Trunips as livestock fodder

[MustangGal]

Anyone raised turnips as animal feed? I know they will still need hay, but I remember reading about animals being fed turnips and carrots. From what I have read turnips have a very short growing season, so multiple crops are possible. They store well, and could be used for human consumption.

Thoughts?

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Turnips and sugar beets are 2 common livestock foods used in Germany. I lived with them in a farming community for 3 yrs and they used them to feed the dairy cattle and hogs and we ate some as well. I dont like turnips myself but they grow easliy even in small flower beds with little to no work. The sugar beets got pretty beat up by wild hogs, dunno if thats an issue where you are or not, but they took alot of protection.

[goatlady]

You get bigger bang for the time and effort planting mangels and sugar beets; both of which can grow to 10+ pounds each and provide lots of winter energy to the animals and store well also. Shumway company carries 2 or 3 different mangel seed, I got white and red to try out. The biggest problem I can see is chopping the dern things into edible sized, but someone posted somewhere about splitting them into quarters or smaller, throw in a metal bucket and use a sharp bladed shovel like a churn and chop away.

[MustangGal]

Thanks for suggesting the mangles and sugar beets. I'll have to check up on mangels.... I don't even know what they are! lol I am assuming a root crop.

[goatlady]

Y eppers, GIANT roots. Used for decades in Europe as winter food for their livestock. The red mangel is very high protein content - ad says equal to grain.