Sowing, irrigating and rolling fodder beets

Over the past week, several participants of the Boerenbusiness Roughage Tour has been busy sowing their fields with fodder beets, the temperature in the soil was high enough and with the dry weather, waiting longer can be disadvantageous. 

On the plot of the participating cattle farmer from Nieuwerkerk (Zeeland), the temperature in the soil at the time of sowing was 12,6 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature for sowing fodder beets is 5 degrees Celsius, so the temperature during sowing was well above the minimum temperature. This parcel of fodder beet of the LG Tarine variety was sown on 14 April and rolled with a Cambridge roller. 

Moist soil
Photos of the fodder beet plot in Overloon (North Brabant) show that the soil is still quite moist and that irrigation is not necessary immediately after sowing. This field of fodder beet was sown on 16 April.

Rain desired
The LG Rialto fodder beet plot of the participant from Sint-Oedenrode (North Brabant) was sown on April 16. The livestock farmer reports that a shower of rain on the plot is highly desirable because his soil is dry, partly because it does not retain water well. If it doesn't rain in the near future, he has the option to irrigate the plot. 

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