Forage Rape

Forage Rape

Forage rape is a fast growing leafy catch crop which is high in protein and can be ready to utilise between 10-14 weeks from sowing in optimum conditions.

Forage rape is ideally used for finishing lambs or flushing ewes and can also be grazed by cattle.

The feeding of any brassica should be introduced gradually over a two week period and strip grazing throughout the season is recommended to help prevent waste. Ideally there should be a grass run-back along with access to hay or silage and water.

The ‘hybrid’ types and true forage rapes can help to extend the grazing season as they have good winter hardiness and are longer lasting than stubble turnips. They will also produce more yield from a later sowing compared to stubble turnips.

INTERVAL (RAPE/KALE HYBRID)
Interval is a rape/kale hybrid which is fast to establish. It has good disease resistance to mildew and Alternaria meaning that the crop is grazed well with minimal waste. It produces high yields of palatable forage which is ideal for finishing lambs and will also provide valuable fodder for beef and dairy cattle over the autumn/winter months. As it is a rape/kale hybrid it will be more winter hardy than some other varieties which will also help to extend the grazing season.

REDSTART (RAPE/KALE HYBRID)
Redstart is a rape/kale hybrid which has good winter hardiness and good late season yield potential. Its vigorous growth habit means it has a flexible utilisation period and depending when sown, it can provide summer, autumn and winter grazing. Its high energy and protein levels are suitable for cattle and sheep grazing and if managed correctly, it could offer some regrowth potential

RAMPART
Rampart is extremely palatable and has been bred with feed quality enhancements making it highly digestible fodder for lamb, beef and dairy production. This new generation of forage rape will be extremely fast to establish and will have the capability of producing high yields of high quality forage.

HOBSON
Hobson has excellent resistance to powdery mildew and Alternaria. These are diseases that can make some crops unpalatable leading to high wastage in the field. Hobson is very palatable and digestible which makes it the variety for finishing lambs.
It has one of the best winter hardiness scores in Limagrain’s trials and is a reliable variety that has consistently performed in the UK.

SPITFIRE (RAPE/KALE HYBRID)
Spitfire is a modern forage rape created by crossing rape with kale. It has excellent yields and has a low dry matter stem which produces high quality feed with good utilisation at grazing. It has rapid establishment to maturity and can offer some regrowth potential but this needs to be managed carefully to avoid damage to the lower stems.

Other varieties available upon request