Countryside Seeds Ltd

Countryside Seeds Ltd

As of the 1st July a slight change to the business, it's become incorporated and with it a change of name. Farm machinery sales have not been a part of Farm Equip's business for a number of years and we felt now was the time for a new name to reflect more of what we do, so Countryside Seeds Limited was born.

We still offer friendly service and advice with up to date products at keen prices.

Company History

Farm Equip was launched by myself (Kevin) on the 1st January 1980. Initially selling farm consumables from the back of a yellow transit van.

Over the past few years the business has become almost predominately the sale of seed in its varies guises where it be a single bag of lawn seed to tonnes of grass/cereal seed.

I am in the very lucky position to be a distributor for some of the UK’s leading seed houses which include Barenbrug UK Ltd, DLF Trifolium Ltd, Grainseed Ltd and Soya UK to name a few.

I am more than happy to work with the customer on compiling their own mixture.

To contact me you may PM through the forum or I am very happy to be telephoned on 07881 804442.
Email: [email protected]

As like a lot of you I'm self employed so no 9-5 here so please telephone at your convenience.

 

[Great In Grass]

Lucerne key to forage intakes.

Could lucerne play a greater role in sustainable UK dairy farming? Matt Mellor finds out.

 

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Soils underpin profitability.

A combination of good soil health, nutrient management and reseeding means one Northern Irish dairy farm is producing 14tDM/ha, as Laura Wise reports.

 

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Forage research update.

Now heading into its second season, The Germinal Research Station in Wiltshire is yielding some interesting results. Dr Jo Matthews provides an update on some of the trials.

 

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Finishing lambs off forage.

Grazing hybrid brassicas can be an effective way to finish lambs without creep feeding. Matt Mellor reports from an upland unit where the crop fits in well with a forage-based system.

 

[Great In Grass]

Understand your analysis to make better silage.

A grass silage analysis doesn’t just provide the basis for ration formulation. It offers clues to make even better silage next time around, as Forager finds out.

 

[Great In Grass]

Leicestershire beef and arable farmer, Joe Stanley has been fighting the corner for British agriculture as it faces attacks from anti-meat documentaries, Veganuary and climate change activists. Laura Wise gets his advice on how farmers can communicate accurate, positive messages around farming.

 

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Management essentials in a new spring reseed

Although spring reseeding generally leads to a more successful establishment of the sward, it is important that from the time of establishment, the sward is carefully managed.
Spring reseeding often offers a better opportunity for post-emergence weed control, and so, the opportunity to do so, should not be overlooked.

The optimum time for good control of weeds in a new reseed is 6-8 weeks after reseeding; when there are 3 leaves on the grass

Controlling weeds in a young reseed is the best opportunity for long term clean swards. Once established, the root of a dock plant can be in excess of 1 metre deep, making it a very difficult plant to kill. Furthermore, a single dock plant can produce over 60,000 seeds per year, therefore it pays to eliminate them early.

Seedling docks are much easier to eradicate from your sward in the early days compared to established dock plants, and the same can be said for the most common grassland weeds. These include perennial weeds such as docks and thistles, as well as annual weeds like chickweed.

Which weeds to be concerned about?
Annual weeds such as fumitory, fat hen, and deadnettle only live for one year. These weeds should not affect the establishment of the new sward, unless they are present in high numbers – if so, spray them. They are normally removed by grazing, cutting or leaving them to die naturally over the winter.

Perennial weeds such as docks, dandelions, creeping buttercup, and creeping thistle should be controlled in a new ley to avoid an increase in plant population down the road. Chickweed is also a problem weed in new reseeds, especially with autumn sowings, or when the grass is slow to establish.

Choosing a suitable herbicide
There are a range of products available and approved for new leys. Product choice is decided by the presence or absence of clover. Ensure the product is approved for new leys and seek advice from a qualified advisor. Clover safe sprays suitable for new leys include CloverMax, Legumex DB, Undersown and CloveX; remembering that CloverX cannot be used after 30th June 2020. Non-clover safe sprays approved for use in new leys include Pastor Trio and Envy.

