The value and benefits of fodder beets for animals and poultry

Fodder beets are an excellent source of vitamins and essential trace elements for animals and poultry, both in winter and in summer. Beets increase appetite and increase the digestibility of concentrated feed by up to 70%. This root vegetable does not cause side effects when feeding. For these reasons, the vegetable is included in the diet of cows, goats, sheep, pigs and poultry, when it is necessary to maintain and increase milk yield, the content of protein and fat in it, and also to compensate for the lack of nutrients in the animal body. In addition to dairy cattle, rabbits eat fodder beets with great pleasure; juicy, nutritious leaves, which contain a lot of fiber and dietary fiber, are also added to their diet.

The most common types and varieties of fodder beets

Eckendorf yellow

A variety of hybrid origin, obtained in Germany. Mid-season. The growing season lasts 110 - 135 days. The root crop is large in size, reaching 15 - 20 cm in length, the shape is saccular. The weight of root crops is from 880 to 1780 g. The neck is grayish, the color of the root is lemon yellow. The pulp is white. Immersion in the soil by 1/4 - 1/5 of the length; when cleaning it is pulled out very easily. Dry matter content - 8 - 14%, sugars - 7 - 11%. In variety testing, the yield of root crops reached 1000 c / ha and more. Marketability 92 - 95%. The variety is cold-resistant, unpretentious to soil fertility and moisture supply. Resistant to flowers. Keeping quality of root crops during winter storage is good - 83 -90%. Resistance to root root is average, to cercosporosis - below average. Included in the State Register of the Russian Federation since 1943 in all regions of the Russian Federation.

Lada variety

The fodder beet variety "LADA" is a high-yielding fodder variety.
Record holder in yield, potential yield - 1720 c / ha; sugar content - 11 - 13%; the submergence of the root crop in the ground is 1/3 - 1/2.
When harvesting, the root crop is pulled out with little effort.
The pulp is dense, juicy, white.
In terms of its quality indicators, the "Lada" variety surpasses the best domestic and foreign varieties.
Differs in good keeping quality during long-term storage.
Suitable for manual cleaning.
Included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements and approved for use throughout the territory.

Paulie's record

A multi-seeded mid-season hybrid, the growing season is 115-124 days.
Massive root crops (up to 5 kg), the cylindrical root crop of this variety is very little immersed in the soil.
Perfect for manual cleaning.
The color of the smooth skin of the root changes from red (underneath) to pink (from ground level to foliage). Owner of erect, slightly spreading tops and pale pink flesh.
The yield is quite high and amounts to 920-1180 kg / ha.
The variety is sensitive to fertilization, is resistant to diseases and shooting, it is well stored.
Like many other modern forage varieties, "Record Poly" is resistant to flowering and has good persistence. In fertile lands, this beet is grown with great success.

Variety Centaur

Introduced by Polish breeders, it is a multi-sprout semi-sugar type. Root crops are white, elongated-oval, weighing 1.3-2.9 kg. A distinctive feature of this variety is the absence of lateral branching of root crops and the rapid growth of roots and leaves. The submergence of root crops in the soil of this variety is low, therefore, the root crops are slightly polluted. A significant advantage of the variety is its stability to cercosporium disease and shooting. The plant is not capricious to the composition of the soil and is resistant to drought. Before harvesting, root crops are submerged in the soil by 50-60%, so they can be harvested both mechanically and manually. The harvest is well preserved in cool rooms at temperatures from 4-54 ° C until May. The ripening period is 130-145 days, the yield is 105-115 t / ha.

Ursus variety

The hybrid variety of Polish breeders is a multi-sprout semi-sugar type.
The root crop is yellow-orange in color, cylindrical in shape, weighing up to 5-6 kg. The pulp is juicy, white.
Root crops have a smooth surface, little contamination and are submerged in the soil by 40%, so it is easy to harvest them manually. The plant is not capricious to the composition of the soil, belongs to drought-resistant varieties and is characterized by the rapid growth of root crops and tops. Plant tolerance to diseases is good, low tendency to flowering.
Root crops are well preserved until May and contain a lot of dry matter and sucrose.
The growing season is 125-145 days, the yield of root crops is 110-125 t / ha.

Fodder beet growing technology

One of the essential conditions for a high yield of fodder beets is the correct choice of a site for planting. This plant is suitable for loamy, sandy loam, nutrient-rich soil. The crop grows well in floodplain places with a high content of chernozem, but even on poor soils, subject to the introduction of suitable fertilizers, fodder beets can also give good yields. But on saline, overly acidic soils and on soils prone to waterlogging, it is unlikely that it will be possible to grow normal root crops.

Fodder beet seeds

The seeds intended for planting are sorted out and etched with any disinfectant solution. Additional treatment with a growth stimulant promotes the highest germination rate of the seed. Also, beet seeds can be planted in the ground without any preliminary preparation, however, in any case, you should plant them well dried, while the soil should be moist.

Planting fodder beets

The fodder beet has a rather long growing season - from 110 to 160 days, so it is necessary to plant the plant in the period from the second half of March to the beginning of May. At the time of planting, the soil should warm up at a depth of 10-12 cm to +7 degrees. Before planting, it is necessary to plow the field in advance and fertilize the soil with mineral fertilizers, wood ash and compost. In this case, the amount of fertilizer for each site is determined individually, based on the structure of the soil.
When sowing, the seeds are planted to a depth of 3-4 cm, the distance between them in a row should be at least 20-25 cm - do not forget that the roots of fodder beets usually grow very large (some specimens can reach 10-25 kg). The distance between the rows is about 45-70 cm.

Fodder beet care

Basic care includes timely loosening and weeding, proper watering, and protection from pests and diseases.

The first month and a half after germination, fodder beets develop rather slowly. During this period, the thinning procedure is very important, which is carried out after the growth of a pair of true leaves. No more than 4-5 sprouts are left per running meter, keeping a distance of 20-25 cm between them.

Loosening and weeding... If a crust appears on the soil, this means that it does not have enough oxygen. The sowing scheme for fodder beets involves loosening the soil a few days after planting. It is recommended to loosen the surfaces with a flat cutter every time after rain.

Top dressing and fertilizers for fodder beets... For autumn plowing, it is necessary to apply compost or ready-made organic fertilizer to the site at the rate of 25-35 tons per 1 hectare. Wood ash is also an excellent fertilizer, which is applied at the rate of 3-5 centners per 1 hectare. Before planting, it will be good to plow the land with the introduction of nitroammofoska. Also, the culture needs phosphorus and potash fertilizers. After all the measures taken, the soil should be loose, fine crumbly, leveled and slightly moist.

