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Know How / Grassland management

In the current challenging climate, all livestock producers are under pressure to maximise the cheapest food source – forage. See the latest thinking on grazing methods, forage systems, reseeding and varieties as well as how others are making more from grass and maize.

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GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

Grassland focus on upland farm lays foundation for expansion

The return of the fourth generation to Cwmbrynich Farm has given the Havard family renewed confidence in the future of livestock farming in the uplands. See also: Top tips on tailoring…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

How clover leys helped lift profit after loss of rented land

The sudden loss a large block of rented land was a big setback for the Roberts family. But by increasing output from their remaining acreage and reducing inputs, they have…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

How solar water pumps can extend areas suitable for grazing

Lack of water supply can restrict how livestock farms make use of off-lying fields and rented land – but solar energy can offer a solution. Solar watering systems give cattle…

BEEF

How a suckler farmer works with nature to improve resilience

Cornish farmer Jonathan Chapman has shaped his suckler herd to work in harmony with the natural environment, building a system that balances productivity with sustainability. Farming 350ha (865 acres) alongside…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

How to start rotational grazing with beef and sheep

Better grazing management has allowed the Berry family to expand their sheep and beef enterprise without the need to take on additional land. A series of measures, including rotational grazing…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

Benefits of digestible cocksfoot and tall fescue in drought

Demand for grass mixes that perform dependably in dry conditions can be met by growing cocksfoot and tall fescue, with only slight changes in management to ryegrass-dominant swards. While perennial…

Practical advice

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GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

Advice on when – and if – to ted grass cut for silage

Tedding a swath of grass needs to reduce metabolisable energy losses by 0.3MJ/kg of dry matter, otherwise it may not justify a contractor’s charge for the job. A single pass…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

7 ways to protect grass growth from dry weather extremes

The UK had the warmest and sunniest spring on record in 2025. Twelve months on, after a winter of extreme rainfall in some regions, this year’s growing season is following…

FEED AND NUTRITION

Advice on preventing two types of spoilage in silage clamps

Good operators are pushing production from forage by making top-quality, high-protein and wetter grass silages, which make it more challenging to prevent secondary fermentation. Unfortunately, a misunderstanding within the industry…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

Tips on pre-mowing grazing paddocks with poor residuals

Paddocks with poor residuals after the first two grazing rounds can be reset now by pre-mowing before the grass plant gets into its reproductive phase. Wet ground conditions, over allocation…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

Advice on cost-effectively overseeding a tired sward

Overseeding can be an easier, cheaper, quicker way to rejuvenate a tired sward, but it will only be cost-effective if it leads to successful establishment. This year’s waterlogged fields and…

DAIRY

3 ways for dairy units to make on/off grazing work

A combination of low (or no) silage stocks and a falling milk price means there are dairy farmers turning cows out, despite wet conditions. On/off grazing is the most effective…

Insights

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GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

Are longer rest periods feasible in grazing dairy herds?

Changing grazing management to allow taller entry covers and residuals can be successfully used to improve degraded pastures on dairy farms, a three-year trial has shown. Soil health improved and,…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

How grazing app cuts time taken to measure grass by 75%

A smartphone app is cutting the time it takes to walk the grazing platform by using a camera to scan paddocks. Instead of typically spending three to four hours plonking…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

Herbal v ryegrass-clover leys: Cattle performance on test

Performance of cattle grazing herbal leys and finished on herbal ley silage is “just as good” as those on a comparable ryegrass-clover diet, a farm trial has shown. The results…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

Why sward density is critical for overseeding success

Overseeding swards with a multispecies mix after grazing is significantly more effective than doing so on higher covers. This is according to a Welsh study that shows this method almost…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

Biological stimulants: Are they good for grassland?

Trials in Wales comparing a range of biological stimulants applied to grassland have shown their potential to reduce inputs and improve grass quality. Results so far show an increase in…

FEED AND NUTRITION

Benefits of following maize with Westerwolds ryegrass

Including freshly cut Westerwolds ryegrass in the ration during housing is increasing daily milk yield by 2 litres a cow in a Ceredigion dairy herd and capturing significant cost savings…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

How camera tech is speeding up dung beetle ID on-farm

Artificial intelligence is being used on a Devon farm to help identify species of dung beetle and monitor their activity as part of a silvopasture trial. By training cameras to…

Maize

MAIZE

Why UK faces growing mycotoxin risk in silage

Extreme weather patterns are increasing the risk that mycotoxins will cause problems for the UK’s high-yielding dairy herds. A global shift in crop production fuelled by climate change is expected…

FEED AND NUTRITION

How US dairies are using drones to measure clamp tonnage

Using drones to measure silage stocks in maize clamps is replacing estimates on US dairy farms. Farmers can now plan their storage requirements before harvest and better organise feeding –…

MAIZE

Newly drilled maize crops crying out for rain

Maize drilling is largely complete on two contrasting farms in Devon and Lincolnshire, but an exceptionally dry spring is leaving growers urgently waiting for rain to secure crop establishment. In…

FEED AND NUTRITION

How one farm is trialling a regen approach to forage maize

Faced with a reliance on maize but driven by a commitment to regenerative farming principles, Lucy and Rob Noad set out to prove that maize can be grown more sustainably.…

LIVESTOCK

Advice on growing successful maize crops after a wet winter

Challenging wet weather, waterlogged soils and flooded sites mean growers must be flexible and develop a farm-specific strategy to get maize seed in the ground this year. Conditions are not…

FEED AND NUTRITION

Forage maize yield more than double under film, trial shows

The impact on a farm’s cost of production from more than doubling forage maize yield, from 7t dry matter/ha to 18t, is significant. This yield benefit was seen when the…

FEED AND NUTRITION

Benefits of following maize with Westerwolds ryegrass

Including freshly cut Westerwolds ryegrass in the ration during housing is increasing daily milk yield by 2 litres a cow in a Ceredigion dairy herd and capturing significant cost savings…

FEED AND NUTRITION

12 new forage maize varieties make latest ranking

A dry matter yield of 19.6t/ha has put new forage maize variety KWS Zimo top of nine newcomers among the first-choice varieties in the 2026 Forage Maize Descriptive List for…

AHDB resources

See AHDB resources on rotational grazing

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FEED AND NUTRITION

How growing maize with beans can improve silage quality

Intercropping of maize and climbing beans is gaining ground among German farmers keen to improve the quality of their silage. Yields and protein content are particularly promising when the two…

FEED AND NUTRITION

Video: Advice on feeding fodder beet to dairy stock

Fodder beet is the largest-yielding fodder crop available and is high in sugar and metabolisable energy (ME), making it a direct replacer for cereal grain. It fits dairy well because…

BEEF

Video: How Shorthorn forage system hits 500kg bulling weights

Trawling the globe for elite commercial sires and flushing easy-fleshing females from forage-based systems has helped a pedigree herd expand while consistently bulling heifers at 14-15 months old. Dutch veterinary…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

Video: Silage gas escape sparks health and safety alert

A video on Twitter showing a deadly brown gas escaping from a freshly clamped silage pit has sparked a health and safety warning, after the gas was identified as the…