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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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LIVESTOCK

Grass mixes for outdoor pigs: what are the options?

Improved soil health, lower risk of run-off and a less dusty environment are among the benefits of running outdoor pigs on grass, rather than bare soil. Grazing keeps pigs occupied,…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

Benefits of low-power sensors for grazing infrastructure

Bawling from a group of cattle is a sound that can strike fear into a farmer, signalling a herd on the loose or thirsty animals. Add this summer’s record temperatures…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

How efficient grazing unlocked hill farm’s potential

Fertiliser costs have been cut by 80% and feed costs halved on a Dumfriesshire beef and sheep farm that credits improved grassland management for its changing fortunes. Taking part in…

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…

Practical advice

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GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

Steps to mitigate a winter forage shortfall after drought

Beef and sheep farmers are advised to measure grass and count silage stocks now to establish their feed position and determine whether they can meet their farm’s feed demand this…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

Advice on building drought resilience into grazing plans

Grazing managers are advised to review the lessons learned from this year’s prolonged drought and successive heatwaves, then use them to plan for the same conditions forecast for next year.…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

Five ways to get more from grass on suboptimal soils

Weather patterns have a big influence on farm profitability, not least on holdings with less-than-perfect soils. New challenges have been added to the management of fields with heavy or poorly…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

Tips on avoiding cow health risks when grazing after drought

Once rain returns, though it may be welcome, grassland managers are warned to be careful as substantial rain following a drought encourages grass growth that could be rich in nitrates.…

DAIRY

Advice as drought pressures dairy forage stocks

Weeks of dry weather have taken their toll on forage crops, raising fears that many farmers will face winter feed shortages. Nearly three-quarters of England and the whole of Wales…

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…

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

Advice on cropping decisions for 2027 forage maize crops

Maize growers whose crops suffered this year in the heatwaves and prolonged drought are advised to prepare for these extreme conditions again in 2027, as predicted by the Met Office.…

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…

AHDB resources

See AHDB resources on rotational grazing

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BEEF

Video: How an estate grazes beef cattle on 1,000ha marsh

Innovative grazing practices have enabled a Cumbrian estate to capitalise on more than 1,000ha (2,471 acres) of saltmarsh, giving a beef finishing system an extensive, low-input store period. Each summer,…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

Video: How near-infra red technology measures grass quality

Near infra-red spectroscopy (NIRS) technology is helping grassland farmers produce better quality silage by pinpointing when grass is at the optimum nutritional value for harvesting. At Grassland & Muck 2017, Limagrain demonstrated…

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

Cell grazing improves liveweight production from grass

Cornish young farmer and engineer James Daniel believes UK farmers can grow more grass than their New Zealand counterparts by harnessing rotational grazing strategies. Following a six-month stint working in…