Fodder Beet Feed Budgeting Guide

The table below estimates the amount of fodder beet and supplement (including grass) in drymatter required per cow over a specified feeding period. The transition period requires 132 kg DM/cow of beet and 152 kg DM/cow of supplement assuming a final diet of 10 kg/day beet and 4 kg/day of supplement. The amount of beet required after transition is determined by the number of days that feeding is required. The table further down gives some calculated requirements for periods between 40 and 60 days.

Finally, the tables give an estimate of the total amount of beet required per cow for a transition on, a nominated feeding period and a transition off. The transition off, consisting of a three step process over 9 days, requires 64 kg DM beet and 79 kg of supplement (including grass) per cow. The table helps convert this total requirement of fodder beet per cow into an area of fodder beet required to be sown based on some assumed yields. The area of fodder beet given is per 100 cows. As an example, to feed for 50 days plus transitions (on and off) requires 696 kg DM/beet/cow. If an average crop is forecast (18 t DM/ha), 3.9 ha per 100 cows is required.