Key points to note when applying herbicides

• Ensure the sward is even and growing vigorously. Avoid spraying in very dry or cold conditions.
• Spray 6-8 weeks after reseeding when there are 3 leaves on the grass and 1 true leaf on the clover. If clover is present, ensure you use a clover safe spray.
• Apply the herbicide onto small, actively growing weeds (e.g. dock leaf = size of €2 coin).
• Adhere to advised application rates on the product label and keep water rates high.
• Always read the label before use.
• Never fill sprayers from watercourses.
• Do not spray in windy conditions or when rain is forecasted.
• Adhere to product label guidelines for timeline between application and grazing.
• Remember to keep the prescribed cross-compliance records and follow the product label.
• Only registered professional users can apply professional use herbicides.
• Discuss with your merchant/advisor if you have any queries

When to get the new reseed back to grazing
Before you consider grazing the new reseed, it is very important to check the label on your post-emergence weed spray, to see when the sward can be grazed. This early grazing is critical to help tillering of the sward, and so, it is encouraged once ground conditions allow. Often cows will do a better job than calves, as although they are heavier, they will graze quicker and can be removed from the new reseed much sooner. This is more of a possibility in spring; as it is dependent on ground conditions being firm enough.

 

[Great In Grass]

Mixed Swards Make More Milk!


The ability of white clover to fix atmospheric nitrogen and drive extra herbage production at low nitrogen levels has been known for a long time and particularly on organic farm systems. However, at high nitrogen levels many farmers assume there is little benefit.

To challenge this assumption a dairy grazing project was set up in Clonakilty, Co Cork to analyse the effect of sward type on grass and milk production. This project was part of the AFBI-Teagasc-QUB PhD programme focusing on improving grassland production in Ireland. This article reports the animal production side of the grazing study while another article in this series from Dr Clare Guy will discuss the herbage production and sward characteristics of the study.

Cows grazing the grass/clover farmlets at Teagasc Clonakilty, Co Cork

In the study the grazing area was divided into four equally sized ‘farmlets’ and one was sown with diploid perennial ryegrass, one with tetraploid perennial ryegrass, and the other two had the same tetraploid and diploid grasses but with white clover. Thirty cows grazed on each farmlet at 2.75 cows/ha, as they calved down over four years. All swards received 250 kg nitrogen/ha/year and any excess grass produced on a farmlet was baled and fed back to the cows if grass growth fell below demand.

Milk yield, milk composition, body condition score (BCS), bodyweight and fertility performance were all recorded. Milk yields were recorded twice daily and sampled every week on a consecutive evening and morning milking. BCS and bodyweight was recorded every second week and fertility performance was based on scanning results and breeding records. All cows were fed the same amount of concentrate, at an average of 343 kg concentrate/cow/year over four years.

So which farmlet produced the most milk?
Surprisingly there was very little difference between the diploid and tetraploid swards for total milk production and no differences in bodyweight, BCS or fertility performance. This similarity in milk yields was unexpected as tetraploids are well known to be more palatable and digestible than diploid swards and often support better milk yields and composition. These pure grass swards produced 5,217 kg milk/cow/year and 437 kg milk solids/cow/year. However, the grass/white clover swards produced 5,825 kg milk/cow/year and 485 kg milk solids/cow/year. This gave a huge difference of 608 kg milk/cow/year and 48 kg milk solids/cow/year for cows that grazed on grass/white clover swards. The grass/white clover swards also had a higher protein and dry-matter digestibility compared to the pure grass swards and this difference was also found in the silage bales produced from each farmlet.

How can you manage white clover swards?
White clover is clearly a very different plant to perennial ryegrass, with a different growing habit. Clover has a lower winter growth rate, but has a much higher growth rate in summer and autumn. This means grass/clover swards often have a lower opening farm cover in spring but shorter rotations in summer, due to the extra forage being produced. In Clonakilty we noticed that after the first grazing in spring, the grass/clover swards matched the pure grass sward growth rates from then onwards but needed this first grazing to kick-start growth. As white clover has high protein and is highly digestible, there is a risk of bloat, but only when sward clover content is high (typically over 40%). To prevent bloat occurring cows were given bloat oil or 12 hour grazing breaks to prevent them from selectively grazing white clover. This was only necessary in a small number of paddocks and typically only in late summer when clover content was at its highest.

