Countryside Seeds Ltd

PERMANENT LONG-TERM
Intensive long-term grazing mixture with cutting option.

BARMIX LONG-TERM
The long-term, low input, high output mixture for beef and sheep enterprises.

New Aber High Sugar Grass Mixture Formulated for Multi-Cut Silage Systems

Available from Countryside Seeds.

A specialist grass silage mixture formulated to suit increasingly popular ‘multi–cut’ systems has been launched by Germinal at the Dairy–Tech event.

Comprised exclusively of high–ranking Aber® High Sugar Grass perennial ryegrasses, Aber HSG 2 Multi–Cut is designed to produce large quantities of leafy high–quality silage from frequent cutting during the period of peak grass growth.

A balance of diploid and tetraploid varieties, with a tight spread of heading dates, provides the essential elements of high D–value and outstanding silage yields, plus good ground cover and persistency, to ensure consistent performance over a 6 to 8–year period.

“From a recent survey of UK dairy farmers, we are reporting a significant shift towards the more progressive approach of earlier and more frequent cutting,” says Germinal GB National Agricultural Sales Manager Ben Wixey. “This approach is being referred to as ‘multi–cut’ and we’re leading the way by creating a new version of our Aber HSG 2 specialist cutting mixture.

“The formulation will work particularly well for those aiming for an early first cut, then taking two subsequent cuts at 4 weekly intervals. With this approach, the potential is there to make the main proportion of the season’s grass silage by mid–July, allowing high quality grazing for the remainder of the growing season.

“Ultimately the aim is to make higher quality grass silage, to create the potential to produce more from homegrown forage. This mixture has the ingredients to maximise ME yield per hectare and create a higher energy grass silage to underpin a forage–based approach.”

Aber HSG 2 Multi–Cut is included in Germinal’s 2018 Forage Seed catalogue. There is also an option to include the long–lasting red clover AberClaret in this mixture, to provide additional protein content. All Aber High Sugar Grass varieties included in the mixture are high–ranking on the 2018 Recommended Grass and Clover List.

Grass seed mixture and Fodder Crops catalogues:

100% Higher Voluntary Seed seed standard mixes containing fully listed RGCL/SAC varieties.

New survey reveals shift to more progressive grass silage–making practice
Trends towards more progressive grass silage–making practices identified in a new dairy farmer survey should help UK producers improve milk from forage performance, but care is needed to ensure producers maximise the benefits.

This was the joint message from Germinal and Volac at a briefing on the results of a new multi–cut grass silage–making survey, which points to the increasing popularity of taking first cuts earlier and making more frequent subsequent cuts.

In the survey of over 150 dairy farmers, of whom an overwhelming 89% expressed a desire to increase their milk from forage, 60% stated that first cuts have become earlier over the past three years and 44% reported shortening their cutting intervals.

“We are clearly seeing a significant shift towards a more progressive approach to grass silage–making amongst UK dairy farmers,” said Germinal GB’s Ben Wixey. “This move to earlier and more frequent cutting is often referred to as ‘multi–cut’.

“The clear majority are making these changes for very good reasons. Among those farmers already taking more silage cuts per year, or intending to, the top reasons given were: to make better quality silage (71% of respondents); to make more milk from grass silage (68%); and to reduce bought–in feed costs (65%). Far fewer, just 40%, were doing it to increase their overall grass silage quantity.”

The survey also found that of the 44% of respondents who had already changed to a shorter cutting interval in the past three years, 92% were seeing a level of improvement in grass silage quality, with 54% saying quality was much better.






“This shift to multi–cut appears to be working for these early adopters,” continued Ben Wixey. “This is great news, but we want to ensure that as the practice moves into the mainstream, the changes in management needed to maximise the potential benefits of the system are fully understood.

“Success starts by ensuring leys are in the best possible condition, which for many will mean more frequent reseeding than is commonly practised on most dairy farms. It will then include everything from how fields are managed the previous autumn through to how the higher energy grass silage is fed.”

Echoing this, Volac’s Derek Nelson highlighted silage preservation as a key example of where clarity is required with a multi–cut approach, as survey results revealed some confusion.

