plenty of protein from the turnip/volunteer fescue. It's dangerous to stand behind them, :lol:

Always been told, "its what splatters that matters". ;-) :lol:

 

[cowtrek]

Have your cattle ever been on turnip pastures before?? There is kind of a learning curve that cows go through. Sometimes they won't eat something they've never seen before no matter how great it is until one of them 'accidentally' eats some and likes it and starts eating it like a kid in a candy store, then all the others catch on pretty quick...

"If Mikey likes it, it's GOT to be good! " LOL OL JR :)

 

[backhoeboogie]

Turnip seed mixes did well for me. The problem was feral hogs. Turnips are a magnet for them. My seed blends no longer have turnips. I wish they did. The cows browsed them.

 

[Chris H]

Bleeping cows! Yesterday afternoon I gave them another strip and evidently they have all developed a taste for them. Two ran through the fence as I was moving it so they could get to the next patch of turnips before everyone else. They sounded like a plague of locusts munching their way across the strip of turnips.

I'd read that cows sometimes need to learn to eat new things, but none of the articles about turnips mention cows not accepting them right away. They definitely have a place in our grazing system from Oct-Dec. Then we can put off grazing the stockpiled fescue until Dec-Feb.

 

[hayray]

Hey Chris,

they take a few days to learn to like them, I started strip grazing mine around mid October and they now go nuts over them. It was recommended by the experts to graze 3 hours worth per day. I have a strip that takes them about half a day to graze the tops then they go back to the bulbs, and then some access to hay but they now won't touch the hay so they must be getting enough to eat. I make them graze right to the dirt. I gave a few hand fulls to my friends cattle while visiting his farm and his cows turned their noses up at them. I planted mine on the 24th of August, up here we are supposed to plant them by the 1st but it was dry as a desert here. Everything worked out perfect, it rained as I was planting and kept raining and our fall has been real warm. I sampled the field so far at around 4 tons of DM per acre, they are 90% moisture.

 

[hayray]

Another thing Chris, I am going to graize some stockpiled orchard with some fescue the same as you. The only thing up here is we may get snow that will shut that down, but last winter I grazed into February no prob with supplement of roasted beans, but beans way too expensive this year. This is the first year for me with the turnips so I am not sure how long they will last, I am hearing different things from different folks. But based on my acreage and herd size an extension agent helped me figure out that I best start grazing by mid October. Based on temp data it looks like I have the first or second week of December - 3 days of 25 degrees or below. Alot of guys up here wait till the opening day of firearm deer which is November 15, so maybe they last a lot longer then I think they will.

 

[Chris H]

Hayray, we got a poor stand due to the drought, but we're still getting 1-2 tons/acre, it's some of the cheapest protein a person could feed. We're aiming to make them last until about mid-December then move them to a field where we interseeded oats into sudex. The wet, warm October kicked those into high gear and I expect we'll get close to 2 tons/acre from them. They're supposed to hold their quality through February.

These T-Raptor turnips have a lot of tops but even the biggest root is only about the size of a man's thumb.

 

[western]

all turnips (brassicas) are a required taste... but like you saw, once the animals require it they will take down fences to get to them. Its cheap feed!