GS4 legume and herb mixes v's a PRG grazing ley

Matt

Member
The people who have planted a GS4 option how are you finding they are performing against a decent grazing ley?

Drought resistance/tolerance better I assume?

Take Nitrogen prices out of the equation as any crop that doesn't need that looks more attractive at present.
we would be medium clay ground that when its wet its wet, just trying to improve summer growth. we have been struggling for grass growth the last month or so. better when we have applied a light surface application of pig FYM.

thanks matt
 

Derrick Hughes

Member
Location
Ceredigion
1st year here , growth is good ,chicory in paticular although cattle regected that at first , downside is ive been batling with weeds all summer and i have a big dock problem ,
Like the clover ley i posted it it grows well without any imputs which is becoming more important
 
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Matt

Member
You don't have to sow a Herbal Ley to try and combat drought conditions.

There are specialised grass leys that that work very well.
Tbh I was thinking if people found it good performance wise then maybe worth looking at stewardship.
Sounds like the stewardship payment might be needed for a reason. 🙈

What would you suggest to improve summer growth?
 

Derrick Hughes

Member
Location
Ceredigion
1st year here , growth is good ,chicory in paticular although cattle regected that at first , downside is ive been batling with weeds all summer and i have a big dock problem ,

The people who have planted a GS4 option how are you finding they are performing against a decent grazing ley?

Drought resistance/tolerance better I assume?

Take Nitrogen prices out of the equation as any crop that doesn't need that looks more attractive at present.
we would be medium clay ground that when its wet its wet, just trying to improve summer growth. we have been struggling for grass growth the last month or so. better when we have applied a light surface application of pig FYM.

thanks matt
What stock do you keep and do you want to cut or just graze
 

Derrick Hughes

Member
Location
Ceredigion
If i may but in , Tall Fescue is what is called a slower germintor , you would have a big chalenge to try succesfully to stitch it in

Perennial ryegrass will germinate in 7-14 days, Tall and Fine fescues will germinate in 10-20 days
Fesstolium x Fescue would be an agresive germintator , but not ideal for constant grazing
 

pgk

Member
If i may but in , Tall Fescue is what is called a slower germintor , you would have a big chalenge to try succesfully to stitch it in

Perennial ryegrass will germinate in 7-14 days, Tall and Fine fescues will germinate in 10-20 days
Fesstolium x Fescue would be an agresive germintator , but not ideal for constant grazing
Have used a couple of festulolium successfully overseeded which have produced very well for a couple of years but struggle with our sheep grazing in rotation. We take one crop of hay a year and rotate grazing remainder of year, might try some festulolium x fescue to see if this is more long lived.
 

JSmith

Member
Livestock Farmer
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beardface

Member
Location
East Yorkshire
I haven't dipped my toe into the herbal ley pond yer. But I've read a couple of older herbal ley books. My take on it is that they didn't have access to the varieties of grasses we have now, so did what they could with what they had. I think a ley with 2 or 3 types of ryegrass, festulolium, possibly tall fescue or cocksfoot, plus a couple of white clover varieties would be better bang for your buck.
 

JSmith

Member
Livestock Farmer
That’s a very poor piece of ground, we are Sandy land across the whole farm, I’ve been very pleased with how they’ve come so far! Been planting chicory for quite a few years now an find it suits us well, very good re-growth, and found the same with the plantain, probably given the more delicate herb type plants too much of a bashing but we’ll see what comes next spring! That field in the pic was planted in June I think, when I got around to it and we got some rain!
 
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I put a small amount in 3 years ago. Was toying with the idea for a while and the financial incentive tipped the balance. The payment more than covers the cost of establishment so you are covered pretty much even if its a failure.
I had chicory in too. It performs well, especially in periods when other leys might not be producing so much. It's also teeming with bees and other critters which I like. As mentioned above, weed control could be an issue. I had problems with docks and will probably have to spray it all off again fairly soon. Try not to over graze it. I think the conditions of payment stipulate that anyway.
I will be putting more in though, unincentivised.
 

Matt

Member
What stock do you keep and do you want to cut or just graze
spring calving suckler herd. grazing in July/august is the pinch point in dry times. plenty of grass around first cut. cut back on usual bagged fert rate to try and let the clover establish and cost us a bit in grass.
as grass growth curve slows our demand is rising as calves are grazing more.

not helped this year by dryish periods.
 

Derrick Hughes

Member
Location
Ceredigion
spring calving suckler herd. grazing in July/august is the pinch point in dry times. plenty of grass around first cut. cut back on usual bagged fert rate to try and let the clover establish and cost us a bit in grass.
as grass growth curve slows our demand is rising as calves are grazing, i


more.

not helped this year by dryish periods.
Our land is not as dry as yours by what you say, but two crops shine later in the season herec, Red Clover and Chicory, Both deep rooting and the Red clover brings the grass on, those leys have 0 N but PH P& K are kept well up , if you don't graze a lot of sheep well worth looking at , Festuloliums root deeper so worth putting some in with some Timothy and Cocksfoot if your very dry , some Hybrid Ryegrass and include a small amount of late diploid as bottom grass to suppress weeds, Diploid Ryegrass will also have a deeper root structure than a Tertaploid, up to 3 inches , so more able to cope with drier conditions
 
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Agrivator

Member
spring calving suckler herd. grazing in July/august is the pinch point in dry times. plenty of grass around first cut. cut back on usual bagged fert rate to try and let the clover establish and cost us a bit in grass.
as grass growth curve slows our demand is rising as calves are grazing more.

not helped this year by dryish periods.
It could be more efficient to make a bit more haylage/silage/hay in May or June, and to feed it as necessary during the hungry gap.

No cultivations, no seed to buy, no seeding, no rolling, no worrying....................... There's lot to be said for well-managed permanent grass.
 

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