Product Used: Bouncer Hybrid Forage Brassica
Bouncer hybrid forage brassica was used by Ed Calvert of Lismore in the Western Districts of Victoria as an option into canola stubbles. Mr Calvert said canola stubbles provided little feed value so he looked at an option which would provide some forage. A 50 hectare paddock of canola was harvested in early January and the Bouncer forage brassica direct-drilled into the stubble in March. The previous canola crop had averaged 2 tonnes per hectare and the Bouncer hybrid forage brassica was sown, without fertiliser, at a rate of 1.5 kilograms per hectare. “After sowing we had 30mm of rain and it germinated and grew quickly,” Mr Calvert said. Six weeks later 650 lambs were introduced to the paddock and had trouble keeping up with the feed.
Mr Calvert said the lambs had access to the Bouncer hybrid forage brassica and an adjacent grass paddock and did particularly well when they could move between both areas. “You could see them mow into the summer crop,” he said. “They were first cross lambs and put the weight on quickly.” The lambs were then sent off to market and replaced with additional stock at a later date during the winter. Mr Calvert said the Bouncer hybrid forage brassica would be a good option when planted directly after the canola crop had been harvested. He said this would provide a grazing option earlier in the season and could then be sprayed out and replaced with a winter crop. This quick rotation provides a good break crop over the summer period, some valuable feed and a chance to get on top of weed, disease and herbicide issues.
Ed Calvert, Lismore VIC