Weed control.If cereals and dicotyledonous annuals dominate among the weeds, they need to be weeded out. Two weeks later, weeding of new weeds is repeated. The site, littered with perennials, is treated in autumn with continuous herbicides. It is necessary to choose herbicides of systemic action - the active substance of the drug enters the surface of the weed and moves to the points of growth, causing complete dying off. A distinctive feature of systemic herbicides is their high efficiency against powerful perennial weeds. The best in the line of effective drugs were recognized as "Hurricane", "Buran", "Roundup".

Watering... A non-capricious culture like fodder beet loves water, especially in the early stages of its development. Timely watering is essential for proper seed germination in the soil. If you did everything correctly and did not forget to water the beets, then, as soon as it gets warmer, the first soft green sprouts will appear on your field. Also remember to water the beets as they grow.

Harvesting fodder beets... Beets are harvested when the lower leaves turn yellow. This must be done before the first autumn frosts: in fodder beets, the roots protrude by a third or a half above the ground, and if they freeze, they will not be stored. The beets are carefully poured in with a pitchfork, allowed to dry, the growing point with the tops is cut off and the roots are put into plastic bags, and then transferred to the cellar. If there are a lot of beets, the roots are placed in a pile, protecting them from rodents.

Beetroot storage... For long-term storage purposes, fodder beets are cleaned of adhered soil and tops and stored in earthen pits or cellars at a temperature of 3 to 5 degrees.

Diseases of fodder beet

Now let's dwell on the most common diseases of beets. These are rootworms, cercosporosis, clump rot, phomosis, powdery mildew, peronosporosis.

Corneed

Root eater is a disease of beet seedlings. The disease is manifested by rotting of the hypocotal knee and root. Diseased plants soon die, seedlings become rare. Most often, the disease develops on waterlogged soils of a heavy composition with a small amount of humus. Also, the development of the disease is facilitated by various unfavorable weather factors (frost during germination, sudden changes in day and night temperatures), the action of which leads to the development of pathogens on beets, most often fungi, for example, the genus Fusarium.
When re-cultivating beets in one place, the root-eating pathogen can accumulate in the soil, so it is imperative to alternate crops.
Control measures: compliance with crop rotation, sowing beets according to the best predecessors, fertilizing, sowing should be carried out with calibrated seeds; during the germination period, the soil should be maintained in a loose state; in dry years, after sowing, the soil can be rolled; seed dressing with drugs.

Cercospora

Beet cercosporosis most strongly affects well-developed beet leaves. The disease manifests itself in the form of light rounded spots with a brown-red border, ranging in size from 2 to 6 millimeters. In wet weather, a gray coating forms on the surface of the stains. The same spots can appear in some diseases of bacterial origin, but the latter do not have this gray plaque, so this is an important distinguishing feature of cercosporosis. The first signs of the disease are the appearance of concentric yellowish spots on old leaves, in the center of which are black dots.

Control measures: it is important to remove plant residues from the field after harvesting, carry out deep plowing in time and destroy weeds; feeding beets with mineral fertilizers; it is recommended to carry out measures for the accumulation and preservation of moisture in the soil (snow retention, loosening, weed control).

Rope rot

During storage, succulent and fleshy beetroots can get sick with so-called clump rot. The causative agents of these rot can be of both bacterial and fungal origin.
If you cut the affected roots in the longitudinal direction, you can see dead and brown vascular fibrous bundles, as well as dark stripes. These signs indicate that an infectious process is taking place inside the root crop.
This process, with a strong flow, comes out of the root crop in the form of a gray or white bloom. The causes of infection with kagatny rot are wilting and freezing of root crops, their mechanical damage, as well as improperly created storage conditions.
All this must be monitored very carefully. It is imperative to remove the root crops before the onset of frost; immediately you need to cut off the leaves from the dug plants.

Fomoz

Since phomosis usually manifests itself at the end of the growing season, it does not bring much harm to the beet plants themselves, but root crops suffer greatly from phomosis, especially during storage. The causative agent, penetrating into the root vegetable, causes rotting of the core, which is clearly visible when cutting the beets. The disease affects mainly those root crops that grew with a lack of boron in the soil. The causative agent of phomosis is preserved on plant debris, as well as on infected beet seeds. Phomosis with diseased roots is transferred. It is possible to combat beet phomaosis by dressing the seeds before sowing with 75 - 80% wetting polycarbacin powder at a dosage of 0.5 grams per 100 grams of seeds. It is also advisable to add 3 grams of borax per 1 square meter to boron-depleted soils.

Powdery mildew

The first signs of the disease usually appear in mid-summer in dry and hot weather. Leaves are covered with white bloom.
First, plaque appears in the form of separate foci on the upper side of the leaf, gradually the plaque grows and covers almost the entire plate. The affected organs dry up. During the summer, the fungus is spread by conidia.
The infection persists in the form of cleistothecia on plant debris and on seed glomeruli.

Control measures: destruction of plant residues; observance of crop rotation; application of mineral fertilizers; timely watering; spraying with fungicides.

Peronosporosis beet

Peronosporosis affects the beets of the first year of life and the testes. The disease manifests itself mainly on young plant organs.
Young central leaves of the rosette acquire a chlorotic color, their edges curl, thicken and become brittle. On the underside of the leaves, in wet weather, a grayish-purple bloom is formed, consisting of conidiophores and conidia. The fungus is preserved on plant debris in the field in the form of zoospores, as well as in the form of mycelium in the head of root crops, or in the glomeruli of seeds, where the fungus forms zoospores.
When diseased root crops are planted on the growing leaves, signs of downy mildew appear almost immediately. Such roots most often become the primary foci of infection. During the growing season, the fungus is spread by conidia.
Plant debris and seed glomeruli, in which zoospores are formed, can also be sources of infection.

Control measures: compliance with crop rotation; spatial isolation (at least 1 km) between fields of the first and second years of beet life; destruction of plant residues; deep plowing of the soil; seed dressing; phyto-purification; selection of slightly damaged varieties; with a strong development of the disease, spraying the testes with fungicides.

Pests of fodder beet

Among the most dangerous pests of beet seedlings are beet fleas, beet weevils. Throughout the summer, beet leaves are severely damaged by the caterpillars of the moth (cabbage, gamma scoop), meadow moth, beet shchitonoska, beet bug, aphids, beet fly larvae and beet mining moth. Beet roots damage the larvae of beet weevils, caterpillars of gnawing scoops, root aphids.

Beet fleas

Beet seedlings are damaged mainly by two types of flea beet: the common beet flea and the southern beet flea. In both species, beetles are similar. Flea beetles appear in early spring, first on weeds from the Marevyye and Buckwheat families, then they switch to beets.

Beetles damage the leaves by gnawing the flesh and leaving the lower skin intact, resulting in "little holes" and then small holes. Damaged seedlings may die. Female beetles lay their eggs on the ground near plants. Eggs are light yellow, oval.