So what did we learn from this study?
It is obvious there can be huge production benefits to having white clover in swards. Cows on the grass/clover farmlets produced much higher milk yields at a similar milk composition such that their total milk solids production was higher than from the grass only swards. In financial terms, at a milk solids price of €4 per kg, this extra milk solids production is worth €192 per cow per year. This shows the huge potential of grass/clover systems even for intensively managed farms. Alternatively there is potential to reduce nitrogen fertiliser application costs on farm by allowing biological nitrogen fixation by white clover. If farmers manage clover swards correctly it is clear that fertiliser inputs can be reduced while also increasing milk outputs, thereby making intensive systems more sustainable and profitable for the future.

Over the next few weeks we will continue to release the remaining four in this series of articles on practical solutions to grassland farming as identified through a highly successful partnership between AFBI, Teagasc and QUB over the past number of years.

You can continue to read about some of the key findings from some of these PhD programmes through short overview articles in the press and on the AFBI website (www.afbini.gov.uk).

The next article in the series from Clare Guy reveals how white clover can enhance grazed grass production. This will be followed by Nicky Byrne who informs us about ‘what cows want’ from a grass-based system, Stephen McAuliffe reports the benefits of grass-clover swards at the farm system level and finally Thomas Tubritt concludes the series of articles by revealing that cows have preferences for different grass varieties.

A mark of success of the PhD programme is evidenced by how these students are now taking their knowledge and skills into agricultural research or into key support roles for the agricultural industry.

Notes to editors:
AFBI-Teagasc-QUB Partnership: This is the first in a series of five PhD student articles revealing how this teaching partnership is creating new knowledge and the next generation of grassland experts, to support grass-based farming across Ireland.

AFBI is an arms-length body of DAERA delivering research and development, diagnostic and analytical testing, emergency response capability and expert scientific advice for DAERA and other government departments, public bodies and commercial companies in Northern Ireland, and further afield.

AFBI’s Vision is “Advancing the Local and Global Agri-Food Sectors Through Scientific Excellence”.

AFBI’s core areas:

 

[Great In Grass]

ProNitro Overseeding Grass Mixture Offer

 

[Great In Grass]

New SRUC Grass and Clover Varieties launch
Barenbrug are delighted to announce the additions of four new varieties to the latest edition of the SRUC Grass and Clover Varieties for Scotland List 2020/2021

New SRUC Grass and Clover Varieties launch

Barenbrug are delighted to announce the additions of four new varieties to the latest edition of the SRUC Grass and Clover Varieties for Scotland List 2020/2021. With the new additions, Barenbrug have bred 31 of the 1st choice varieties listed.

Joining the list are Strangford, an intermediate diploid perennial ryegrass, Ballyvoy, a late diploid perennial ryegrass, Gracehill, a late tetraploid perennial ryegrass and Baronaise, a timothy.

Strangford has an REE of 35 and provides large volumes of forage under both conservation and grazing management with a total cutting yield of 109% and Grazing yield of 111%. It is matched with excellent quality. Strangford provides very good early grazing and first cut yields making it a very important variety for Scottish grass and livestock producers.

Ballyvoy has an REE of 47 and provides excellent spring yields with a first cut of 111% and early spring grazing of 113%. Overall yields are particularly strong under cutting management with a total yield of 106%. Quality is also good, particularly under grazing (76.7D) and a first cut of 70.4.

Gracehill also has an REE of 47 and is a consistent performer for both cutting (101%) and grazing (103%). A first cut yield of 113% and 70D is followed by a 2nd cut of 103% and 73.5D and a 3rd cut of 103%. First cut D value is 70.8 and under grazing, the D value is 76.9.

Strangford, Ballyvoy and Gracehill all come from the highly successful British breeding programme partnership between Barenbrug and the Agri Food and Biosciences Institute in Northern Ireland (AFBI). Grass Breeder Dr Gillian Young comments: “These varieties are excellent all-around performers across the season, producing high annual yields of good quality grass under both grazing and silage management. Ballyvoy though, is particularly strong, topping its class for metabolizable energy yield per hectare under silage management whilst Strangford contributes high forage yields under either management. Ballyvoy, Strangford and Gracehill are outstanding varieties that will no doubt feature strongly in both cutting and grazing mixtures well into the future. Ballyvoy and Gracehill were also added to the English and Welsh Recommended List earlier this month too.”

