West Virginia Success Story

Turnips and Pasja Extend Grazing Season

Program or Category: Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI)

Overview: Brad and Mary Dennison own and operate a 190 acre farm which is located in the Elk Conservation District, in Braxton County. The Dennison family currently produces beef cattle, sheep, goats, and swine on their farm. In the fall of 2005, a field of forage turnips and pasja was planted in an attempt to extend the grazing season and reduce winter feeding costs.

Accomplishments: One acre of pasja, which is a cross between turnips and rape, and two acres of turnips were planted. Three different varieties of turnips were used: Barkant, Raptor and Appin.

The field was planted on August 14, 2005, at a rate of 4 pound per acre. The sheep and goats started grazing the planting on November 2nd. Twenty four head of sheep and 22 head of goats grazed on the planting from November 2nd until January 6th, 2006, a total of 65 days. During this time hay was fed to supplement the ration but no concentrate or grain was needed. The turnips and pasja had a crude protein of 23.9 and a TDN of 66.

Program Benefits to Landowner: The Dennisons normally would have fed approximately 50 pound of grain per day if the turnips were not being grazed. During the grazing period it saved the producer from purchasing 3250 pounds of grain, at a cost of 15 cents per pound, a total savings of $487.50.

The cost of planting the turnips was $111.00, $48.00 for seed and $63.00 for fertilizer. No labor was charged for either the planting or the feeding of grain, we thought the labor needed for the planting and the labor for feeding grain for 65 days would cancel each other. Taking all of these figures into consideration the Dennison family saved a total of $376.50 by planting and grazing the turnips and pasja.

Contact:
Gary Redden, Soil Conservationist/Grassland Specialist
304-255-9225
Gary.Redden@wv.usda.gov

Beckley-South Area Office
465 Ragland Road
Beckley, WV 25801
Phone (304) 255-9225 Fax (304) 255-1250
http://www.wv.nrcs.usda.gov/contact/beckley-sao.html

Bruce Skidmore, Grassland Technician
304-364-5105
bskidmore@wvca.us

Elk Conservation District
801 State Street
Gassaway, WV 26624
Phone 304-364-5105 Fax 304-364-5434

< Back to 2005 Success Stories