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Fodder Beet

Potentially the hightest yield for a fodder crop. Good feed quality and very palatable to stock. Requires specialist harvesting equipment. Sold in acre packs containing approx 50,000 seeds. Sown from March - April with a feeding period between October and April.

The table below has been reproduced from the NIAB Descriptive List 2001. Not all these varieties are still commonly available but are shown as they were part of the list at the time.

The table above comes from the last NIAB descriptive list produced in 2001.  In recent years the demand for fodder beet seed has far outstripped supply so it is advisable to place your order well in advance of wanting to drill. If left to the last minute there is a distinct possibility that your varietal choice will have dissappeared very rapidly in early March. Particularly if you are requiring Gaucho seed dressing to give protection against pests. Gaucho dressing is not available on all varieties so you would need to check with your local Horizon Seed Specialist which varieties are available with this added protection.

Fodder beet can potentially give more yield than any arable fodder crop. Although most crops are lifted and stored fodder beet can also be strip grazed. The roots have excellent feed value and are very palatable for ruminant stock.

Fodder beet is sown between late March and the end of April with seed being supplied in one acre (50,000 seed) packs.

Average Dry matter yield is between 13 and 15 tonnes per hectare, with a freshweight yield of around 80 to 90 tonnes per hectare. The Dry Matter content is in the range of 12% ~ 19%. With a crude protein of 12%~13% giving a “D”igestibility value of “78D”. The “ME” metabolysable energy for fodder beet is in the region of 12.5~13.5MJ/kg DM.

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