The new Timothy addition Baronaise has an REE of 58 making it the latest heading variety in this limited group. The variety provides good overall yields under both management, grazing 109% and cutting average 103% with particularly good yields in the autumn and it has very good quality. Baronaise was bred in Barenbrug Holland by Marcel Van Nes at our breeding station based in Wolfheze, he comments “Baronaise was first crossed in 2004 and is a good improvement in yield and persistency. It will be an important variety across Northern Europe.”

 

[Great In Grass]

Gracehill
Download the Forage Variety Profile for Gracehill
Download

 

[Great In Grass]

Ballyvoy
Download the Forage Variety Profile for Ballyvoy
Download

 

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Baronaise
Download the Forage Variety Profile for Baronaise
Download

 

[Great In Grass]

Be in with a chance to win a weather station!

How well do you know your WHEAT MARKETS?

Do you know what spec millers look for when buying bread-making wheat?

Do you know how many million tonnes of wheat were produced in the UK in 2019 – fancy a guess?

Here at LG, we are running a short and fun online quiz to find out what British farmers really know about their wheat markets and varieties.

All correct entries will be entered into a prize draw to win a weather station.

So if you know what the AHDB export classification groups for both soft biscuit and bread wheat are, you may be in with a chance to win!

TO ENTER, CLICK HERE!

 

[Great In Grass]

Could brassicas be an option for your winter forage?

Without doubt, grass must be the first priority for feeding livestock efficiently and a commitment to selecting quality grass varieties is a route to farm profitability.
However, an unfortunate throwback to the learnings from 2018, where forage crops proved an asset in overcoming grass and forage shortages, may be worth noting. Brassicas, in many situations, play a valuable role for Irish livestock farmers; both for out-wintering or overcoming imminent forage shortages.

As with grass, when considering forage crops, the selection process should also be based around quality, however a good starting point is to consider in advance: when you want to utilize the crop, when will the land for growing the forage crop become vacant and how many animals do you need the crop to feed.

There are several options available to farmers, however, the most popular options for winter forage are kale, hybrid brassicas or forage rape; all of which have their own unique benefits and management practises.

Why Kale might be the suitable option

Kale has the potential to give the greatest yield, when compared to a hybrid brassica or a forage rape. It has the potential to yield between 10-12 tonnes of DM per hectare. Kale should be sown around now, but it is worth noting the field is then out of action for a longer period, and so, you need to factor this into your overall grazing strategy.

Attention must be given to the quality of the variety chosen and how it will feed-out, as there is a significant difference between kale varieties. Some are more suitable than others for grazing animals, while other taller varieties tend to have less leaf, are lower in quality and generally more suitable as bird cover.

A high-quality kale variety such as Maris Kestrel will have a good leaf:stem ratio and good leaf proportion as this is the highest quality part of the plant. Maris Kestrel kale, due to its high digestibility and long utilization period, makes it most suited for cattle and sheep grazing. Animals can utilise the entire plant and it also provides a solution to overcoming late season grazing deficits.

The multi-graze forage crop option

When the window of opportunity for sowing kale has passed, Redstart is the next best option. This rape/kale hybrid brassica offers the highly beneficial combination of rapid growth ability and good all year around performance. If the supply of winter forage is the sole driver for incorporating Redstart into your feeding programme, it is best sown from July to mid-August, so it can be utilised from late October.

If forage for September grazing is your target, Redstart sown now will maximise your return for that period.

Redstart was the hugely popular choice in 2018 to increase feed on farms as a result of the drought. The forage rape genes in Redstart allow the crop to grow quickly, while the kale genes deliver excellent winter hardiness. Redstart is mainly used as a high energy protein crop for out-wintering cattle and sheep.

