ON FARM SOUTHERN CATTLE FEEDBASE f Hard to beat Cof South Australia areattle in the south-eastsatisfying their sweettooth in an MLA Donorexpensive than broadacre equivalents.required herbicides are horticulturalproducts and are, therefore, morefertiliser input and because theThe weight gains were1,500–2,000kg/ha over 150–170ossification and higher marbling,leading to higher MSA Index values. Company( C)-unded fodder However, this hefty price tag is days of grazing. That is, while a beet trial. balanced by fodder beet’s 90% standard southern temperate grazing The two-year project is putting the utilisation rate and high yields. system could produce 50kg/ha/100mm of rainfall, this trial produced irrigated forage crop to the test againstIn the trial, fodder beet averaged 250–300kg/ha/100mm of irrigation. other irrigated and dryland pastures 26 tonnes of dry matter to develop economic, agronomic and (DM)/ha – considerably higher than With minimal feed restriction, this grazing guidelines. conventional irrigated forages such steady weight gain could enable cattle as ryegrass–clover blends and on fodder beet to reach slaughter Fodder beet is not a new crop forage brassicas, which produced weights of 300–320kg two months (New Zealand herds feast on it and from 12–15t DM/ha respectively. earlier than those grazed on other small areas are grazed in Australia), but pastures and fill the typical seasonal new cultivars grow more bulb above “Depending on yield, fodder beet supply shortage of pasture-finished, ground, meaning it can now be grazed costs $100–$120 t/DM as feed, which MSA-eligible cattle. in situ rather than harvested. is pretty cheap for feed with 13MJ of Project leader Dr Michael Wilkes of the metabolisable energy and 14% crude Grazing University of Adelaide said fodder beet protein,” Michael said. Strip grazing ensures consistent provides enough energy and protein “Importantly, fodder beet is available at feed intake, reduces trampling and to allow an average of 1kg/day weight a time of year when no other crop can maximises crop utilisation. The trial gains during the autumn–winter feed produce such a volume of feed, so it crops ranged from six to 10ha and were gap in southern grazing systems. helps bridge the feed gap by providing stocked at 120DSE/ha for 150–170 days. “The MDC project builds on an initial a source of quality fodder to maintain A single-strand, portable electric fence trial funded by Primary Industries and growth paths in young cattle.” was moved incrementally into the crop, Regions SA (PIRSA) to explore the role Weight gains and stock had free access to water and of fodder beet in pasture-certified, hay or straw at all times. non-grainfed beef production,” he said. In grazing trials, yearling British-breed steers achieved average daily weight Animal health Establishing fodder beet costs around gains of 1kg from March through to Fodder beet bulbs are low in starch $3,000–$3,500/ha due to a healthy September and tended to have lower but high in sugar (around 45%) 2299