“Fundamentally, the steps involved in making grass silage don’t change if adopting a multi–cut approach, but some steps may need extra attention to detail,” explained Mr Nelson. “When wilting, for example, because individual cuts are likely to be lighter, you can reach the optimum 28–32% dry matter for ensiling much quicker. So it’s important not to over–wilt.

“Similarly, because crops are cut younger, they are likely to be higher in protein and metabolisable energy (ME). Higher protein is a good thing, but it can negatively affect the fermentation, and therefore the preservation of nutrients. So there’s a clear case for boosting fermentation efficiency with a proven additive. Yet only 35% of respondents in the survey recognised that taking more cuts can increase the need for a silage additive.”

Interestingly, the cost of additive treatment per cut is likely to be lower with a multi–cut system, said Mr Nelson, because individual cuts will weigh less and an additive is applied per tonne.

“Another area to pay attention to is chop length,” Mr Nelson highlighted. “Younger, leafier crops are likely to be easier to consolidate in the clamp than older, stemmy ones, so there’s less of a need to strive for very short chop lengths.

“Also, at feedout, the resulting silage will have a higher energy density, so allowing savings in bought in feed costs, but it may need supplementing with additional fibre.”

Ben Wixey stressed the importance of ley composition as an important prerequisite to success with a multi–cut system:

“Firstly, silage fields must have the potential for early season growth of high D–value grass,” he concluded, “so leys should comprise of modern perennial ryegrasses selected with the right attributes from the Recommended Grass and Clover List. Then it’s about ensuring every step of the process maximises the potential of turning quality grass into high energy forage.

“Carried out correctly, a more progressive approach to grass silage–making can significantly increase milk from forage figures for most UK dairy farmers.”

2018 Barenbrug Hunters equine grass mixtures;

Barenbrug Hunter's mixed herbs, specially blended for equestrian use;

Available for 2018, Smart Rotations is a concept that seeks to maintain a carbon link between microbial communities and host crops during commercial production of food and forage, through the intervention with inoculum products and prudent land management.


A highly biologically active soil is a farmer’s ally in the quest to reduce fertiliser inputs, increase plant health, enhance yields and mitigate abiotic and biotic stresses such as drought and pathogen attack. Through the inoculation of agricultural crops with suitable biologically active products, farmers can enhance and stimulate the vast microbial resources within their soils to increase mineralisation, transportation and use of soil nutrients

The Smart Rotations suite of products can help to restore and balance the microbial balance in soils damaged by farming techniques. In order to gain most benefits, careful crop management is recommended. Download the full Smart Rotations document for detailed information on when to treat soils and how to manage farmlands for biological below-ground diversity.

Conventional farming techniques can disrupt ecosystem stability and deplete soils of beneficial biological components. Such detrimental techniques include soil disruption (ploughing), fallow periods , over-application of agro-chemicals and cropping with non-mycorrhizal plants such as Brassicas.

SR2: Cover, Catch, Forage Crops & Leys

Info & Benefits
Contains beneficial arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria.

Arguably the most important of all soil microbes for the support of commercial farming are mycorrhizal fungi. These fungi act as a vast secondary root system extending a crops access to water and nutrients by over 700 times.

The ideal time to build up mycorrhizal communities is during the planting of cover crops, forage crops and leys. Particularly grasses and legumes are excellent hosts for mycorrhizal fungi and support the establishment of a robust fungal network. This benefits cover- as well as follow-on cash crops.

Research has shown consistently that increased crop performance be observed when using other biologicals such as Plant Growth Promotion Rhizobacteria (PGPR) are combined a thriving mycorrhizal fungi community.
SR2 is a dry granule and can be mixed with seeds during sowing, applied by broadcasting or via a suitable granular applicator. PlantWorks can offer advice on suitable systems. A range of seed sellers can also supply seed mixes pre-blended with SR2.


Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) have the ability to fix atmospheric Nitrogen and unlock soil-bound Phosphorus. They work in synergy with AMF, which transport nutrients to host plants. PGPR support a robust plant immune system for healthier crops and produce phytohormones such as auxins and cytocinins, aiding growth and development of plants.
Benefits

• Establishes vast fungal network for follow on crops
• Increased availability and uptake of Nitrogen and Phosphorus
• Increased Drought Tolerance and Water Use Efficiency
• Improved Crop Quality and Yield
• Improved resistance against pests and diseases
• Builds biologically active soils

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) associate with 90% of all crop plants. By growing into the root, as well as accessing large areas of soil around the plant, these remarkable fungi effectively increase the uptake surface area of plant roots up to 700 times. Additionally plant defence mechanisms are improved by the partnership. Put simply, plants colonised by AMF are healthier and significantly more efficient at collecting water and nutrients from the soil.

• 10kg tubs
• Application Rate – 10kg/ha
• Granular formulation in fine or coarse grade
• Proprietary blend of UK cultivated Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) and Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR)
• AMF component contains active structures of 5 species at 100k propagules per Litre
• Bacterial species supplied at CFU of 10^7 cells per ml

Available for 2018:

SR3: Beets and Spinach, Carrots and Potatoes, Onions and Leeks

A range of three formulations of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria for Beets, Brassicas and Cereals.

A range of liquid formulations of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria each tuned and tested for optimum performance in the field for use pre drilling and post germination. These bacteria are produced in sterile laboratory conditions to be applied at 10^15 bacteria per hectare, on average delivering 100 million bacteria for each plant treated. Field results have shown weight increases of up to 33% in sugar beet, 10% in beetroot and 6% in onion as well as 13% increased leek circumference. Research also indicates positive yield responses for carrots, potatoes and spinach.

These products are easy to use and contain a water conditioner, liquid bacteria and a biostimulant. Recommended at a dilution rate of 200L of water per hectare using standard sprayer equipment.

Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) have the ability to fix atmospheric Nitrogen and unlock soil-bound Phosphorus. They work in synergy with AMF, which transport nutrients to host plants. PGPR support a robust plant immune system for healthier crops.

Benefits

• Improved crop quality and yield
• Increased availability and uptake of nitrogen and phosphorus
• Improved plant vigour for better disease resistance
• Builds biologically active soils

PlantWorks’ researchers have shown that different species of PGPR give benefits to different plant types, indeed some strains can benefit some crops and suppress others. The bacterial strains in SR3 have been specifically selected and formulated to give maximum benefits for three crop types. When ordering S3, please specify which product formulation you require –
SR3 Beets and Spinach, SR3 Carrots and Potatoes, SR 3 Onions and Leeks.

• Product size: 5 hectare treatment includes: 50ml pouch of bacterial inoculant, 1L bottle of biostimulant
• Also included is a sachet of dechlorinating water conditioner for use with tap-water in tank mix
• Bacterial species supplied at CFU 10^15
  cells per ml
• Three formulations for specific crop types:
  SR3 Beets and Spinach, SR3 Carrots and Potatoes, SR3 Onions and Leeks

SR1: Vegetables and Pulses

Contains beneficial arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.

SR1 offers growers of high value vegetable crops the ability to harness natural microorganisms to achieve yield benefits as well as improved plant and soil health.
Applied using a granular applicator (e.g. Stocks AG or Techneat) PlantWorks’ SR1 dry granule mycorrhizal fungi can be placed precisely in the seed zone and once germinated will associate with compatible crops within as little as two weeks.

Benefits

• Improved crop quality and yield
• Increased availability and uptake of nitrogen and phosphorus
• Increased drought tolerance and water use efficiency
• Enhances systemic plant defences
• Improved resistance against pests and diseases
• Builds biologically active soils

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) associate with 90% of all crop plants. By growing into the root, as well as accessing large areas of soil around the plant, these remarkable fungi effectively increase the uptake surface area of plant roots up to 700 times. Additionally plant defence mechanisms are improved by the partnership. Put simply, plants colonised by AMF are healthier and significantly more efficient at collecting water and nutrients from the soil.

1-2 year Italian Ryegrass Red Clover grass mixture TFF offer.

