@article {3672,
	title = {A survey of fodder beet use and feeding practices on dairy farms in Canterbury, Otago and Southland},
	journal = {New Zealand Journal of Animal Science and Production},
	volume = {80},
	year = {2020},
	month = {09/2020},
	pages = {101-106},
	address = {Online},
	abstract = {High yields, consistent quality and emerging environmental benefits make fodder beet (FB) an important feed in South Island dairy
systems. However, these benefits may be negated by animal-health issues associated with some FB-feeding regimes. To quantify
the range and prevalence of feeding regimes, a telephone survey focussing on practices in 2018 was conducted in Canterbury,
Otago and Southland. Of the farmers surveyed, 69\% fed FB, 24\% had never fed FB and 8\% of farmers had stopped feeding FB.
The most frequently cited reasons for having stopped feeding FB were animal-health issues, cost and management challenges.
Most (82\%) respondents feeding FB determined allocation by yield and break area. Almost all farmers (98\%) transitioned cattle
on to FB, over an average of three weeks. Of those that fed FB to non-lactating cows in winter, the mean allocation was 10.3 kg
DM/cow/day (66\% of the diet), and 12\% fed FB ad libitum. A greater proportion of herds fed FB (41\% of herds) reported metabolic
issues (>5\% of the herd affected) compared with herds not fed FB (23\%). This survey is valuable to inform future research and
reinforces the need to continue investigating animal-health issues associated with FB-feeding, with an emphasis on metabolic issues.

Keywords: fodder beet; winter crop; animal health},
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Edwards JP and Dalley DE and Pinxterhuis JB and Woods RR}
}
