Late-Drilled OSR Delivers in Dorset

With most yields in the 3.9-4.5t/ha bracket across the 200ha of winter OSR A & R Fraser grow on their own farm near Shaftesbury and on contract for six main clients across north Dorset and south Wiltshire, George Fraser is far from disappointed this season.

He is particularly chuffed about the 44ha of DK Exsteel they grew on a new Dorset holding. Despite not being drilled until near the end of September and going into far from the best ground the business manages, it averaged fully 4.2t/ha.

“We had some pigeon grazing and inevitable slugs, but the 50 seeds/m2 we put straight into wheat stubble with our Weaving GD established well and went into the winter strongly. Its great vigour meant it put on biomass quickly and branched out nicely in the spring. A little bit  later to flower than our more normal OSR drillings, we combined it alongside them and it did us proud.

“It was clearly the most vigorous variety we grew, and its performance underlined the variety’s reputation for consistency. We don’t like to drill OSR as late as this as a rule, but to have the flexibility to get the crop in beyond the middle of September when the need arises is really useful.”

DK Exsteel will certainly be the Fraser family’s first choice if they need to drill late again this autumn. Having said that, they are currently planning to put the vast majority of their 2024 crop into V367OL for the premium HOLL market.