Fodder beet

Fodder Beet is one of the highest yielding forage options available to farmers.

Fodder Beet is a long growing-season crop which requires a high level of care in establishment but as it is not a brassica it is not as susceptible to the diseases that brassica is and once established is highly palatable to animals.

Fodder Beet requires a weed free, firm fine seedbed that is well drained with no sub soil compaction. Sowing is best in late September – mid November (soil temp 5 degrees Celsius, after the last frosts).

Sowing rate is recommended at between 80,000 and 100,000 plants per hectare precision drilled. If seed is sown using conventional drill, then a higher seeding rate is needed to reduce gaps within the crop. Care is required when establishing a seed bed but after establishment the crop will tolerate moderate drought conditions better than some forage plants currently used. To promote rapid establishment seed should be sown to a depth of 2-3cm, in drier seed beds you are best to sow slightly deeper so the seed can access as much moisture early on as possible. Fodder Beet is a demanding crop but if done properly can be extremely profitable.

Recommended Fodder beet cultivars

*Please note, the below mentioned dry matter % are indications only. Specialty Seeds recommends testing all fodder beet paddocks prior to use for their dry matter percentage.

Dry matter ranges.

Available Cultivars

Bangor             

Medium dry matter (16-18%). Bangor is a modern monogerm hybrid variety that is ideal for grazing. Bangor is a uniform fodder beet with a medium bulb dry matter percentage with a high yield potential. Approximately 50% of the bulb is above the ground.

Brunium          

Average dry matter (16-20%DM). Brunium is an ideal cultivar where the history of Rhizoctonia has been experienced on farms. It is highly suitable for both grazing and lifting. Oval and red bulbs, 40-50% of bulbs above ground.

Delicante

Delicante is a high yielding, monogerm hybrid fodder beet with a green to white bulb colour. It has a medium to high bulb drymatter percentage (17-20%) * which contributes to its high yielding potential. Delicante is most similar in aspects to Enermax from bulb colour however Delicate’s bulb is more pronounced out of the ground and has better leaf characteristics and disease tolerance. Delicante can produce large tankard bulbs and high yields for its type. It is suitable for all classes of stock, particularly adult stock classes.

Dynamo

Sharing a breeding background with Dynamo, Kokomo has bulbs with a low to medium dry matter content of 14-16%. Boasting a large, red tankard-shaped bulb, positioned 50%+ above ground, Kokomo ensures good disease and bolting tolerance. With large bulbs, strong foliar growth and consistently high-yielding in on-farm trials, Kokomo is suitable for grazing sheep, cattle and deer. Coated with insecticide and or fungicide-only options.

Feldherr          

Low dry matter type (12-15%). Feldherr is a high yielding, monogerm hybrid fodder beet with a light orange bulb colour. Feldherr can produce large orange bulbs and high yields for its type and is suitable for all classes of stock, particularly young stock, older animals and deer. Feldherr has a high proportion (60-80%) of the bulb out of the ground.

Geronimo

Geronimo fodder beet, a mono-germ cultivar with a yellow-orange tankard-shaped bulb, positioned 45% above ground. With consistently high yields and medium dry matter content of 17-19%, combined with large top growth, and strong tolerance to diseases Rhizomania, Ramularia and Mildew. Ideal for sheep, cattle, and deer, Geronimo offers flexibility for in situ grazing or as a lifted, whole, or chopped feed.

Jamon

Jamon is a very uniform, mono-germ cultivar that has been evaluated in New Zealand for several years. It is an orange skinned cultivar with a bulb drymatter percentage of between 16 -18%, like many current industry products. Jamon is French fodder beet breeders Florimond Desprez’s most popular product and with our New Zealand experience we believe it complements Agricom’ s current fodder beet range. For more information, please download the Jamon fodder beet brochure.

RGT Brigadier              

Low dry matter (12-14%DM) Brigadier is a traditional polyploid mangle type fodder beet with orange roots. Brigadier fodder beet sits higher out of the soil (>60%) compared to other forms of fodder beet. This suits in-situ grazing by animals. The roots of Brigadier are typically high in energy but low in crude protein. The tops have a lower energy value but good crude protein levels. Together they form a balanced nutritional feed.

RGT Minotaure

Offering exceptional versatility across a diverse range of systems, RGT Minotaure seamlessly adapts whether it be for in-situ grazing or full mechanical harvesting, ensuring impressive results in the field. With its robust structure and uniform bulb size, this medium to high dry – matter percentage variety delivers exceptional yields. Beets with medium to high dry matter typically range between 17% and 20%.

RGT Olympe (Sugar beet)

RGT Olympe offers reliable, high performing genetics for farmers seeking strong returns and flexibility from their beet system. Well-suited to New Zealand conditions and bred for mechanical harvesting, this cultivar supports consistent, high harvestable yields.

With extremely high dry matter bulbs, RGT Olympe delivers excellent long-term storability, a key advantage for feed planning. Its high energy content makes it a versatile, cost-effective feed option, suitable for all classes of livestock throughout the year. Sugar beet typically has a dry matter content of over 20%.

RGT 1505Bv

RGT 1505Bv is a proven and excellent choice for a range of farm systems, delivering impressive results with its medium to high dry matter percentage and subsequently very high yields. It’s above ground bulb proportion and consistent bulb size make it particularly well suited to intensive grazing systems, especially dairy. An added benefit of easy self-harvesting using beet buckets enhances its versatility, providing a high-quality feed option from autumn through to spring. RGT 1505Bv boasts exceptional leaf retention and quality too, providing a valuable protein source, contributing a quarter of its total yield medium to high dry matter typically range between 17% and 20%.

Robbos

Robbos is an excellent, consistent performer with more leaf protein for a better-balanced diet, coupled with consistent high DM yield (12-17% DM). As fodder beets are so high in carbohydrate, Robbos’ higher leaf protein, due to its excellent leaf quality, provides a better-balanced diet for animals.

Surf

Surf is a sugar beet from Florimond Desprez. It has an exceptionally low soil tare and is only suitable to be mechanically harvested and not grazed in-situ. Surf has an upright leaf habit, with white bulbs of a remarkably high drymatter percentage (20-26%) with 20-30% of bulbs above ground.

Timbale

Timbale is a new generation medium-high drymatter fodder beet cultivar to the New Zealand market. It’s medium-high bulb drymatter percentage makes it suitable for in-situ grazing by larger stock classes and may also be lifted, particularly when planted at high sowing rates. Timbale has shown consistently high leaf, and bulb yields relative to cultivars of a similar drymatter percentage (17-20% DM).

Downloads:

Please click here to view the Fodder beet information downloads.
If you would like to talk to someone more about whether Fodder Beet will suit your farm please click here to contact Specialty Seeds.