Forage Rape

Finally, if forage rape is the most suited brassica for your system, the quality variety is Stego, generally sown after August 1st, it has the potential to achieve 6 tonnes of DM per hectare and will be available for utilisation from late October onwards. Stego is a very high yielding variety with excellent disease resistance, including mildew. The variety has extremely digestible stems, which allows complete use of the whole plant with minimal residual matter.

Stego offers high energy grazing for cattle and sheep for autumn and winter and is ideal for out-wintering systems.

As with any crop, moisture and optimum growth conditions are critical for them to reach their potential and delayed sowing will impact the performance of any of the crops mentioned above. If conditions are very dry and the presence of moisture is not in sight, the crop will not deliver on its requirement.

 

[Great In Grass]

Lucerne Growers’ Guide

Lucerne for the modern farming era
Interest amongst UK livestock farmers in lucerne as a forage crop has increased significantly in recent years. The crop’s potential to provide an economic source of homegrown protein whilst reducing reliance on bought-in fertiliser by up to 300kgN/ha are good reasons for farmers’ willingness to revisit lucerne or grow it for the first time.
As a nitrogen-fixing legume, lucerne is commonly compared with white and red clover, and its similarities with the latter extend also to its ability to thrive in dry conditions, due to its deep tap root.
Lucerne is most commonly grown as a stand-alone crop, primarily for cutting but with some grazing potential. Whether cut or grazed, the forage is highly digestible and typically rich in minerals due to its deep rooting nature. With the correct management, crops should persist for 4 – 6 years, producing 10-15 tonnesDM/ha at 18-24% crude protein.
Variety choice, as with any cropping option, is critical. For the UK grower, winter hardiness and disease resistance are key characteristics, and recent breeding progress is now increasing the viability of lucerne as a mainstream forage crop.

Lucerne in comparison to red and white clovers:

CHARACTERISTIC	RED CLOVER	WHITE CLOVER / GRASS	LUCERNE
Soil type	All types	All types	Well drained
Ideal pH	5.8-7.5	5.8-7.0	6.2-8.5
Establishment rate	Fast	Medium	Medium
Inoculation needed	No	No	Yes
Drought tolerance	High	Medium	Very high
Persistence	Low	Very high	Medium
Regrowth rate	High	High	High
Yield	10-15 tonnes DM/ha	4-10 tonnes DM/ha	10-15 tonnes DM/ha
Silage quality	ME 9.8-11 MJ/kg/DM CP 16-22% pH 4-4.5	ME 9.8-12 MJ/kg/DM CP 16-20% pH 3.5-5.5	ME 9.0-11 MJ/kg/DM CP 18-24% pH 4.3-4.4
Other features	High PPO*	Low PPO*	Low PPO*

Sources: Legume Silages for Animal Production, R.J. Wilkins; Legumes for Milk and Meat, R. Shedrick, G. Newman and D.J. Roberts.
*PPO (Polyphenol oxidase) is an enzyme that enables animals to utilise protein more efficiently.
Site selection
Modern varieties of lucerne selected for their suitability to a northern European climate can be grown successfully on a wide range of fertile free-draining sites and soil types. Lucerne will not thrive in waterlogged soils, so the general advice is to avoid heavier land that is not free-draining.
For optimum performance and to minimise the threat of pests and diseases, a period of five years should be allowed in the rotation between lucerne crops. Lucerne offers the advantage of leaving significant residual nitrogen for following crops.
Seed bed preparation
Lucerne is slow to establish so it is very important to ensure the correct balance of soil nutrients are in place and that any soil compaction and perennial weed issues are remedied in advance.
Soil nutrient testing should be carried out to assess requirements to achieve a pH in the range 6.2 – 8.5 and soil indices of at least 2 for both phosphate and potash. The trace elements magnesium, sulphur, molybdenum and boron are particularly important in the establishment phase.
Calcium is essential for nodulation and nitrogen fixation; it is unlikely to be deficient if recommended pH levels are maintained.

