A relatively common feed for lactating dairy cows, summer bulb turnips deliver top quality feed crop when the amount and/or nutritive value of summer pastures is lacking.  

Continuing on with our summer turnip theme that we started back in episode 23, in part two of this two-part summer turnip series, we’ll cover off practicalities of feeding summer bulb turnips. The importance of the careful transitioning of cows from pasture-based diets to one that contains summer bulb turnips is explained. Expected performance and milk responses by cows to summer turnips are discussed as well how to avoid animal health, or milk taint issues when cows eat bulb turnips.

To help you navigate through – here’s where to find the content within this podcast.

3:50       When to graze summer bulb turnips (tankard and globe types) after planting

6:45       Planning ahead when turnips are ready to graze, including dry matter yielding turnips

8:35       Calculating the allocation of turnips for lactating dairy cows

11:30    Recommended maximum allocation of turnips as a proportion of total diet

13:55    Transitioning cows from pasture-based diets to turnip-based diets

25:40    Minimising risk of heat stress in cows grazing summer forage crops

27:40    Reducing risk of milk taint when cows consume summer turnips

29:05    Milk responses when spring calved cows eat summer turnips

35:05    Lactating cow body condition and liveweight responses to summer turnips

43:00    Photosensitisation – an occasional challenge when cows graze summer turnips

44:30    Fatty acid composition of milk from turnip-fed cows