ON FARM SOUTHERN CATTLE Tweet goforbeet SNAPSHOT:Pete and Tweet Andre,Furner, South Australia the April–July feed gap, and and high input requirements Sl then sell steers straight off might turn some people the crop to grade for MSA,” off, but even a small area of Pete said. fodder beet can bridge the “We see the role of fodder feed gap and take pressure beet as providing a off other pastures,” Pete said. guarantee that we can finish He believes he can reduce a portion of steers each year input costs by planting a by a certain time.” cereal crop before fodder Area: Growing beet to target broadleaf 3,200ha weeds in the system. The Andres have 143ha of Enterprise: black clay flats under two Grazing Beef, sheepmeat and wool centre pivots, and planted The Andres started grazing production 7.8ha of fodder beet in fodder beets 16 weeks after December 2015, 14.5ha in sowing. They inducted stock Livestock: 2016 and 6.5ha in 2017. They gradually, the first year by 900 Angus–Hereford cows, plan to use a three to four- hand-feeding beets and 6,500 Merino ewes (4,000 year rotation to reduce the subsequently by limiting joined to Merinos, 2,500 risk of disease. grazing intake for 14 days joined to Poll Dorsets) “Seedbed preparation and with fencing, and found that Pasture: weed control are the keys steers adjusted quickly to Irrigated: 143ha of irrigation, to producing fodder beets,” their new diet. producing fodder rape, millet, Pete said. Proper measurement cereals and ryegrass/clover/ Fodder beet is used to finish of dry matter yields is chicory pastures “Precision planting is the autumn-drop steers to important to ensure correct crucial to ensuring cattle Dryland: phalaris, 340kg carcase weight. seed placement, as the are not overfed during ryegrass, sub-clovers and bulbs will not grow properly induction feeding. strawberry clovers Performance The 2017 crop produced if they encounter any During the grazing period, Soil: 25t DM/ha off 14.5ha; 140 interference, including from stock had access to hay Lighter sandy soils to black yearling steers were put other fodder beet plants.” and water, and received a clay flats on the beets for 120 days Weed watch liquid mineral supplement (April–July) and averaged containing cobalt, copper, Rainfall: 1.1kg/day weight gains. Australia currently has 675mm a limited selection of selenium and phosphorus. For comparison, steers registered herbicides for It took Pete around 10 grazing dryland perennial beet crops compared with minutes a day to move a LESSONS pastures achieved gains of Europe and New Zealand, portable, single-strand LEARNED 0.3–0.8kg/day during this including: electric fence; he adjusted period. Alternative irrigated • pre-emergent: chloridazon, the distance of strip grazing forages such as leafy turnip > Seedbed preparation is phenmedipham and based on crop utilisation and important. have achieved 0.7kg/day. ethofumesate animal behaviour. > Proper induction, Productivity of beets was • post-emergent: “We found it was important to combined with good 1,850kg liveweight/ha, phenmedipham, provide enough space along animal husbandry compared with 253kg for ethofumesate and the crop so shy feeders practices such dryland and 600–700kg for clopyralid had room – for 60 steers, as drenching, will irrigated turnip. Chlorpyrifos, bifenthrin we aimed for a crop face increase weight gains. Importantly, the fodder beet and alpha-cypermethrin of 100 metres to maximise > Irrigated forage provided a high quality feed insecticides, along with utilisation and growth rates,” crops can be used source at a critical time standard snail-baiting he said. to manage risk, finish of year. procedures, keep on top stock regardless of the of the pests. Pete Andre season and free up “It means we can run more E: ptandre@hotmail.com dryland pastures. steers per hectare during “The establishment costs 31