Don’t forget about grassland!

With grassland taking up a significant proportion of UK land, it is an important asset to take care of. This could be in the form of:

·         Re-seeding when grown species is reduced to 50% of the sward

·         Overseeding to rejuvenate the area as a short-term option

·         Applying the correct nutrients for maximizing growth – or nutritional quality.

·         Plate metering to accurately measure the amount of grass to be grazed so as not to damage the plant to obstruct further growth

Why re-seeding should be considered:

·         A break crop can be added in, such as a turnip or forage rape to help with pest issues

·         Adding in newer species

·         Add in other species, such as clover or herbs

·         Offers opportunity for weed control or to remove unwanted species

·         Can help repair/rest damaged swards

·         Flexible timing to suit the system

·         Can increase utilization

Silage Trial overview:

·         Generally, the IRG blend had the best yield, and therefore the yield of nutritional qualities.

·         Crude protein levels were highest in mixes with high levels of PRG and red clover

·         Nitrogen uptake was linked to overall yield

·         There were differences in yield responses to the different fertilizer applications

·         Also, in nutritional qualities

·         Applying no fertilizer didn’t give the worst responses

What type of grass to choose?

·         Perennial Ryegrass

·         Italian Ryegrass

·         Hybrid Ryegrass

·         Timothy

·         Cocksfoot

·         Festulolium

·         Smooth stalked meadow grass

·         Creeping red fescue

Other species to include:

·         Red clover

·         White clover

·         Birdsfoot trefoil

·         Lucerne

·         Sainfoin

·         Plantain

·         Chicory

·         Yarrow

·         Burnet

Multispecies

·         We have our herbal ley, which incorporates a range of grass species, legumes, and herbs

·         Stewardship options such as GS4

·         Add in a herbs pack to one of our existing mixes 

·         Using a range of different grass species for added diversity

·         Beneficial for a range of rooting depths and rooting types

·         Flowering herbs for beneficial insects & biodiversity

·         Nitrogen fixation

·         Drought tolerance

Our herbage booklet has the full breakdown of what species and varieties are included in our mixes.

We also have a ‘Guide to grassland’ with further information on species, sowing, and nutritional requirements. Or for a quick bit of information, head over to our FAQ page on the website.

This year we ran our first silage trial, looking at nutritional qualities and yield responses to different fertiliser applications.