Sowing
Lucerne should be sown when soils are warm into a fine and firm seedbed to a depth of 0.5 – 1cm. Seed can be drilled (10 cm rows) or broadcast and fields must be rolled well before and after sowing to ensure good soil-to-seed contact and optimum soil moisture retention.
Spring sowing (from late April) tends to be more common with lucerne as this ensures strong plants going into the first winter. However, lucerne can be sown successfully up to the middle of August in the southern half of England.
Inoculation
Lucerne is supplied by Germinal pre-inoculated to ensure successful root nodulation and efficient nitrogen-fixing.
Sowing with a nurse crop
Nurse crops can be used to assist in the establishment of lucerne, helping to out-compete weeds. Lucerne can be undersown with a spring cereal (sown at 50 – 75% rate) and cut as arable or wholecrop silage.
Seed rates

Cropping system	Seed rates	Notes
Pure lucerne stand	Lucerne at 900 seeds/m2 (2 Precidose packs/ha)	Maximum protein crop. Target plant population of 200-400 plants/m2 after12 months
Lucerne undersown with cereal nurse crop	Lucerne at 900 seeds/m2 (2 Precidose packs/ha) Cereal seed at half rate (100kg/ha)

Crop management
With good establishment and subsequent management, lucerne should persist for 4 – 6 years.
Slurry should not be applied to lucerne in the seeding year as young plants are very vulnerable to mechanical damage.
Spring sown lucerne should produce a light cut by mid-August whilst crops sown in the summer will produce their first cut by the following June.
Nitrogen is not required once rhizobial fixation has been established.
Key points in lucerne persistency:
– Select a variety suited to UK conditions
– Monitor pests and diseases and take prompt action to control
– Fertilise to replace nutrient off take
– Allow plants to flower once a year; this ensures storage of nutrients in the tap root to improve winter hardiness and boost spring growth
– Allow a minimum of 4-5 weeks between cuts
– Cut when 10% of flowers are showing (early bud stage)
– Aim for an optimum cutting height of 7cm and never cut below 5cm
– Avoid late cuts, particularly in wet years and when early autumn frosts are a threat
– Manage to avoid soil capping and do not allow grazing livestock to poach and damage to the crown
– Do not drive over the crop in wet conditions
Pests and diseases
The choice of agrochemicals to control pests and diseases in lucerne is limited and – unless tramlines are used – opportunities to enter the actively growing crop will be limited. It is therefore important to ensure good establishment practice, to monitor growing crops closely and to seek specialist agronomy advice if crops are challenged.
The use of a cover or nurse crop can increase the incidence of attack from slugs, Sitona weevil pupae, and leatherjackets, particularly when growing conditions are unfavourable and the crop is ‘smothered’.
Common pests and diseases of lucerne

Pest / disease	Comments
Slugs	Can be a problem at establishment. Monitor and use slug pellets if necessary.
Sitona weevil larvae and leatherjackets	Can cause damage to shoots in early establishment phase. Consult an agronomist regarding spray control options.
Eelworm	Infestations of the soil can cause persistency problems. More common on heavier soils. Choose resistant varieties where a threat is possible. Cut infested fields last.
Aphids	A potential problem in established crops. Consult an agronomist if the problem is suspected.
Verticillium wilt	Leaves wilt on warm days and become blotchy with yellow or brown markings; they eventually die leaving bare green stems. Choose resistant varieties as there are no current chemical control options

Cutting, grazing and feeding lucerne
Lucerne has an erect growing habit and is therefore primarily a silage crop because the frequent defoliation and the potential for poaching resulting from grazing are detrimental to crop survival.
Lucerne cutting regimes

Cropping system	Age of crop	Optimum cutting dates
Pure lucerne	Spring sown, year of sowing	One cut in mid-August.
Summer sown, year of sowing	No cutting.
Summer sown, following year	Cut first in the spring after the crop is in bud, and then follow regime as below.
Second year onwards	Cut at first flower bud stage (April – mid-May) and follow with up to three cuts in a season (4-5 week intervals). Final cut not later than mid-September. Allow the crop to flower at least once, to ensure nutrients are stored in the tap root.
Lucerne undersown to spring cereal	Year of sowing	Cut when cereal grains are milky.
Following year	Cut first in the spring after the crop is in bud, and then follow regime as above.

Cutting best practice

• Ideally use a drum mower and avoid aggressive conditioning and prevent excessive loss of leaf material (70% of protein and 90% of minerals/vitamins are in the leaf).
• Cut to a minimum stubble height of 7cm to avoid damage to the crown (growing point) and create good air flow under the swath to aid drying.
• Cut in the morning just as the dew leaves the crop to maximise drying time.
• Turn the crop where it lies but do not spread it.