The egg stage lasts two to three weeks. The larvae that hatch from the eggs are white. Beetles of the new generation first feed on plants and then hibernate under plant debris, in the topsoil.

Control measures... The main measures to combat beet flea beetles are all agrotechnical measures that give quick and friendly shoots (early sowing, fertilizing, proper soil cultivation).

Destruction of weeds from the families Haze and buckwheat (quinoa, various types of buckwheat, etc.), which are additional nutrition for beetles in the spring before sowing, beet seeds are treated with 60% fentiuram at the rate of 4-6 kg per 1 ton. crops are sprayed with 25% to 50% efficiency. metathione or 40% efficiency. phosphamide. Spraying is repeated after 7-10 days. In individual gardens, spraying is carried out with the same infusions that are recommended against the cruciferous flea.

Beet aphid

Also known as the bean, or euonymus, aphid. From vegetable crops, it damages beets, beans, spinach, less often carrots and potatoes.

Distributed everywhere, it is especially numerous in Ukraine, in the Krasnodar Territory, in Altai. Beet aphids reproduce by parthenogenetic means (viviparous aphids) and sexually. Parthenogenetic females (winged and wingless) are black, shiny and dull.

Sexual females are black or green, much smaller than parthenogenetic females. Sexual females in autumn lay black shiny eggs on euonymus, viburnum or jasmine. In spring, larvae are born from overwintered eggs, from which wingless viviparous females hatch.

The larvae develop rapidly and begin to give birth to babies. Aphids reproduce very quickly, development of one generation in summer takes 9-14 days. During the summer, aphids give 12-15 generations.

Two or four generations of aphids develop in the spring on the underside of euonymus, viburnum or jasmine leaves. When the leaves of the shrubs become coarse, it flies over to the beets. Aphids live on the underside of beet leaves, on the testes - on the stems and inflorescences.

From damage to aphids, the leaves curl, the plants lag behind in growth and, as a result, the weight of the roots decreases. On the seed plants, the seed yield decreases.

Control measures... To destroy aphids, beet crops and seed plants are sprayed with 25% EC. aitio, 50% efficiency karbofos, 50% pooled e. metathione or 40% efficiency. phosphamide. Solution consumption for spraying 800-1000 l / ha.

Beet fly

It affects both crops and beet seed plants. It inflicts great damage to the crops of this culture in the central non-chernozem zone, in the Urals in Belarus, the Baltic States, Western Siberia and the Far East. The newly emerged larva is almost transparent, legless. The false cocoon is brown, shiny, oval in shape. In mid or late July, flies of the second generation appear, the larvae of the second generation damage beet plants in July - August. In September, third generation larvae hatch.

In total, two or three generations develop in the middle lane over the summer.

Control measures... One of the main measures to control the beet fly is to eliminate the weeds on which the fly grows. When weeding crops, the affected leaves should also be removed.

In the fall, it is imperative to carry out deep autumn plowing. During the period of larval birth, when the first mines appear, the crops and beet testes should be sprayed with 25% EC. antio, 50% efficiency karbofos, 50% efficiency metathione or 40% efficiency. phosphamide. Liquid consumption 600 l per 1 hectare.

At least two treatments are carried out in June and one or two treatments are carried out in July and August.

Beet shields

Found almost everywhere in Russia. Beetles with thyroid spread elytra and pronotum are brownish-brown in color, 6-7 mm long.

Larvae and beetles eat the pulp of leaves, severely damaged plants die. During the growing season, two generations of pests develop. The first generation of beetles appears in June, the second in August.

Control measures consist in the destruction of weeds in the crops of beets and spraying with the same drugs that are used against the beet flea.

Beet bug

It is widespread everywhere, but it is especially harmful in the Krasnodar, Stavropol and Altai regions. The bug hibernates in the stage of an egg or an adult insect on various weeds (quinoa, sow thistle, plantain). At the end of April, bugs leave their wintering places.

Soon, the females begin to lay eggs. They lay eggs in the tissue of the stems, arranging them in heaps of 5-8 pcs. The eggs are shiny, orange-yellow in color.

In late May - early June, bugs emerge from overwintered eggs. Bedbugs and larvae suck the sap from the leaves, the leaves shrivel and wither, the plants slow down and often die. On the testes, the tops of the shoots are bent and dry out, which is why the seed yield decreases.

Control measures... To reduce the damage to plants by bedbugs, it is necessary to destroy weeds in and around the plantings, since bedbugs lay eggs on them in the fall.

Bedbugs and larvae are destroyed by spraying beet plants with the following preparations: 25% EC. antio, 50% efficiency karbofos, 50% efficiency metathione or 40% efficiency. phosphamide.

Beet weevils

One of those insects that pretty much annoy agricultural producers, eating tender leaves of cultivated plantings and their roots. Perfectly tolerating wintering, weevils hatch a new generation in a few months, so that their chosen area of ​​the territory can remain infected for several years.

Control measures... Mechanical loosening of the soil during the period of oviposition (larvae practically do not develop at depth); autumn plowing to the depth of the fertile layer, which helps to cope with hibernating beetles; isolation of contaminated crops (eg deep ditches); constant monitoring of the appearance of pests; pest development monitoring; getting rid of plantings from weeds; constant irrigation and loosening, as beetles do not like unnecessary disturbance.

Chemical spraying of plantings with insecticides, in particular organophosphorus compounds and neonicotinoids; laying out poisonous baits, for example, tops moistened with a solution of fluorosilicate or sodium fluoride (2 g of poison per 100 g of bait).

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between sugar beets and fodder beets?
Sugar beet differs from fodder primarily in sugar content, as well as in some biological features - different form of root, color, depth of growth

Can people eat fodder beets?
Human consumption of fodder beets is not shown because they are too heavy to digest and assimilate. For consumption, it is advisable to choose sugar varieties of root crops.

Can rabbits be fed with fodder beets?
Beets can be boiled or fed raw to rabbits. If animals are not accustomed to this food from childhood, then boiled roots should be given first, gradually switching to fresh ones.

Can rabbits be fed with fodder beet tops (leaves)?
Together with root crops, rabbits will gladly eat the tops of the plant, which has an antiseptic effect. Greens can be fed to the eared ones in the form of silage and fresh. Fresh beet tops should be included in the diet of rabbits together with other feed (branches, grasses). Before giving to rabbits, it must be thoroughly washed, sorted out and dried a little.

Can fodder beets be given to chickens?
Definitely, not something that is possible, but necessary! In the diet of poultry / chickens, beet roots rich in vitamins are applicable. All root crops are preliminarily crushed and fed RAW. Including useful and tops.

Is it possible to pick off the leaves (cut off the tops) from fodder beets?
Leaves on beets can be torn off, just not all, but a little, since it can go to grow not into beets, but into leaves. But if you cut off a little, then nothing will happen to her.

