Forage Rape Seeds

Forage Rape Seeds – Four Varieties for UK Farmers

We offer four proven forage rape varieties — Stego, Emerald, Spitfire, and Mainstar — providing high-protein, fast-establishing brassica crops for sheep and cattle from summer through to winter.

Stego

Stego Forage Rape is an extremely high-yielding, fast-growing brassica that provides a highly nutritious and cost-effective feed source. It is particularly well-suited for finishing lambs due to its high protein levels and excellent digestibility.

This variety features a high leaf-to-stem ratio and exceptional disease resistance (including mildew), which means minimal plant residue and maximum utilisation by grazing stock. Stego is flexible and can offer extended grazing for cattle and sheep through summer, autumn, and the start of winter.

• Lamb Finishing: High protein and excellent digestibility drive rapid growth rates.
• High Utilisation: High leaf-to-stem ratio and digestible stems ensure low plant residue after grazing.
• Disease Resistance: Excellent resistance, including to mildew, ensures maximum palatability and yield.
• Flexible Grazing: Fast and vigorous establishment allows feeding from June through to December.
• Outwintering: Suitable for supplementing outwintering systems, often lasting longer than many stubble turnips.

Emerald

Emerald is a well-known forage rape variety that is fast to establish with average dry matter yields. Medium to tall leafy plants mature in just 10–12 weeks after sowing, making it a reliable and efficient choice for summer and autumn grazing.

• Fast to establish – a well-known, proven variety with reliable performance
• Medium to tall leafy plants – maturing in 10–12 weeks after sowing
• Good disease resistance – maintains quality and palatability through the season
• High forage quality – high in protein, easily digested, and remaining palatable well into winter
• Wide branched root system – improves soil structure as well as providing excellent forage

Spitfire

Spitfire is a modern multi-purpose rape and a good companion to use alongside other fast-establishing brassicas. A medium-tall variety with high dry matter yield, excellent aphid tolerance, good stock palatability, and rapid establishment to maturity, it is one of the most versatile forage rape options available.

Spitfire is suitable for planting in spring for excellent summer and autumn feed, or in early autumn for quality winter feed. It also has very good regrowth potential, though stems need to be carefully managed to avoid damage during grazing.

• Modern multi-purpose variety – a great companion with other fast-establishing brassicas
• Medium-tall with high dry matter yield – excellent bulk for the acreage
• Excellent aphid/insect tolerance – a key strength, reducing crop losses
• Rapid establishment to maturity – good stock palatability from an early stage
• Very good regrowth potential – manage stems carefully to maximise multiple grazings
• Low DM% stem – produces high-quality forage with excellent utilisation at grazing
• Flexible sowing window – spring sowing for summer/autumn feed, or early autumn for winter feed

Mainstar

Mainstar is a highly palatable, modern early maturity rape with quality frost resistance and excellent regrowth potential after grazing. A very versatile brassica with extremely good aphid tolerance, it performs reliably across a wide range of soil fertility and environmental conditions.

The main strength of Mainstar is its early maturity, which creates the potential for earlier grazing and extends the overall grazing period for stock.

• Highly palatable modern variety – early maturity for earlier grazing and an extended grazing window
• Quality frost resistance – reliable performance into the colder months
• Excellent regrowth potential – supports multiple grazings after initial use
• Extremely good aphid tolerance – very versatile across different growing conditions
• Wide soil and environmental adaptability – suitable for a broad range of fertility levels and conditions

Sowing Guidance