QMS: Monitor Farm meeting grass reseeding tips help cut livestock costs
Borders farmer and grazing specialist Graham Lofthouse discussed how he approached reseeding at a recent Stirlingshire Monitor Farm meeting, giving visitors his key tips for success, and looking at the Duncan family’s new approach to grass management.
"Having a reseeding policy in place will help maximise the benefits of your pasture and reduce concentrate inputs, and I have a checklist I go through before reseeding to make sure it is successful.
"The first is to test soil pH where you plan to reseed. A target pH of 6.2-6.5 will optimise pasture and your ability to make profit for your business.
"Correct all drainage and compaction issues well ahead of reseeding, as waterlogging will severely hamper grass seedling establishment, and aim for moderate potash and phosphate levels".
Graham said he would drill grass seed in spring when grass growth rates were at their highest across the farm’s grazing platform, with ploughing and drilling giving the most consistent results on-farm in his opinion.
"Graze after six to eight weeks, but test first using the 'pluck test', where the leaf should snap without pulling out the root".
Where weeds can sometimes be an issue on reseeds, he said sheep would often help remove annual weeds, but where the weed burden is high, consider removing clover and then using a nonselective herbicide to control weeds before sowing clover into the sward the following spring.
Graham has been working with the Duncan family to help produce more kilos from grass, developing a grass improvement plan to focus efforts. The objective is to increase grass production and utilisation to increase livestock productivity and reduce costs across the family’s Blairfad and Lands of Drumhead units near Balfron Station.
The Stirlingshire Monitor Farm grass improvement plan has key targets:
To do this, the Duncan family is working on creating an eight-to-10-year grass rotation. There is a focus on improving the most productive ground (silage fields), which will produce higher ME diet for young and growing stock, as well as producing higher ME and CP silage to reduce feed cost and improve growth rates.
Monitor Farmer Rebecca Duncan said: "The longer grazing season will mean we have reduced bought in feed costs. We will also have higher total diet ME and digestibility, so fewer days to sale for lambs and a higher stock carrying capacity, so more kg/ha output".
Christine Cuthbertson, Monitor Farm regional adviser added: "It was great to hear Graham’s advice for reseeds, as well as looking in depth at Duncan family’s grass improvement plan - it will be really interesting for everyone to see the results of this as it progresses".
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