mermill2
Well-known member
Does anyone seed rape for fall pasture? If so, what's the best time to sow? What rate per acre do you apply it? I also, would like to know what variety you use, and a good source to purchase seed.
Seeding rape
- Thread starter mermill2
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Jogeephus
Well-known member
I drilled some Dwarf Essex rape about two weeks ago and it was up in two days. Looking good so far but could use some rain. I drilled 3.5 pounds/acre along with one bushel of rye.
When do you plan to graze your Rape? I'm asking 'cause there are products out there that are Rape/Turnip hybrids that can be grazed 40-50 days after planting and be grazed up to 3 times (subject to weather, etc..)
Jogeephus
Well-known member
Mine came up in three days. After ten days of growing, some of it is up to my ankle. With a shower, I should be able to graze it in two more weeks but I plan on letting it get thick before I put anything on it. 45-50 days sounds about right. Since it is considered a feed concentrate, I planted rye with it and will also feed some lower qualiity hay with it as well.
Last year the rape stayed well into the hot droughty spring and really impressed me.
Last year the rape stayed well into the hot droughty spring and really impressed me.
Jogeephus
Well-known member
dun":2px188te said:
Last year it was grazed till June. Am told deer and cattle like it better after a frost. Sweetens it or something.
Dun, when you say hard freeze, what kind of temps are you talking? We had a few days where we had low temps in the high twenties. But only a few.
Jogeephus":im2ju4i6 said:
It isn;t just a temperature thing it's the duration of the low temp. Lows for 6-8 hours in the high 20s for a week and it turned black and slimey. Also had a lot of frost heaving that may have been part of the problem. Last year we tried rye grass and had about the same luck.
Jogeephus
Well-known member
dun":1q8jd6gg said:
You have some hard winters. Never seen frost heaving cept in pictures. Have had some problems with oats just shutting off in the cold weather though.
mermill2
Well-known member
Plan to graze after Christmas, with a 7 days on 10 days off program. Hope a hard freeze doesn't get.western":2gspu9o9 said:
Jogeephus
Well-known member
Thought I'd follow up on this post with some pics. This is the third grazing this year. It got off to a fair start but after we got 6 inches of rain and some 70 degree days its going like gangbusters.
1982vett
Well-known member
Looks like some good eating.
Looks like it has some fertilizer under it. How much did you use? We have what I call wild mustard or turnip that volunteers, but it doesn't look like yours. The cows will eat it until it bolts.
Your October 17 post said you planted a bushel of rye with it. I didn't know how much a bushel of rye is so I looked it up. US Commercial Bushel Size for rye quotes 56 lbs. Is that correct? Seem like a lot because we use 30 - 35 lbs when we plant rye (not on pasture). Not calling you out on this, just trying to get on the same page.
Looks like it has some fertilizer under it. How much did you use? We have what I call wild mustard or turnip that volunteers, but it doesn't look like yours. The cows will eat it until it bolts.
Your October 17 post said you planted a bushel of rye with it. I didn't know how much a bushel of rye is so I looked it up. US Commercial Bushel Size for rye quotes 56 lbs. Is that correct? Seem like a lot because we use 30 - 35 lbs when we plant rye (not on pasture). Not calling you out on this, just trying to get on the same page.
1982vett
Well-known member
I'm thinking ryegrass but you probably planted cereal rye. If that is correct, it should make up the weight difference.
Jogeephus
Well-known member
1982vett":3aj7qq68 said:
You are right. Cereal rye seed is much larger than ryegrass. Actually the proper rate would be two bushels of rye if using a drill, three if broadcast. However, I backed up the rate cause I wanted to give the rape some room to grow. I added the rye to the rape to dilute down the feed value as rape has a very high food value.
We have wild turnips here too. Our cows don't neccessarily like them. Nor do they like rape at first. But once they get a taste of rape they eat it well. Consequently I have learned that if I move them directly from a rape field to a field with a lot of wild turnips they will eat the turnips whether they have bolted or not. I thought this was rather interesting.
1982vett
Well-known member
Thanks for the reply Jogeephus, could use a patch like yours about now. The cows have the oats grazed down and the pastures are struggling to green up. I fertilized some ryegrass pasture about 2 weeks ago but missed the rains that would have put it to good use. Only got about 1/10 in the last two weeks. Supposed to have a chance tonight and tomorrow but the wind is still blowing out of the SSE at 17 and doesn't look to good for tonight. Maybe tomorrow.
Jogeephus, thanks for "thinking outside the box" and understanding how forages can work for you. If you need something to graze from Nov-March try Pasja Brassica. Contact Athens Seed in GA.
Keep up the good work!
Keep up the good work!
Jogeephus
Well-known member
Thanks for the tip western. I did a little reading on it and saw where it could also be planted with sorghum/sudan mix. Do you know anything about this. I often thought it would get too hot for rape but last year's drought showed me its more heat tolerant than I thought. Does planting this as an understory help it persist on into the summer or did I read something wrong.
I would think that Brassicas should be planted in the fall in your area. Spring plantings work great Kentucky north. I know guys in Al. that are planting the Pasja (2-3lbs per acre) with their annual ryegrass. This is giving them great results (4 lbs of gain per head) from Nov-March.
The Pasja is early which allows for grazing before the Annual Ryegrass is ready.
The Pasja is early which allows for grazing before the Annual Ryegrass is ready.
Jogeephus
Well-known member
Thanks again Western. I tried to find the link with the mention of sorghum but couldn't find it but did find some good planting and growth charts by date. Appears there would be some overlap in growth period but no overlap in planting dates. Probably misread something or experienced brain flatulance. 
My plans are to leave the heifers on this field then shift them to a field of vita-graze in 21 days then to ryegrass clover. At this time, I think the ryegrass will be a foot deep. Been keeping them supplied with plenty of hay but hay consumption has dropped 75% but their stool looks good.
My plans are to leave the heifers on this field then shift them to a field of vita-graze in 21 days then to ryegrass clover. At this time, I think the ryegrass will be a foot deep. Been keeping them supplied with plenty of hay but hay consumption has dropped 75% but their stool looks good.What does this Pasja Brassica run $$$$ ? Most of this seed is expensive, do these plantings help offset your hay consumption? Is that where the savings come in? Unless I've calculated something wrong (which is entirely possible), the costs of planting anything in the winter/spring is more than I could just buy hay for. What am I missing?
