Fodder Beet – A Technical But Top-yielding Livestock Fodder Crop

To remain sustainably profitable, modern farming operations need to continually evolve their production systems for optimal returns on investment. For SA’s dairy farmers, fodder beet presents an intriguing opportunity to do just this. Lloyd Phillips spoke to Dave Sharpe of the international seed company Barenbrug.

- Dave Sharp

Documentation from various multinational seed companies make no claim that the production and utilisation management of fodder beet is easy. At the same time, however, these companies report that the crop’s yield potential is the greatest of any commonly grown forage crop in the world, and that its nutritional value rivals that of other top performers in this category (see Table 1). But to benefit from fodder beet’s various advantages first requires astute technical crop management skills – and this should appeal to any dairy farmer who enjoys a challenge.

Dave Sharpe, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) sales consultant for international seed company Barenbrug, explains that the company is currently holding joint trials with dairy farmers in western KZN and the southern Cape region, to determine the feasibility of growing fodder beet as a dairy forage crop in South Africa. According to Barenbrug information brochures, the crop, regarded as a ‘specialist fodder source’, has a number of advantages that could benefit an array of livestock farmers, including sheep and beef farmers. In South Africa though, the focus is on dairy.

In dairy feed planning, achieving the ideal energy versus protein balance is essential for optimal milk production and the healthy growth of heifers.