Feeding Fodder Beet

Yield: Fodder beet is a fantastic crop for achieving potentially a high dry matter yield per hectare when compared to its alternatives- in some cases over 30TDM/ha. This provides two main advantages: firstly, less area is taken out of the pasture and turned into ‘unusable’ area while the crop is out of action. Secondly, while the crop is being grazed it acts as a sacrifice area, thus reducing damage to the rest of the farm during the wet. However, the downside to this is significant soil damage can be caused in the crop paddocks, although this may not be a problem if the paddock is due for a revamp.

Feed Value:  Fodder beet leaves are relatively well balanced; however, the leaf-to-bulb volume can vary from 10%-30% of the crop. Fodder beet bulbs are extremely high in sugar- while that makes them very tasty when combined with their lack of effective fibre, it makes them a serious contender for causing ruminal acidosis if not managed properly. Furthermore, the bulbs contain around 9% crude protein, which is not high enough to support foetal development in pregnant animals, nor lean muscle growth in young stock. On the positive side, the crop is very high in metabolisable energy (MJME/kgDM) and is therefore quite effective for achieving rapid gains in body condition. 

Macro Minerals: The tops of fodder beet provide more than enough macro minerals for a dry cow, however the bulbs are seriously deficient in phosphorus, calcium and magnesium. In the short term, this may impact appetite, weight gain, energy levels, and growth rates young stock. In the long term, these deficiencies can be compounded causing issues such as milk fever at calving, ‘creeper cow’ – a phosphorus deficiency, poor milk production, delayed cycling, and brittle bones in young stock.

Trace Elements: Once again, the leaf portion of the crop meets requirements in some areas, however the bulbs fall dramatically short in crucial trace elements such as copper and selenium. These shortfalls can be further exacerbated by the ingestion of soil as it contains iron, which is an antagonistic trace element that inhibit the absorption of many beneficial trace elements in ruminants. Deficiencies in these trace elements are often not noticed until it is too late, and results can include retained foetal membranes, compromised immunity and poor reproductive performance come mating time.