Can broilers be given boiled fodder beets?
It is better to feed beets boiled in mash or raw chopped in a mixture with other feed. Poultry should be taught to consume a lot of beets gradually.

How to give feed beets to pigs?
Pigs willingly eat fodder beets. A small amount of beets is given to pigs in a raw, chopped form; large roots are best cooked or steamed. Beets steamed and fed immediately after cooling do no harm.

How much vitamin C is in fodder beet?
Root crops and leaves are rich in vitamins C, B, B1, B2, PP and carotene. 1kg of raw mass of rutabagas contains 310-470 mg of carotene (carrots - 104-260 mg); 1 kg of green mass of turnip and turnip leaves contains 1200-1300 mg of vitamin C (carrots - 700, beets - 500 mg).

How long does fodder beet grow?
The growing season is 120 to 150 days.

When are fodder beets harvested (dug out) in the middle lane?
Beets are harvested when the lower leaves turn yellow. This must be done before the first autumn frosts: in fodder beets, the roots protrude by a third or a half above the ground, and if they freeze, they will not be stored.

Why does grated fodder beet darken?
The most dangerous for beets are spores of fungi and bacteria, which can provoke not only darkening, but even diseases.

Where to buy fodder beet seeds and what are the prices for them

Prices for fodder beet seeds differ mainly due to their species. On the market can be presented seeds packaged and by weight, the latter will be cheaper.
Also, the seeds are sold coated and inlaid. These seeds are pickled, growth stimulants are added and covered with a protective shell. Such seeds are more expensive, but their quality is much higher, which will affect germination and future harvest.

You can buy high-yielding seeds of various types of fodder beet in the online store

Varieties and hybrids of fodder beets are distinguished by an amazing variety in the shape and color of root crops. The shape of root crops can be saccular, cylindrical, elongated-oval, conical and round. In most varieties, they are not completely submerged in the soil.

Moreover, beet growers have long noticed that the more developed their aboveground part, the more hygrophilous the variety and contains less dry matter.

The color of root vegetables can be white, pink, raspberry, red, yellow or orange. Often their aboveground and underground parts have different colors. But the flesh of fodder beets is most often white, although there are varieties and hybrids with grayish or yellowish flesh.

The growing season of fodder beetsLy is125 -150 days. In daylight conditions she is developingAt an accelerated pace, this allows you to get high yields in the northern regions. This is very important for regions where dairy farming is developed. After all, fodder beet is an excellent milk-producing fodder.

Fodder beets are one of the most productive crops (1500 centners per hectare).

In production conditions, it is placed after crops harvested early - winter rye for green fodder or annual grasses for hay. And in vegetable farms, fodder beets are placed after crops for which organic fertilizers were applied. In household plots, this crop is sown together with beetroot.

It is impossible to obtain high yields of fodder beet without mineral fertilizers.

In order for the emerged plants to begin to grow quickly, when sowing, complete mineral fertilizer is applied in the rows, for example, nitrophosphate (10 g per sq. M).

In the spring, when preparing the soil for sowing, you need to solve several problems at once.- keep as much moisture in the soil as possible, destroy weeds and level the surface of the site.

Sowing fodder beets(in production conditions) with wide row spacings - 60 or 70 cm. The seeding depth is 3-4 cm. And in small areas, you should not deviate from this rule either.

After continuous sowing of seeds in rows it is imperative to thin the seedlings. Usually, 6 - 8 plants are left on each square meter. With a row spacing of 60 cm, the distance between them should be 20 - 25 cm, with a width of 70 cm - 15 - 23 cm. the distances indicated above.

Caring for fodder beet plants is uncomplicated. In this regard, the entire growing season can be divided into three unequal parts.

The first 1.5-2 months Plants develop slowly, they mainly form a root system and a rosette of leaves. During this period, it is very important to keep the soil loose, destroy weeds, and thin out in time. Watering is carried out only in very dry and hot weather.

July-August in fodder beets, there is an intensive growth of the rosette of leaves and root crops. During this period, it is very important to provide plants with moisture. At this time, the plants only need watering.

September-October fodder beets intensively accumulate dry matter, new leaves are no longer formed, and old ones gradually die off. Root crops almost do not increase in size. During this period, the plants require little moisture. And watering can only worsen the quality of root crops and reduce their keeping quality.

Harvest fodder beets with the onset of frost. Plants will be able to survive one or two drops in temperature to minus 2 ° C. But further frost tests will make the roots completely unstable.

And they store fodder beets in the same way as table beets ...

How to grow and harvest fodder beets

• Features of culture
• Seed preparation and planting
• Nutrition and fertilization
• Harvesting

Fodder beets are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals for animals in winter, while the root crop does not cause side effects. For these reasons, the vegetable is included in the diet of cows and goats, when it is necessary to preserve milk yield and fill the lack of nutrients in the body. In addition to dairy cattle, rabbits eat fodder beets with great pleasure; juicy, nutritious leaves, which contain a lot of fiber and dietary fiber, are also added to their diet.

Features of culture

The cultivation of forage plant species in Asia began much earlier than the cultivation of sugar beet. Thanks to the efforts of breeders, it was from the forage that varieties with improved taste were developed.

Fodder beets are primarily valued for their chemical composition:

• Mineral and pectin substances;
• Vitamin complex;
• Light carbohydrates.

The plant develops over two years: in the first year, a root crop and dense, green leaves, rich in proteins, are formed, and the next year a peduncle appears, on which seeds develop at the end of flowering. In terms of cultivation technology, fodder varieties of beets are similar to sugar varieties.

Fodder beets are distinguished by a variety of colors and shapes. Roots of rich scarlet, yellow, white and orange shades are considered traditional. Depending on the variety, beets are bag-shaped, cylindrical or cone-shaped.

Growing secrets: the largest amount of sugars is present in cone-shaped fodder beets, the most drought-resistant fodder beet varieties with a slight deepening into the ground. The most high-yielding variety is recognized as "Lada" - with proper care, it is possible to collect up to 1,700 centners of the crop per hectare.

Depending on the shade, mass, shape of the root crop and the degree of deepening into the soil, the main types of crops are distinguished

Root shape Description Popular varieties

Conical	It has a highly developed root system, the root crop is almost completely submerged in the ground.	Poltava semi-sugar; Uman semi-sugar; Trypillian semi-sugar.
Elongated oval	From a third to half of the root crop is located above the ground.	Winner; Lada.
Sack-shaped (cylindrical)	It has a well-developed root collar, most of the root crop develops above the ground.	Ekkendor; Timiryazevskaya; Poltava White.
Round (spherical)	Only the root of the plant is in the ground.	Oberndorf; Champion; Sutton; Leitevitskaya.

