What crop to plant for beef suckler farm

westlander

Hello all,
After ploughing 15 acres of land, there is a bit of it that was a bit rushy at the end. The land is fairly good quality (well apart from a piece of it being rushy). So we were thinking of putting in a crop for some of it instead of grass seed. About 30% crop & 70% grass seed.


Question is: what crop would be the best too put in?

Is it getting too late too for putting in a crop?


Thanks.

49801

westlander wrote: »

Hello all,
After ploughing 15 acres of land, there is a bit of it that was a bit rushy at the end. The land is fairly good quality (well apart from a piece of it being rushy). So we were thinking of putting in a crop for some of it instead of grass seed. About 30% crop & 70% grass seed.


Question is: what crop would be the best too put in?

Is it getting too late too for putting in a crop?


Thanks.

You mean crop on the rushy bit? ...grass would be my answer... Else trees

Only crops that I would consider this far along the year would be kale or rape for out wintering.

Could you do any drainage on the rush ground and proceed with your original plan of grass?

westlander

49801 wrote: »

You mean crop on the rushy bit? ...grass would be my answer... Else trees

Only crops that I would consider this far along the year would be kale or rape for out wintering.

Could you do any drainage on the rush ground and proceed with your original plan of grass?

Yep crop on the rushy bit is what we were wondering. Well I did some mole ploughing on the rushy ground but not sure if this is enough...as there are no open drains in the field too pull the moles from.

Is there much work involved in sowing kale or rape compared too lets say grass seed?


Thanks

49801

Was going to reseed a couple acres last sept but time went against us so I sowed some fodder rape for green cover with the fert spinner. It took just fine. All we did was burn off and scratch with a kkk. Pigeons did wreck to it!!! I thought I'd get a couple weeks grazing from it.... Not a prayer after the pigeons plus it was sowed so late (sept) it was not thick enough to withstand the attack.
Kale is more reliable apparently. If your considering this you need to get moving IMO.

Think I'd find a way to do some drainage and go with grass seed as you intended

blue5000

Kale rape hybrid think it is called redstart or redkite might work ok, only problem is if it is very wet next winter it will be hard for cattle to strip graze it.

allbuiz

Kale and rape are expensive forage crops, plus if grazing in winter will probably get tramped. Would u be better off putting in drainage stone and pipe, i.e. main drain and 45' angles. Then sow grass seed. If u do this make sure you get a track machine rather than a digger. Digger will only make the ground worse!