Summer is the perfect time to sow short-term catch crops. Most catch crop mixtures can be sown up until the end of August, with their vigorous growth making them an ideal feed source in the autumn/ winter when forage supply is reduced.
What are the benefits of growing a catch crop?
Catch crop mixtures have a number of benefits, most notably that they are a very cost-effective source of home-grown forage. The growing costs of these mixtures are extremely low with few inputs and not much resource required to produce a quality crop.
In addition to being cost-effective, catch crops are also often hardier and more tolerant to colder temperature, with species such as kale and maincrop turnips used to extend the grazing period into the winter months.
The mixtures can also be tailored to your specific requirements. For example, there are mixtures available to provide higher energy content, higher protein or specifically for rapid establishment.
Finally, another benefit of catch crops mixtures used for forage is that they can help to reduce grassland weeds and pest pressures and therefore make an ideal break crop.
Species often used in catch crop mixtures include:
- Stubble Turnips
- Forage Rape
- Kale
- Maincrop Turnips
- Italian Ryegrass
Speak to your local United Oilseeds Area Manager for a quote on our mixtures or a bespoke mixture to suit individual requirements. Alternatively, call 01380 729200 to speak to the office team.