New reseed - what would you use?

[RJ1]

Morning

We have a North facing steepish bank to reseed end of spring, coming out of swedes.

Will not be silageable so solely a grazing ley. Has been down to poor pp for a long time and grazed with sheep. So, potential is unknown but I imagine it will be slow to get going in Spring.

What mix would you put in?

Thanks
RJ

 

[davidroberts30]

Morning

We have a North facing steepish bank to reseed end of spring, coming out of swedes.

Will not be silageable so solely a grazing ley. Has been down to poor pp for a long time and grazed with sheep. So, potential is unknown but I imagine it will be slow to get going in Spring.

What mix would you put in?

Thanks
RJ

Something like this?

Barenbrug UK | BarForage | Farming | England & Wales | Barmix

BarForage Barmix. Designed for UK agriculture. This grass seed mixture designed for farms is the long-term, low input, high output mixture for beef and sheep enterprises in England & Wales.

www.barenbrug.co.uk

 

[Great In Grass]

Something like this?

Barenbrug UK | BarForage | Farming | England & Wales | Barmix

BarForage Barmix. Designed for UK agriculture. This grass seed mixture designed for farms is the long-term, low input, high output mixture for beef and sheep enterprises in England & Wales.

www.barenbrug.co.uk

An excellent mixture for the OP.

New varieties of Tall Fescue search deep for nutrients and minerals.

Also new palatable varieties of Cocksfoot and Timothy for early season grass.

 

[davidroberts30]

An excellent mixture for the OP.

New varieties of Tall Fescue search deep for nutrients and minerals.

Also new palatable varieties of Cocksfoot and Timothy for early season grass.

I've got a older version of that in and it grows like stink
Any more than 6 weeks growth and you will struggle to mow it

 

[RJ1]

Thank you both.
Should have been clear, just in case it makes a difference to the recommendation - now converted to dairy.

 

[Beef farmer]

Thank you both.
Should have been clear, just in case it makes a difference to the recommendation - now converted to dairy.

Is it droughty?

 

[Beef farmer]

Ah your from Wales.... not drought then.

 

[ollie989898]

Soil test first.

Any long term ley. Sow at 16kg/acre but make sure that you have enough tilth to get good seed to soil contact. Roll until bored.

I would not rush to do it until the soil and weather are warm.

 

[herman]

Nickersons Green circle .

 

[hally]

Sinclair Mcgill....Castlehill

 

[Sid]

An excellent mixture for the OP.

New varieties of Tall Fescue search deep for nutrients and minerals.

Also new palatable varieties of Cocksfoot and Timothy for early season grass.

Oh we can all read the website and copy and paste

 

[ollie989898]

If it is a cool and wet location I would probably put a ley in that included timothy. Possibly even 2kg an acre of it. If it is late land do not sow any early perennial ryegrasses unless you are confident you can get out to graze it early.

Good work on having a break crop before reseeding.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Morning

We have a North facing steepish bank to reseed end of spring, coming out of swedes.

Will not be silageable so solely a grazing ley. Has been down to poor pp for a long time and grazed with sheep. So, potential is unknown but I imagine it will be slow to get going in Spring.

What mix would you put in?

Thanks
RJ

Hello RJ . Does the bank burn off, if not go for a late heading Perennial Ryegrass mix with some Timothy and clover . Will PM you some High Index options
Dont put Cocksfoot in unless you have a good reason to do so .

 

[Btexel]

Hello RJ . Does the bank burn off, if not go for a late heading Perennial Ryegrass mix with some Timothy and clover . Will PM you some High Index options
Dont put Cocksfoot in unless you have a good reason to do so .

What’s your issue with modern cocksfoot? Also what do you mean high index?

 

[Derrick Hughes]

What’s your issue with modern cocksfoot? Also what do you mean high index?

To quote cotswold seeds if I may . In a long term lay it becomes clumpy course and unpalatable, but if its a dry bank then you have to look at options
Teagasc do pasture indexing

 

[Great In Grass]

What’s your issue with modern cocksfoot? Also what do you mean high index?

As you realise the newer varieties of Cocksfoot are very different from days gone by.

 

[Sid]

As you realise the newer varieties of Cocksfoot are very different from days gone by.

They would work well in short rotation grazing systems.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

They would work well in short rotation grazing systems.

Yes cut and graze he wants a long term grazing ley, why would he include a grass that has lower digestibility and energy than Ryegass unless he has a reason to do so , but not enough information given

 

[Sid]

Yes cut and graze he wants a long term grazing ley, why would he include a grass that has lower digestibility and energy than Ryegass unless he has a reason to do so , but not enough information given

because ryegrass is shallow rooting where as on a bank , as the OP stated it was for , Cocksfoot is deep rooting searching out deeper moisture

I have personal experience with a dry south facing bank using cocksfoot.

 

[RJ1]

Bit more info then...

Have no idea of the potential for growth if a little cover left on over winter. Lay before swedes was ancient and mossy and always hammered by sheep.

Lime appled last 2 yrs, pH now good, p and k in the ballpark.

No silage possible, too steep. Aim is to get something which can be grazed in 1st round (1 March to 15 Aprilish) and grow back at a decent rate even if it's a coldish March.

Some have been good enough to message some mixes, which I will consider.

I did wonder whether cocksfoot should be in the mix, given the field, but that seems to be quite the debate!

Edit - doesn't dry out badly and there's no particular difficulty in getting on it in spring- just that there's been nothing there to graze!