Soil requirements

Despite the fact that growing fodder beets is not a troublesome process, yield largely depends on the correct choice of soil. The culture is demanding on the degree of soil fertility. You can get the maximum yield only on black soil. Before planting beet seeds on clay, sandy or boggy soils, it is necessary to apply fertilizers that improve the composition and quality of the soil.

The optimal choice for growing fodder beets is neutral or slightly acidic soil with an acidity level in the range of 6.2-7.5 pH. Also, the plant adapts well to weakly solonetsous soils.

Tip: it is best to plant the plant in areas where legumes, rye, corn, wheat, vegetables were previously grown.

Site preparation

Preparatory work is determined based on the composition of the soil at the site. If the soil is rich in nutrients (black soil, sandy loam and loamy soils), additional fertilizing is not necessary. Fertilizers are essential for poor soils. You should not even try to grow fodder beets in areas prone to waterlogging, too salty and acidic soils.

With proper preparation of the site and good soil composition, up to one thousand centners of the crop can be harvested from one hectare. Proper preparation involves the following steps.

Removing weeds, the land must be clean and ready for subsequent presowing treatment. If cereals and dicotyledonous annuals predominate among the weeds, they are weeded. Two weeks later, new shoots are repeated weeding. The site, littered with perennials, is treated in autumn with continuous herbicides. It is necessary to choose herbicides of systemic action - the active substance of the drug enters the surface of the weed and moves to the points of growth, causing complete dying off. A distinctive feature of systemic herbicides is their high efficiency against powerful perennial weeds. Hurricane, Buran, Roundup were recognized as the best in the product line.

In autumn, simultaneously with digging up the soil, compost is introduced at the rate of 35 tons per hectare and 5 centners of wood ash.

Immediately before planting the seeds, the site is re-dug up and nitroammophoska is added at the rate of 15 grams per 1 running meter.

It is impossible to grow fodder beets for two years in a row in the same area, a large number of pests and pathogenic microflora accumulate in the soil, which negatively affect the quality of the crop and the keeping quality of root crops.

This is important: the soil ready for planting has a fine crumbly structure, loose and slightly moist.

Seed preparation and planting

Seed preparation.

Before planting, the seeds are treated with any disinfectant solution for 30 minutes. Additional treatment with a growth stimulant promotes maximum germination of the seed. After wet procedures, regardless of their purpose, the seeds must be slightly dried. If you are confident in the quality of the planting material, you can not use a growth stimulator and plant dry seeds in the ground without pretreating them.

Landing dates.

Fodder beets have a rather long growing season - from 120 to 150 days, so the plant should be planted from the second half of March to early April. At the time of planting, the soil should warm up at a depth of 12 cm to +7 degrees.

Sowing rate of seeds.

Immediately before planting, the soil must be moistened and the seeds must be dried. The plot is divided into furrows with a distance of 60 cm. The seeds are sown to a depth of approximately 3 cm. Considering that as the beets grow in size, a distance of at least 25 cm must be left between the seeds. The approximate amount of seed per linear meter is 14- 15 seeds. The approximate amount of seeds per one hundred square meters is 150 grams. Observing the correct planting technology, you can grow the largest root crops - up to 12 kg.

After that, the row is sprinkled with earth, compacted a little (by hand or using a special roller). If the average daily air temperature does not drop below +8 degrees, the first shoots appear within two weeks. If the weather is warm - the air temperature is +15 degrees - sprouts may appear after 4-5 days. Considering that planting work is carried out in early spring, young, weak seedlings can damage night frosts.

Fodder beet growing technology

Further cultivation of fodder beets is no different from the cultivation of table varieties. The plant is considered not demanding, caring for it does not require special knowledge. If you want to grow a good harvest, remember - beets, regardless of variety and species, need a lot of water, especially in the first weeks of seed germination and seedling growth. Only under the condition of frequent and abundant watering can the active growth of plants and the development of root crops be ensured.

In addition to regular watering, caring for fodder beets involves a set of the following measures:

• Weeding the beds - weeds slow down the germination and growth of the plant;
• When two pairs of leaves appear on the plants, it is necessary to thin out dense areas, while the largest and healthiest specimens are left in the ground, observing the minimum distance between them (25 cm);
• After each moistening of the soil (watering or rain), it is necessary to loosen the area between the rows in order to maintain natural air circulation and provide oxygen to the root system;
• As for watering, its need is determined by weather conditions;
• Watering should be stopped 3-4 weeks before the start of harvesting, this "hardens" the roots before long-term storage and increases their keeping quality;
• For the active growth of fodder beets, it is recommended to use mineral fertilizers, fertilizers are applied twice - immediately after thinning of young plants and two weeks later.

Nutrition and fertilization

Fodder beet is a high-yielding crop, therefore, the plant consumes a large amount of nutrients, and is also quite demanding on the chemical composition and quality of the soil.

Regardless of the climatic zone, beets respond well to the introduction of manure and mineral fertilizing into the soil. Throughout the entire growing period, the plant's need for nutrients changes:

• During the period of active growth of the ground part, more nitrogenous fertilizers are needed;
• The second half of the growing season is characterized by increased consumption of potassium;
• Phosphorus must be applied in uniform doses throughout the entire growing season.

Percentage of nutrients for feed beets at different ripening periods

Harvesting

As the mass of beets increases, the tops turn pale, turn yellow, and individual leaves die off. By the degree of drying of beet leaves, they control the ripening process of root crops and determine when to harvest.

In some cases, the leaves retain their green, juicy hue until harvesting. If you plan on storing the beets, try to remove the vegetables before the first frost. In many fodder varieties, the root crop protrudes above the surface of the garden bed; any exposure to low temperatures reduces the keeping quality of vegetables.

It makes no sense to start harvesting too early - nutrients do not have time to flow from the tops to the root crop. If it is difficult to determine the degree of maturity by the appearance of the plant, you can navigate by the terms set in the agricultural industry. It is customary to harvest fodder beets from the last decade of September and the entire first half of October.

If beets are grown on an industrial scale, special agricultural machinery is used for harvesting them - potato diggers and potato harvesters. If the area planted with plants is small in area, the beets are harvested by hand, carefully digging into them with a shovel or pitchfork.

The harvested crop is stored, like sugar and table varieties, in cellars, basements in compliance with all the necessary climatic conditions. You need to use those fruits that were damaged during the harvesting period.

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Farmers call fodder beets an indispensable crop for the diet of cows, goats and other farm animals. This plant is rich in many trace elements and nutrients that have a positive effect on the productivity of livestock. Fodder beets are quite easy to grow even in small areas, but for a large harvest you need to master the intricacies of the process.

Sugar, table and fodder beets had one ancestor - a wild beet from India. The development of the fodder crop went like this:

In the 20th century, fodder beets are becoming the leader among crops that are used as daily feed for livestock.

