Beat The Winter With Radish

Japanese radish serves as an excellent addition to fodder for livestock, and decreases a producer’s input costs.

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28YEARS AGO

“On almost every farm where livestock is kept, there comes a time, between autumn and spring, when fodder is in short supply for shorter or longer periods. Very often, at the beginning of winter, greenfeed is not yet ready for grazing, and towards the start of spring, pastures are grazed down, the veld is not yet green and a serious fodder shortage could be experienced if the early rains are delayed.

“Mr Johannes van Rooyen, who has farmed near Rietvlei in Natal all his life, has been planting Japanese radish for as long as he can remember. ‘It fills a gap in my fodder flow which no other crop can replace economically. I don’t think I could winter livestock without it.’

“He does not look upon radish as being a complete feed in itself, but it certainly stretches pastures, hay and maize stover.