Feed cabbage: photo, description of varieties, collection technology

Feed cabbage is a valuable plant. It produces a large harvest of highly nutritious food. Per 100 kg of green mass there are 1.76 kg of pure digestible protein with a rich composition of amino acids. The crop has many different biological types, so in Russia it is grown from the Arctic to the subtropics.

Description of fodder cabbage

Kale is a biennial crop of the Brassica family. The tall plant consists of a cylindrical and spindle-shaped (it appears in the second year of life) stem. It reaches a height of 2 m and a width of 10 cm.

It has smooth leaves covered with a waxy coating. The leaves vary in shape and color depending on the varieties. They do not form a head, but are attached to the stem by cuttings.

The photo shows kale.

The stem of fodder cabbage is rough, but the inside is tender and juicy, so it is also used for animal feed.

This type of cabbage is cross-pollinated. Female and male flowers are formed on different plants. The inflorescence is a loose raceme, reaching 80 cm in length. It contains white or yellowish flowers up to 5 cm in size. After pollination, the formation of a cylindrical pod (fruit) begins.

Growing requires certain costs, but they usually pay for themselves many times over. Among the advantages of using the plant as food are the following:

1. The culture is unpretentious compared to other types of cabbage.
2. Both leaves and stem are used for food.
3. Suitable for feeding almost all types of livestock and birds.
4. Relatively large yield per unit area (about 300-350 kg per 100 sq. m). White cabbage is capable of producing higher yields, but its cultivation requires disproportionately high costs.
5. Farm animals eat kale well.
6. When the plant is included in the diet, cows and goats produce more milk. Also, feeding chickens with such cabbage increases egg production.
7. High nutritional value. This crop is only slightly inferior to oatmeal, but at the same time it is ahead of absolutely all root vegetables.
8. Contains vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fiber.
9. Has a long shelf life. The plant is used even when it is frozen.
10. Has excellent frost resistance.

Kale contains a small concentration of mustard oils. They disrupt the endocrine system in both animals and humans. Therefore, it is included in the diet in doses. Also, with a large proportion of fodder cabbage in the livestock diet, mustard oils begin to penetrate into the milk, which is why it acquires a bitter taste.

To increase milk yield and maintain the quality of milk, monitor the maximum daily dose of kale. Its share should not exceed 25% of the total mass of green fodder. This is approximately 15-20 kg.

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Percentage of nutrients in kale:

• about 15% proteins;
• 17.5% protein;
• 3.4% fat;
• more than 40% nitrogen-free extractive substance;
• about 100 mg of vitamin C per 1 kg of green mass;
• almost 50 mg of vitamin A per 1 kg of green mass.

This plant also contains sulfur, calcium and phosphorus, due to which it is considered a valuable product for use in animal husbandry. It is easily digestible, quickly saturates thanks to proteins and carotene, and has a pleasant smell.

Important! After freezing, the plant retains its properties. The animal eats thawed cabbage just as well as fresh cabbage. Some farms dry the leaves and then add them to feed as a high-protein supplement.

How to harvest kale

Cabbage is cut at the root, since all components are suitable for use. They try to harvest as late as possible, because this is precisely the point of growing a crop - to provide animals with fresh food in late autumn and winter.

A sign that the cabbage is ready for harvesting is the yellowing of the lower part of the plant. This occurs approximately 100 days after planting. Often by this time there are no other crops in the fields, since the first frost has already passed. In the middle zone, this period falls around mid-November.

Important! If the plant is completely frozen, it must be thawed before feeding.

After harvesting, fodder cabbage is given to animals fresh or as part of silage. In the first case, she is sent to the basement. There are no strict requirements for temperature indicators; the cellar is only regularly ventilated. The harvest can be stored there until February. Fresh cabbage is also stored outdoors in stacks. It is defrosted before feeding.

When ensiling, the plant is crushed and used as an additive to other feed.

Varieties of fodder cabbage

There are many varieties and hybrids of fodder cabbage known. The most suitable for cultivation in Russia are:

1. Brain green. The stems are powerful and purple in color. The plant produces many large purple-green leaves. The variety is not able to tolerate prolonged drought and has little resistance to pests.
2. Brain green siverska. This variety was bred by specialists from St. Petersburg from Brain Green. Wrinkled, large oval-shaped leaves are attached to long cuttings. The stem is straight, wide, without branches. A distinctive feature is its relatively large size. There are no shoots on the lateral buds. The plant is susceptible to bacteriosis and sclerotinia. The variety is more productive than the previous one.
3. thousand-headed, or thousand-leaved. Cabbage has abundant foliage, although the leaves themselves are small. It branches well and has a beautiful shape. Normally tolerates bacteriosis.
4. Milestone. The low-maintenance variety is suitable for growing on small farms where it is not possible to use serious agricultural machinery. It grows quickly and gives a good harvest. The yield of green mass is 566-960 c/ha, dry matter – 76.0-168.9 c/ha. Protein content in dry matter is 11.4%, digestibility is 77.8%. The growing season is 142-180 days. Weakly affected by downy mildew, vascular bacteriosis and pests.
5. Boma (Boma). The drought-resistant variety gives the largest yield - up to 1 ton per 100 square meters. m. The plant tolerates frosts well down to -14°C.

Conclusion

Feed cabbage is given as food to absolutely all types of farm animals and birds. Thus, their growth and productivity are significantly accelerated, including the number of eggs and milk yield. This plant can tolerate almost any climatic conditions, and its cultivation does not require large labor and material costs.