Characteristics of culture

Fodder beets have the following characteristics:

Fodder beets are quite edible, but gardeners are in no hurry to plant them in the beds. The fact is that the root crops of the culture are too dense, it is difficult for the human body to digest and assimilate them.

Important! Animal stomachs, unlike human stomachs, easily digest fodder beets. In the cold season, the root crop saves livestock from hunger and supplies vitamins.

Pros and cons of fodder beet

Culture has several pros and cons. They are presented in the table below.

Table 1. Advantages and disadvantages of fodder beets

Popular varieties

There are several varieties of fodder beets that are distinguished by their excellent qualities. They are presented in the table below.

Table 2. Popular varieties of fodder beet

Variety	Description
	The crop ripens approximately 120 days after the first shoots appear. Root crops can reach a weight of 4-5 kg. The pulp is white with a pinkish tinge. The rhizome goes shallow underground, so they are harvested by hand. Up to 125 kg of root crops can be obtained from a hectare of land.
	A successful selection product that was developed in Russia. It is considered high yielding and extremely productive. 1 hectare of planting can bring 100,000-150,000 kg of root crops. The weight of one piece can be up to 2 kg. The peel of the root vegetable is yellowish, the pulp is juicy, snow-white in color. The fruit is cylindrical in shape, goes underground by 1/3 of its length. Is different: - resistance to pulling arrows; - nutritious fruits of even shape; - long-term storage; - resistance to light frost. Root crops ripen 140-150 days after planting.
	Fruits are ready to harvest 130 days after sprouting. Features are as follows: - the pulp is rich, creamy; - fruits of a cylindrical shape; - the color of the roots is bright orange; - the fruits are buried in the ground by about 40%, so the field is not covered with earth during harvesting. A field of 1 hectare gives 125,000 kg of root crops.
	The variety was developed in Poland and is half sugar. Root crops are oval, white flesh. Features of the variety: - calmly tolerates dry weather; - resistant to flowering and not susceptible to cercosporia. 1 hectare brings up to 110,000 kg of beets, it ripens in 160 days. It is necessary to store the crop at a low temperature.
	Lada beets were born in Belarus. The variety is very productive, root crops can reach a weight of up to 25 kg. The skin is pinkish with a greenish tint, the pulp is rich, snow-white in color. It differs from other varieties with a pointed base.
	This variety is grown in black earth regions. Half of the root crop goes into the soil. Productivity - up to 140,000 kg per hectare.
	A German variety that yields up to 150,000 kg per hectare. The weight of one root crop is up to 3 kg. Early ripening: after 108-118 days. The fruits are elongated, cylindrical in shape, the flesh is white-yellow. The variety is drought-resistant, the fruits are stored for a long time.

Instructions for growing fodder beets

The experience of gardeners helped to identify a number of rules that need to be followed when planting fodder beets. If you stick to them, the fertility of the culture will be maximum. So, growing a plant begins with a certain preparation, which consists of several steps.

Step 1. Choosing a place for landing

A site for beets is chosen in the fall. It is permissible to plant a root crop in areas where they were previously grown:

• potatoes, legumes, cereals before winter (if a field crop rotation is planned);
• peas, oats, melons, corn (if the crop rotation is fodder).

As for the composition of the soil, loamy or sandy loam soil is suitable for beets. He must supply the root crop with nutrients. The culture grows no less successfully in black earth areas. You should not expect a good harvest on soils with high acidity.

Step 2. Preparing the soil

The initial preparation for sowing begins in the fall. It takes place according to the following rules:

Step 3. Seed preparation

Beet seeds must be sorted out in advance and soaked in a disinfecting solution. It can be hydrogen peroxide or potassium permanganate. Then they are treated with growth stimulants - epin, zircon and others. This is not a necessary procedure, but it will help you achieve better results. After soaking, the seeds are spread on a dry cloth and dried.

Important! You can only sow well-dried seeds. The ground must be moist.

Step 4. Sowing

Since the growing season is quite long (up to 150 days), beets should be planted in the second half of March. At the time of landing at a depth of 15 cm, the ground should warm up to at least +7 degrees.

Sowing takes place according to the following principles:

• on the field, furrows are preliminarily prepared every 50 cm;
• sowing depth is 3-4 cm;
• seeds are placed in a row at a distance of 25 cm from each other;
• as a rule, about 15 g of seeds are spent per 1 running meter;
• after sowing, the furrows are covered with a layer of earth.

Important! Fodder beets can grow very large (some can grow up to 25 kg). This fact must be taken into account when placing seeds in the beds.

How to care for the crop?

Caring for a forage crop consists of several procedures that require regularity. They are presented in the table below.

Table 3. Principles of caring for fodder beets

Action	Description
	The first 40-45 days of its development, beets grow very slowly. During this period, it must be periodically thinned out in order to leave only strong specimens. The first thinning occurs after the appearance of two true leaves. No more than 5 shoots should remain on one meter at a distance of at least 25 cm from each other.
	Before planting, a dense crust may appear on the soil due to unstable air temperatures. It must be broken with a hoe, working in the direction across the future furrows or in another way.
	Forage beets love water, especially in the early stages of their ripening. You need to water it as the soil dries up. If there is enough moisture for the root crop, the tops will grow juicy and will be stored for as long as possible.
	To achieve a lush harvest, you need to regularly feed the beets. The fertilizer set depends on the type of soil. The following drugs are commonly used: - with the presence of nitrogen (up to 130 kg of composition per hectare); - mixtures based on potassium and phosphorus (up to 150 kg per hectare before sowing); - boron fertilizer after pecking the first leaves (applied by the root method for each beet at 180 kg per hectare).
	The methods of the procedure depend on the type of weed. For example: - Annuals (as a rule, these are cereals and dicotyledonous crops). The first weeding is carried out after the appearance of the first weeds, the second - after about 2 weeks, the next - as overgrowing. - Perennials. If the field is regularly attacked by perennial weeds, treatment must be carried out in advance. So, in the fall, the soil is supplied with herbicides (preparations "Roundup", "Hurricane", "Buran"). The active substance of the drug enters the weed and moves to the point of growth, where, under its influence, the plant dies.

Diseases and pests

Most farmers prefer not to treat beet pests. Due to the lack of prophylaxis, the leaves can attack diseases. They will not harm animals, but they are capable of completely destroying the crop.

Forage crops can be affected by:

Click beetles and other pests, which do not care what they eat, are very fond of eating beet fruits. They attack leaves, stems and the formed root system.

Important! If at least one larva is found on the leaves or the top of the fruit, complex plant treatment should be carried out immediately.

Harvesting and storage

Typically, harvest time is in late September / early October. You need to collect the tubers before the first frosts begin. Do not let the top of the root crop freeze, otherwise the crop will not be stored.

The crop is dug out with a pitchfork manually or using a combine harvester, depending on the area of ​​the site. Then the fruits are dried, the tops and adhered soil are removed, and then sent to plastic bags.

