Forage Rye

Forage rye is the crop for early bite grazing for cattle and sheep in the spring. An early sown crop can also provide an additional light grazing for sheep before Christmas. Zero grazing is another option which is now being exploited by a number of farmers and forage rye can also be made into big bale silage. Forage rye helps you to maximise the amount of fodder you can produce from your land by enabling 3 crops to be grown in two years.

Our variety Humbolt was bred specifically for forage production (it is not a grain variety) and so it has good early spring growth and excellent winter hardiness.

The average fresh yields will be in the region of 20-24 tonnes/hectare with a crude protein content of 12% and an ME of 10 MJ/kg DM.

You should allow one hectare of Humbolt to provide around 2 weeks grazing for 25 cows.  Dairy cows prefer to graze the crop at a height of 20-25 cm and an electric fence is important to reduce wastage in the field.

Some farmers mix Italian ryegrass with their Humbolt as this enables them to extend the grazing season.