Ensiling best practice

• Aim for a target dry matter of 30-40% for clamp silage and 50% for bales.
• Chop to 3-4cm and roll well in the clamp.
• For bales, wilt to 40 – 60% dry matter and ensure at least four layers of plastic to minimise the risk of stems piercing the wrap.
• Always use an additive as lucerne is low in sugars.

Grazing best practice

• Stock must be controlled by an electric fence not only to limit access but to prevent back-grazing of regrowth.
• It is a good idea to rotationally graze lambs before ewes so that young animals select the more nutritious growth.
• Graze lucerne rotationally with 5-6 week intervals.
• Graze priority stock classes first, to maximise their uptake of the leaves (where most of the feed value is contained).
• Only graze lightly in the autumn (after the crop has stopped growing) to minimise damage.
• Manage carefully to minimise the risk of bloat:
  • Feed roughage (e.g. hay) before turning onto lucerne.
  • Avoid turning animals onto lucerne when hungry.
  • Take extra care when crops are particularly lush (spring or autumn) and/or wet with dew.
  • Alternate lucerne grazing with grass grazing.
  • Use anti-bloat drenches or rumen bullets if necessary.

Yields and Feed Quality
Lucerne is a palatable protein-rich forage, high in fibre, and an ideal supplement in mixed rations. It is good complementary forage to high energy feedstuffs such as maize.

Feed criteria	Value	Comments
Fresh yield	35 – 50 tonnes/ha/yr	Yields will persist for 4 – 6 years with the correct management
Dry matter yield	10 – 15 tonnes/ha/yr
Dry matter	30-40%	50% if ensiled in big bales
Crude protein	18-24%	Good complement for energy-rich rations
D-value	70%
ME	9-11 MJ/kgDM
Vitamins	A, B, C and E	Rich in vitamins and minerals due to deep tap root

Variety Selection


There are currently two main types of lucerne grown in Europe and it is important for UK growers to understand the difference, and in particular their winter dormancy ratings.

‘Provence’ types are very drought tolerant and have a long growing season, but are not winter hardy in the UK. In comparison, the ‘Flemish’ types are more cold-tolerant, due to their winter dormancy, and will yield well over three or four large silage cuts.
Winter dormancy ratings range from 1 (very dormant in winter) to 12 (virtually no winter dormancy, and the optimum for UK conditions is 4 to 5
Lucerne breeders have been active in recent years in improving the performance potential of varieties, with yield and protein production increasing alongside greater resistance to common problems such as stem nematode.

 

[Great In Grass]

Need to Know: Growing Lucerne in the UK

Simon Gittins is growing a semi–dormant lucerne variety supplied by Germinal and is embarking on a zero–grazing and crop–drying enterprise that he hopes will produce a valuable high protein dairy feed.

“Lucerne is the world’s most extensively grown forage crop and is popular in countries with similar conditions to our own, such as Germany, and yet it is only grown on a tiny proportion of UK farms,” said Germinal GB’s National Agricultural Sales Manager Ben Wixey, who sees Lucerne as being massively underutilised in the UK despite the availability of semi–dormant varieties well–suited to the climate. Speaking at a training day for the agricultural trade in Shropshire he continued: “It requires free–draining soils and a soil pH of at least 6.2, but in these circumstances and with the right management it can yield 10–15 tonnes of dry matter that is high in protein, rich in trace minerals and is an excellent source of quality fibre. It is an ideal complement to maize silage in dairy rations and – being a legume that will fix its own nitrogen – can be grown without the cost of artificial nitrogen fertiliser.” Mr Wixey believes lucerne, which is typically spring–sown from the end of April, could become part of many farms’ forage armoury to help build more resilient businesses in the future.

Lucerne silage is a rumen–friendly forage that provides a valuable source of protein and quality fibre.