For long-term storage, the following conditions are required:

Influence of fodder beet on the animal organism

Cattle are fed beet tops, which can be fed fresh or dried for winter use. The leaves supply the animal's body with minerals, amino acids, carbohydrates, alkaline substances and vitamins.

At the same time, culture affects the body of each animal in different ways:

Before being introduced into the diet, fodder beets are poured with boiling water and crushed. It is then mixed with straw or hay to reduce the acidity of the animal's stomach.

Video - Storing feed beets

Fodder beets are juicy fodder for farm animals. It is characterized by a high juice content and good taste, and its regular inclusion in the diet of animals helps to improve the digestion and assimilation of hay, hay, concentrates and silage.

Root crops are fed to cattle, pigs, sheep and other animals from the moment the beets ripen, from autumn to spring. In particular, the ration for pigs should consist of at least a quarter of fodder beets. For feeding, both silage and fresh beets are used.

Biological description

This vegetable is a two-year-old crop belonging to the family of Hibiscus. In a year, the vegetable forms a root crop and a rosette, consisting of root leaves, and in the second, vegetative shoots are formed, which will give seeds and fruits.

Fodder beets, depending on the varietal type, can have different colors:

• purple;
• white and green;
• orange;
• pink;
• yellow;
• carmine.

The main role in the formation of a vegetable is played by hypocotyl (the so-called "neck") and epicotyl (called the "head"), they account for from a quarter to 65% of the beet mass. The root of the vegetable is poorly developed and does not differ in its large size. Drought resistance and moisture-loving variety is determined by the size of the part of the root crop located above the ground - the more developed the neck and head, the more the variety needs moisture.

The leaves of fodder beets are 23-29% less than those of sugar beets, and they are smooth, shiny and ovoid-heart-shaped. Testes in forage varieties do not tend to shatter quickly and completely.

The chemical composition of the plant tops includes proteins, fiber, protein, fats, BEV, water (up to 88%) and ash (about 3%). For 100 kilograms there are 0.7-0.9 kilograms of protein, 40 grams of phosphorus, 260 grams of calcium and about 10.5 feed units.

Root crops contain up to 89% of water, about 1% of ash and protein, fats, fiber, protein and BEV. There are up to 15 feed units per centner of the product, up to half a kilogram of protein and 40 grams of phosphorus and calcium.

In addition, the composition of fodder beets contains a lot of vitamins, acids, salts, necessary for the normalization of digestive and metabolic processes, as well as contributing to an increase in the productivity of farm animals.

Fodder beets: cultivation features (now we know)

The best varieties

Most often, farmers choose the following beet varieties for cultivation:

1. "Centaur Poly";
2. Eckendorf Yellow;
3. "Oberndorf red".

The vegetable has a taproot that can penetrate the soil up to 2.8 meters. The overwhelming part of the root system of beets is located in the upper layers of the soil (up to 50 cm in depth). According to the description of the shape of the vegetable and the depth of immersion of its root in the soil, the following varieties are distinguished.

Cylindrical vegetables, in which from a quarter to 40% of the length falls on the underground part:

• Arnim Krivenskaya;
• Eckendorf yellow;
• hybrid - Urozhainy and Timiryazevsky 156.

Conical vegetables with no more than 20% above the ground:

• Poltava white;
• Firstborn;
• Semi-sugar white;
• Timiryazevsky 12 (hybrid).

Vegetables that look round, spherical, slightly flattened, protruding up to half above the soil surface:

• Sugar round 7 and 0143;
• Start.

An oval-elongated vegetable, more than half of the size of which is immersed in the soil:

• North Orange 1033;
• Winner;
• Siberian orange;
• Barres.

Landing time and rules

The culture is very demanding on soil fertility, therefore, strict crop rotation must be observed in the fields where it is planted. The best yield is observed when sowing beets after:

• legumes;
• winter cereals;
• corn.

Seeds are obtained in the second year of root crop growth, but exceptionally healthy, elastic vegetables without signs of spoilage are suitable for this. The process of obtaining seeds is:

• digging up root crops after the stalk has dried;
• hanging the vegetable in a windless and dry place until the stem is completely dry;
• after that, the seeds are carefully collected and stored until the desired moment in paper bags.

Soil requirements

Root crops are demanding on the quality of the soil: stony, swampy, sandy, swampy soils are unsuitable for their cultivation. Chernozem and floodplain soil is considered ideal. Presowing preparation of the land consists in:

• removing weeds and digging up the earth;
• fertilization - in the fall, compost is applied (5 tons per hectare) or ash (per hectare - 5 centners);
• immediately before sowing, the fields are plowed with the addition of nitroammophoska.

In addition, potash and phosphate fertilizers are added, which are necessary for the growth and ripening of vegetables. After carrying out all the manipulations, the soil should be moist, loose, fine crumbly.

Landing rules

The growing season for root crops is long - 120-150 days, therefore, planting begins after warming up the soil at a depth of 10-12 cm to 6-7 degrees. This time, as a rule, falls on the end of March - beginning of April.

Before planting, the seeds are disinfected (soaked for half an hour in a manganese solution) and treated with growth-stimulating substances. After that, the material is dried.

Sowing takes place according to the following algorithm:

• furrows are formed on the field with a distance of half a meter;
• the culture is sown into the soil to a depth of 2.5 to 4.5 cm;
• an approximate calculation of the number of seeds - 150 grams per hundred square meters;
• the beds are sprinkled on top with soil and, if the soil is dry, leveled with a roller.

The first shoots can be expected in 4 days if the temperature exceeds 15 degrees and in 12 days if the average daily temperature is about 8 degrees.

Care features

After germination, vegetables develop slowly. At this time, it is important, after the appearance of several leaves, to carry out thinning: on each running meter of the sown area, no more than 5 sprouts should be at an equal distance from each other, this is considered the norm.

After thinning, the culture is fertilized with ammonium nitrate, the same procedure is repeated after two weeks. Getting a good harvest is influenced by timely weeding, if it is not carried out, there is a great risk of missing up to half of the possible harvest.

Beets are moisture-loving, so they should be watered regularly, especially during the period of leaf formation. For light granulometric soils, the average moisture content should reach 72-75%, and for heavy soils - up to 80%. Watering is limited or stopped one month before harvesting.

Collection and storage

Closer to the onset of autumn, the vegetable stops forming new leaves, and the old ones turn yellow and die off. The root crop stops growing. The collection is carried out by digging in the grown vegetables.

To keep the fodder beets longer, they are cleaned of soil, the leaves are removed and placed in a cellar or a deep hole in the ground. The optimum temperature at which the shelf life is maximum is 3-5 degrees Celsius.

Can people eat fodder beets?