A FULL 14kg/acre mixture including 3kg of Red Clover.
Seed is to the Higher Voluntary Seed seed standard.

Building on the success of this mixture in 2017 I'm glad to be able to offer it again for 2017.

A high protein low input silage mixture negating the need for artificial fertiliser. Giving excellent spring growth leading to a high yielding silage.

Excellent late summer & autumn grazing, especially for lambs.

Farm Equip Protein++

4.00kg Italian Ryegrass
4.00kg Italian Ryegrass
3.00kg Italian Ryegrass
3.00kg Red Clover
14kg/Acre bag.

Order now with a 2018 delivery date of your choosing.

Please PM for a quote.

Barenbrug Red Clover Ley Three-Four Year Mixture.

All varieties are listed in the current Recommended Grassland & Clovers List & all seed to HVS seed standard

3.00 kilos Discovery Red Clover
3.00 kilos Seagoe Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass (Tet)
4.00 kilos NovialHybrid Ryegrass (Tet)
2.00 kilos Barsilo Hybrid Ryegrass (Dip)
12.00kg 100%

Seed rate 12kg/acre

A 1-2 year IRG/Red Clover grass mixture is also available.

Please PM for a quote.

Smart Rotations is a concept that seeks to maintain a carbon link between microbial communities and host crops during commercial production of food and forage, through the intervention with inoculum products and prudent land management.

Some of the Green Manuring mixtures we can offer for 2018:

Barenbrug Beef Guide - designed to help farmers grow more grass:



Beef farmers looking to grow more grass in 2018 can get their hands on our free guide to grassland management.

Crammed full of useful advice, the Barenbrug Beef Guide 2018 is now available to download free or order a printed copy to be posted out.

Developed by the agricultural team, the guide contains practical hints and tips to help beef farmers manage their grassland more efficiently to maximise yields and profitability.

It looks at the science of good grass and includes facts and figures about animal and plant physiology. It features information on good grazing management including when to graze grass and how to perfect pasture pressure. There are also sections on looking after leys long-term, and successful soil management and seed selection.

The Beef Guide is the third document in a series of information booklets that the business is producing to help UK farmers. It follows on from the 2017 guides to Brassicas and Forage Crops, and a separate Dairy Guide.

David Linton, Regional Sales Manager for Barenbrug UK in Northern Ireland, said: “Regardless of breed, all UK beef farmers have one thing in common; the need to provide their animals with top quality grass to eat.

"Costing far less than manufactured animal feed, well-managed grassland can supply almost all of the energy and protein requirements of a beef herd – but deciding what type of grass to grow and how best to manage it can be difficult.

"Winter is the perfect time to take stock and plan how you are going to manage your grass in the year ahead. With so many forage grass options now available, our guide is designed to help farmers make the right choices as they work to achieve their grassland goals.”



Download the guide
Instantly download the Beef Guide now.

Correct compaction after wet weather.


Livestock farmers across the UK should get to grips with soil sampling over the next four to six weeks to tackle any issues that might be lurking, undetected, beneath the surface - such as compaction. That’s the advice from the forage grass team at Barenbrug UK, following a soggy second half to 2017 across some parts of the UK and a wet start to 2018.

Overall the UK saw slightly less rainfall than average during 2017, according to Met Office figures - but in many parts of the country it didn’t feel that way. After a very dry spring, some areas saw almost all of the year’s rainfall in just a few months, with worst affected areas including South West Scotland, Orkney, Aberdeenshire, North West England and West Wales.

For many farmers, the heavy rain had an obvious effect on grassland management – interfering with silage cutting and collection, and causing problems with feed reserves. But Barenbrug believes the wet weather may have left some farmers with other unseen issues, including compaction, which could affect 2018 grass yields if uncorrected.

