In a volatile global market, sourcing affordable livestock feed is a constant concern for Irish farmers. Climate change and war represent notable and increasing headwinds for anyone whose profit margin depends on a stable market. In such an environment, many farmers will look to diversify the feedstuffs produced on-farm. Faba beans (Vicia faba L.) are a particularly interesting crop in this respect. Production of faba beans to feed domestic livestock is becoming an increasingly attractive option for Irish farmers struggling to afford the price of feed. There is good reason for this emerging popularity. Teagasc research has demonstrated that winter-sown faba are an ideal crop for Ireland’s murky conditions. Aside from the fact that this hardy plant thrives in wetter conditions, faba is also regarded as an excellent break crop in cereal rotations, helping to reduce nitrogen (N) requirements.
Performance in Ireland and benefits to the farm
While faba beans are tolerant of rain and do not need excessive heat to thrive, they should nonetheless be planted in free-draining soil. Seeds will rot if planted in extremely wet ground with little or no drainage. They do particularly well in soils that have a medium to heavy texture, as this helps them to retain moisture and delivers a higher yield.
Like other legumes, the faba bean is excellent for fixing atmospheric nitrogen. This will reduce the need for application of N-based fertilisers if you plan to plant cereal crops subsequent to harvesting.
In addition, planting faba beans can help to improve soil biodiversity and the plants, particularly on reaching maturity, offer an excellent source of food for bees and other pollinators. On this basis, the faba bean should be regarded as a no-brainer for the environmentally conscious farmer.
Sowing and growing faba beans
In Ireland, it is advisable to grow faba beans as a winter crop. Avoid sowing too early in the year, as this will result in thin, soft plants susceptible to frost damage and disease. Personally, I rarely ever sow faba beans before the last week of October.
Ideally, you don’t want seedlings to be very tall when the winter weather arrives as they will be very vulnerable to frost and snow. Ideally, you want plants of no more than 1 or 2 inches when the first frost arrives. Seedlings of this size are more likely to root well and develop resistance to the winter cold.
If seedlings are taller than the recommended height at the outset of winter, you may need to lay fleeces or mulch to retain heat until the plant is well established.
Potential challenges
Birds represent a potential threat to growing plants. Pigeons are a particular problem, as they love to graze on the faba bean leaf. Excessive damage caused by pigeons can harm and even kill a vulnerable bean plant. If there is a large pigeon population on your farm, you may need to put netting on the crop as a protective measure. This is a straightforward and very effective fix, so usually no further action will be needed.
Although faba beans are quite a hardy crop, some varieties are prone to developing light leaf spot in late winter. If you see signs of this disease, you should treat immediately with an azole fungicide like prothioconazole or tebuco
Winter faba beans are usually harvested between late August and late September of the subsequent year, meaning that it takes between 10 and 11 months for the crop to mature. While they require very little work during the entire growing period, you may need to manage soil moisture availability during the summer months. If the soil is lacking in moisture, the final yield may be severely impacted.
Best growing varieties for winter planting
There are numerous seed varieties likely to perform well in Irish soil. However, the Irena and the Tundra are particularly reliable and should always be considered. The Irena yields a high protein bean excellent for livestock feed, while the Tundra boasts excellent cold-weather tolerance.
