MERIT OF FODDER BEET VARIETIES ASSESSED

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28630, 5 July 1958, Page 9

MERIT OF FODDER BEET VARIETIES ASSESSED

At the end of five fodder beet trials conducted over three consecutive seasons the Extension

Division of the Department of Agriculture in Christchurch recommends the use of Korsroe. Yellow Daeno, Red Otofte and Pajbjerg Rex, in that order of merit, for feeding to dairy cattle and pigs. In a summary of the results ol the trials, Mr D. J. Davies, fields instructor of the department, says that altogether six varieties have been tested on a wide range of soil types, varying from very light sandy soils to very heavy silty soils, in three seasons, each of which has been climatically different. In placing the varieties in order of merit, Mr Davies says that yield, ease of lifting and dry matter yield per acre are the three main factors which determine the suitability of one variety over another. Because there were no varieties that combined all these attributes iit was necessary to com- , promise by selecting those varieties that were consistently . high yielders and easy to lift. The extra yield more than comj pensated for a reduction of dry • matter and to this had to be i added the fact that these varieties were less likely to cause 5 digestive upsets. \ [ Mr Davies said that the sugar beet types, Hunsballe and Hindej rapgaard, had been rejected mainly because of difficulties ol j lifting and feeding, in addition to the roots being small, fang?

and inclined to hold a lot of soil 1 after lifting. Reviewing this season’s trials. Mr Davies said that the heavier, more fertile soils had yielded about 10 tons more than the lighter soils. All of the yields were, however, in excess of 40 tons to the acre and they compared more than favourably with those in England, where 25 tons was considered a good, average and economic crop. On light soil at-Mr D. Miller’s property at Motukarara yields ranged from 42.1 tons to the acre (tops and roots) for Pajbjerg Rex, which had the highest dry matter content of roots and tops at 14.4, to 64.6 tons for Korsroe with lowest dry matter at 11.7; on medium soil at Mr W. G. King’s at Ladbrooks results varied from 47.5 tons for Pajbjerg Rex to 69.7 tons from Korsroe, which had the lowest dry matter at 12.3 per cent., compared with Hinderapgaard at 17.8; and on the farm of Mr H. R. Williams on heavy land at Halswell yields moved between 57.1 tons for Pajbjerg Rex to 75.8 tons for Korsroe, with the lowest dry matter at 13.2, while again Hinderapgaard headed the dry matter at 16.4.

“The growing of fodder beet as a supplementary winter fodder for both dairy and pig farmers alike is strongly recommended, particularly for the small dairy farmers whose cropping acrages are limited and a high output of animal food per acre is necessary to enable the maximum number, of stock to be kept,” says Mr Davies. “The crop has proved itself reliable under Canterbury conditions being practically free from disease, apart from its susceptibility to rust, and on some soils, boron deficiency and Violet root rot. Fodder beet is considered a relatively easy crop to grow with little or no wastage at feeding, is fairly resistant to frosts, and ,if required, can be stored up to ’November or December following lifting.”