The fodder beet tops and the root crop itself are included in the diet:

• pigs, boars and piglets (over 3 months of age);
• cows and young animals;
• chickens;
• rabbits;
• cattle and other farm animals.

How to plant beets (now we know)

Human consumption of fodder beets is not shown because they are too heavy to digest and assimilate. For consumption, it is advisable to choose sugar varieties of root crops.

Fodder beets are grown almost everywhere and play an important role in providing nutrition for farm animals. Today in Russia 46 hybrids and varieties of this root crop are grown.

Fodder beet is an unpretentious, high-yield plant, rich in fiber, pectin, dietary fiber, mineral salts, digestible carbohydrates and protein.

She helps out precisely in winter, when the animals are mainly fed with canned and dry food. And not only for rabbit breeders, but also for those who keep dairy cattle, this milk-producing vegetable is a real salvation. It is also desirable for lactating sows, as it has a beneficial effect on their milk production.

Root crops are given whole and cut. 1 kg of feed beet contains 0.12 feed units and 10 g of digestible protein.

Cows can be fed up to 35 kg or more of beets per day per head. At a dose of more than 40 kg, milk has an unpleasant taste and fat content decreases. Sheep eat up to 5 kg of beets per day; pigs - up to 7 kg per 100 kg of live weight; working horses -15 kg. Pigs are fed fodder beets (20% by volume) in a mixture with potatoes (40%), green pulses (30%), hay (10%) or in a mixture (30%) with corn cobs (50%) and green mass alfalfa (20%). The nutritional value of the first mixture is 0.29 feed units, 26 g of digestible protein, the second - 0.3 feed units and 21 g of protein.

Beet tops are also good food for goats. An adult goat is given 3-4 kg of tops per day (usually at night), adding chalk to the green mass to neutralize acidity (1 g per 1 kg of tops). For lactating goats with a daily milk yield of 3 liters per day, feed mixtures are prepared.

Fodder beets: planting and care

Planting beets is best after rye, barley, alfalfa, phacelia and legumes.

Seeds are sown when the soil warms up to 8 °. It is better to plow or dig up the beds (beets need a deep arable layer) and fill them with mineral fertilizers in the fall. The compost is applied in the spring, while simultaneously killing weeds and cultivating the soil.

Since the root crops reach a weight of 12 kg and grow large, with a powerful rosette of leaves, the seeds are sown to a depth of 3-5 cm at the rate of 6-8 pcs / m2 in rows with a row spacing of 50 cm. Seedlings with two true leaves are thinned out, leaving the strongest , and increasing the distance in the row between plants up to 25 cm.

If there is not enough spring moisture in the soil, the spring is hot and dry, it is necessary to organize watering of the crops so that the beets will grow together. On an area of ​​up to 20 acres, you can use non-woven material. The canvas is laid directly on the beds and pressed down with any load - stone, brick, boards, lumps of earth.

Further watering is carried out according to the weather. Moisture is especially needed during the formation and growth of the root crop. But a month before digging the harvest, watering is completely stopped, otherwise the root crops will be poorly stored and contain less sugars. In a rainy autumn, slots are cut in the aisles with a shovel to drain water.

It is also important to combat soil crust (lack of oxygen is detrimental to seedlings) and weeds. Therefore, a few days after sowing, the soil is loosened. Weeding is carried out several times during the growing season until the tops are closed. Surface loosening with a flat cutter is desirable after every rain.

After thinning the seedlings, the fodder beets are fed with a complex fertilizer, and also watered under the root of HB 101 and Extrasol, Fitosporin or Florovit ZR. The second time feeding is carried out two weeks later.

The accumulation of nutrients occurs mainly in the fall. Beets are harvested when the lower leaves turn yellow. This must be done before the first autumn frosts: in fodder beets, the roots protrude by a third or a half above the ground, and if they freeze, they will not be stored.

The beets are carefully poured in with a pitchfork, allowed to dry, the growing point with the tops is cut off and the roots are put into plastic bags, and then transferred to the cellar. If there are a lot of beets, the roots are placed in a pile, protecting its base and sides from rodents with a net or slate.

Fodder beet varieties

From the old varieties, the seeds of the varieties are still popular and are sold Galician, Ekendorf yellow and Lvov. The new varieties are distinguished by high yield, quality and disease resistance.

Lada- a high-yielding variety of the fodder type. The root crop is oval-cylindrical, white and pinkish-white, submerged in the ground by a third. The pulp is dense, juicy, white. The variety is low-flowered, resistant to cercosporosis, clump rot during storage. A healthy leaf apparatus is preserved until the very harvest. Average yield 1200 kg / ha.

Hope- a single-sprout variety of fodder beet for the North-West, Middle Volga and Far East regions. The root crop is red, oval-elongated. The leaf is green with a weak anthocyanin coloration. The head is small, convex, gray. The color of the pulp is white. Submersion into the soil 3.4 points. The yield is much higher than the standard. Powdery mildew and cercosporosis are moderately affected.

Milan- a simple single-seeded triploid hybrid of fodder beet for the Central Black Earth region. The root crop is oval, of medium length and width, deep in the soil. Below the soil level it is white, above the ground it is green. The average yield of root crops is 784 c / ha, resistant to cercospora.

Vermont- a simple single-seeded triploid hybrid for the Central region. The root crop is cylindrical-conical, of average length and width, the position in the soil is average. The color of the root crop is white below the soil level, above it is green. The average yield of root crops is 878 c / ha.

Jamon- single-seeded triploid hybrid for the Central and Central Black Earth regions. The leaf is of medium length, medium width and wide, green. The petiole is short. The root crop is cylindrical-conical. The color of the root crop is yellow-orange below the soil level, above it is orange. Average yield 83.4 c / ha. Weakly affected by corneed, medium - by cercospora.

Starmon- a simple single-seeded triploid hybrid for the Central Black Earth Region. The rosette is semi-erect, the leaves are long with white veins. The root crop is conical, the aboveground part is green, the underground part is yellow. The average yield of root crops is 692 c / ha.

On a note:

In addition to fodder beets, animals are fed sugar beets. Sugar beet is poor in protein, but in terms of dry matter content is 1.5-2 times higher than fodder, it is rich in sugars and minerals, especially potassium, iron, manganese. 1 kg of sugar and semi-sugar beets contains, respectively, 0.24-0.17 feed unit and 13 g of digestible protein. However, adding 25-30% of this beet to the diet of fattening pigs increases the taste and quality of the meat.

Meat cows give it up to 15 kg per day, dairy animals - at the rate of 2-3 kg per 1 liter of milk. The disadvantage of sugar beet in comparison with fodder is more laborious harvesting and poor cleaning of the roots from dirt. Feeding 25 kg of poorly washed sugar beets to cattle can lead to severe digestive problems. Therefore, dairy cattle are given no more than 8 kg of sweet root crops per day, evenly distributing them for each feeding.