“Maximising the amount of quality forage that is grown on the farm is the best way to future–proof your business,” he added. “Lucerne could have a part to play in this, especially as a source of protein that reduces reliance on bought–in alternatives, such as soya, which will always be at risk of price volatility.” When selecting lucerne for UK conditions, Mr Wixey advised farmers to aim for varieties with dormancy ratings of between 4 and 5, and good resistance to common diseases such as verticillium wilt. He also recommended the use of pre–inoculated pelleted seed that was certified ‘dodder–free’.

 

[Great In Grass]

Top 10 tips for lucerne profitability

 

[Great In Grass]

Lucerne can help build dairy farm resilience

This is the view of Germinal GB’s National Agricultural Sales Manager Ben Wixey, who sees the crop as being massively underutilised in the UK despite the availability of semi–dormant varieties well–suited to the climate.

“Lucerne is the world’s most extensively grown forage crop and is popular in countries with similar conditions to our own, such as Germany, and yet it is only grown on a tiny proportion of UK farms,” he said, speaking at a training day for the agricultural trade in Shropshire. “It requires free–draining soils and a soil pH of at least 6.2, but in these circumstances and with the right management it can yield 10–15 tonnes of dry matter that is high in protein, rich in trace minerals and is an excellent source of quality fibre. It is an ideal complement to maize silage in dairy rations and – being a legume that will fix its own nitrogen – can be grown without the cost of artificial nitrogen fertiliser.”

Mr Wixey believes lucerne, which is typically spring–sown from the end of April, could become part of many farms’ forage armoury to help build more resilient businesses in the future.
“Maximising the amount of quality forage that is grown on the farm is the best way to future–proof your business,” he added. “Lucerne could have a part to play in this, especially as a source of protein that reduces reliance on bought–in alternatives, such as soya, which will always be at risk of price volatility.”

When selecting lucerne for UK conditions, Mr Wixey advised farmers to aim for varieties with dormancy ratings of between 4 and 5, and good resistance to common diseases such as verticillium wilt. He also recommended the use of pre–inoculated pelleted seed that was certified ‘dodder–free’.

 

[Great In Grass]

Options for minimising forage shortfalls

Livestock farmers concerned about forage shortfalls in the wake of an exceptionally dry May could include summer-drilled brassica fodder crops as part of a wider strategy, thereby taking the pressure off silage clamps this coming autumn and winter.
The advice comes from Germinal GB’s Helen Mathieu, who acknowledged the impact that recent drought conditions could have on forage resources during her presentation at a recent GrassCheck GB webinar.

“Soil moisture level recordings being taken across the country as part of the GrassCheck GB programme confirm the full extent of the hot and dry conditions we’ve been experiencing and there will inevitably be a long-term effect, whatever the weather going forward,” she said.

“I recommend that farmers review their current position as soon as possible, on a field-by-field basis, and identify the worst performing fields for prompt action. In the case of fields that were already nearing the end of their productive life, the very dry conditions may well be the final straw. In such cases, the best way forward may well be to burn off the old sward and establish a fast growing fodder crop, such as Redstart hybrid brassica, to provide valuable grazing at any point from the late summer through into the winter.

“Using a hybrid brassica has the advantage of rapid establishment and will also provide as much as 10 tonnes/ha of quality forage. As a rape/kale cross, it is also winter hardy and therefore suitable for out-wintering, so it offers great versatility. It’s also a very good break crop within a grassland reseeding programme, creating a clean start for a new ley next year.”

Interacting with an industry-wide audience at the AHDB-run webinar, Helen addressed questions on an array of current challenges. In relation to recent grassland reseeds, where the drought may have exacerbated problems caused during a difficult establishment phase last autumn, she said that overseeding may be the best short-term solution.

“Where swards are quite open, but most of the plants are perennial ryegrass, the best approach may well be to stitch in more perennial ryegrass, at around 10kg/acre, once there is sufficient soil moisture. This will boost performance later in the season and help to minimise the impact of the drought.”

Fields should also be earmarked for conventional reseeding later in the summer, where possible, to maintain productivity into 2021.

“If at all possible, try to maintain your routine reseeding plans, as this is the best way to avoid a long-term knock-on effect from the recent dry spell,” she added. “We know that reseeding results in a significant uplift in the quantity and quality of forage available and that this will more than pay for the investment within the first year.”