Mhairi Dawson, Research & Development Manager at Barenbrug UK said; “The impact of prolonged periods of rain on soil structure should not be underestimated. Just one inch of water, across one acre of land, equates to around 22,000 gallons of water, and weighs approximately 100 tonnes. This additional weight can lead to compaction, which in turn leads to other issues. Short-term, compaction can reduce the carrying capacity of land for livestock or vehicles. Long-term, it can lead to poor soil health and a loss of productivity of between 10 to 20%. Compaction means less air and water movement through soil, which causes poor fertiliser uptake, more nutrient leaching, and reduced soil biology. Crucially, compacted soil will also be colder – leading to delayed germination and root development, fewer growing days, reduced grazing opportunities and lower silage yields.”

Barenbrug’s advice to farmers who suspect a case of compaction is simple: Get out and check fields early - before the bulk of spring work occurs - and then fix the problem as quickly as possible.

Continuing Mhairi said: “Now is an excellent time to walk the farm and identify areas where soil might be compacted. Water collecting in fields and remaining for longer than normal is a sure sign - as is patchy areas of growth. If you suspect a case of compaction, there’s little point doing anything else until you’ve solved the issue at its root. To correct compaction of just one to two inches, a sward slitter will suffice. Down to six to eight inches you’ll need to use a sward lifter to aerate the soil. Once this is done, you can start thinking about other ground works, adding nutrients and planning any reseeding ahead of the main grass growing season. Most farmers soil sample every three to four years. With extremely wet weather becoming a regular occurrence in many parts of the country, especially along the west coast of the UK and in Northern Ireland, checking fields more regularly is going to have to become standard farming farming practice.”

Further hints and tips on managing your grassland for success are available in the Barenbrug Good Grass Guide. This free booklet features essential information for UK farmers. It includes a guide to condition scoring grass plus ample recording pages for note taking. Get hold of a copy of the Barenbrug Good Grass Guide here

Brassica and Forage Crops Management Guide now available:




















As with most things, planning is the key to success.


A simple planning checklist will help you achieve your goals and can be kept simple.

We recommend:


• Identify pasture in autumn for renewing and soil test (pH problems can takes six months to fix)
• Noting which fields have poor performing pastures; undesirable species; and low legume content
• 
Checking if fertility status has been limiting pasture production and working out how to address this to ensure a good brassica crop and a successful renovation phase

• Planting brassicas followed by new grass in autumn (or vice versa for a winter brassica planting)

Many problems with brassica production arise from poor sowing techniques and inadequate seed bed preparation.

Once a good crop has been established, the aim should be to utilise it with minimum wastage.



The above figure is an example of an approach to new pasture establishment and can be applied from spring as a summer cropping rotation with an autumn reseed, or an autumn sprayout as a winter cropping option with a spring reseed or as a spring cropping option (kale) with a reseed in the following spring.

This approach to reseeding helps break perennial weed cycles using glyphosate and can help eliminate grass weeds such and black and meadow grasses. It is also an opportunity to break insect pest cycles leading to better grass and clover establishment and encourages forward planning and allows drainage and fertility issues to be addresses resulting in better pasture establishment.

Forage Crops - Soil Management

Get soil nutrition right to optimise crop growth and quality.

It isn’t the animal or the bag that feeds the crop; it’s the soil - so looking after soil fertility and structure are the two key fundamentals of any good grassland management scheme. Soil pH is more important than NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) because in order for nutrients to be optimally available to the plant’s roots, pH must be maintained at 6.0 or above, especially for clover swards.

P & K levels should be maintained at Index 2 (Moderate + in Scotland) and soils should be sampled every three to five years, depending on management practice and rotation. Where silage or hay is being made, remember to feed the crop as well as addressing any soil deficiencies. N should be applied when conditions allow and as appropriate depending on field use e.g., grazing or silage. N can have an acidifying effect on the soil, so higher N users may also need to lime more frequently.

Remember to consider trace element status of the farm too. Some bedrocks are deficient in particular elements, which are important to breeding sheep. If the elements are not present in the soil, they cannot be taken up by grass and so need to be supplied by other methods e.g. supplementation, fertilisers or boluses.

Routine soil sampling should be conducted every 4 – 5 years. In grassland take at least 20 samples, 10 cm deep, across a representative field area avoiding gateways and hedges etc.

- pH
- P& K
- Mg