Forfarmers forage guide 2018 by ForFarmers

Forage Guide 2018

including Seeds, Fertiliser and Forage Additives

Introduction & Contents

ForFarmers 2018 forage guide includes the latest TOPGRASS seed mixtures and our forage portfolio. ForFarmers commitment to our farming customers continues to strengthen through investment in expanding our forage business. The forage team has seen further growth in people to support our national coverage and during 2017 we have also seen the acquisition of Wilde Agriculture, a feed and forage business in Cumbria with good synergies to ForFarmers.

Introduction & Contents

TOPGRASS Mixture Selector

Short Term Mixtures

Medium Term Mixtures

Long Term Mixtures

Overseeding Mixtures

Protein Crops

Lucerne

Equine, Hay & Haylage Mixtures

Organic Mixtures

Organic Farming Products

Forage Focus Update

Forage Quality

Advanced™ Grasses

Weed & Pest Control

GroMax Biostimulant and ProNitro®

Benefits of Reseeding

In addition ForFarmers Nutrition and Innovation Centre in the Netherlands (NIC), is able to look closely at current farming practices such as multi-cut systems and help give advice on grass varieties used to maximise production.

Benefits of Overseeding

Wholecrop and Cereals

Fodder Crops

Research in practice

Forage Maize Selector

ForFarmers have several farm sites which are used as demonstration sites in the UK, to show how new varieties perform under UK conditions compared to other well know favourites. The demo site near Axminster showcased Pinnacle, a new early maturing maize variety with both high digestible fibre and top starch yield. Earlier in the year customers were able to see good early vigour and establishment of the crop, then at harvest the high yield potential.

New Forage Maize Varieties

Green Manuring

Countryside Stewardship - Environmental

Game Cover

Fertiliser for Grazing & Silage

Silage Additive Cost Benefits

Feed2Milk and MELK

Slurry and Nutrient Management

Volatile prices, Brexit and difficult weather conditions all prove challenging to maintain farm profitability. However with forage providing the mainstay of the ruminant diet, both quantity and quality are important to maximise milk production and capitalise on improved income, as well as reduce the cost of production through increased feed and forage efficiency. There have been further TOPGRASS successes captured in farmer testimonials and shared with our customers. The ForFarmers ‘Forage Manager of the Year’ award highlighted the importance of good grassland management, the nutrient management plan and investment in forage, a message which was shared at several forage forums throughout the year.

Innovation and knowledge In the UK farmers have shown interest in Lucerne (Alfalfa), a high protein alternative forage with the potential to reduce the feed costs of high protein concentrates such as Rapeseed meal and Soya. However improvements in plant breeding, mean that knowledge of best agronomic crop practice is needed to get the most out of the crop. ForFarmers work in close partnership with leading plant breeders to ensure customers always have the best advice available.

ForFarmers wants to work side-by-side with farmers to deliver three real benefits: better returns, healthier livestock and greater efficiency to ensure long term success, which is reflected in our mission statement ‘For the Future of Farming’.

TOPGRASS Mixture Selector Chart

Mixture Purpose Conventional SHORT TERM

MEDIUM TERM

LONG TERM

DUAL PURPOSE PRIMOGEN

CUTTING EXTRAGEN

DUAL PURPOSE TROGEN

PAGE 4

PAGE 6

PAGE 8

CUTTING SILOGEN

DUAL PURPOSE INTOGEN

INTENSIVE GRAZING DAIRYGEN

PAGE 4

PAGE 6

PAGE 8

RED CLOVER NYTROGEN

RED CLOVER PROTOGEN

GRAZING ALL GRAZE

PAGE 4

PAGE 7

PAGE 9

EXTREME DUAL PURPOSE

COUNTRY MEADOW

PAGE 7

PAGE 15

Organic

Stewardship

SHORT TERM PAGE 16

MEDIUM TERM PAGE 16

LONG TERM PAGE 17

LEY BOOSTER PAGE 17

Please refer to ForFarmers environmental brochure

Equine

Overseeding

HORSE PADDOCK

LEYBOOSTER CUTTING

PAGE 14

PAGE 10

HAY/HAYLAGE SHORT TERM

LEYBOOSTER GRAZING

PAGE 14

PAGE 10

HAY/HAYLAGE LONG TERM

LEYBOOSTER RED CLOVER

PAGE 15

PAGE 10

LEYBOOSTER DUAL PURPOSE PAGE 10

All ForFarmers grass seed mixtures are available in 20kg bags allowing the end user to select the correct sowing rate for time of sowing and field conditions. Disclaimer Any information provided in this catalogue is given in good faith and to the best of our existing knowledge. Any advice should therefore be taken as a general guide only and not relied upon for all conditions and circumstances. We cannot accept any legal liability for information given in this guide. In any instance where there are shortages in specified varieties we reserve the right to substitute equivalent varieties.

TOPGRASS Short Term Mixtures

PRIMOGEN - Advanced Italian (1-2 years) Contains: A two year intensive ley predominantly for cutting but will provide early grazing where required. 40%

PERUN

Advanced™ Italian Ryegrass

Heading date 23 May**

30%

FOX

Diploid Italian Ryegrass

Heading date 19 May**

30%

HUNTER

Tetraploid Italian Ryegrass

Heading date 17 May**

Sowing Rate 14-16kg/acre (35-40kg/ha) High yielding mixture up to 2 years duration Features Advanced™ Italian Ryegrass Perun for yield and quality

Multiple cuts of leafy, high quality silage Rapid regrowth & very responsive to fertiliser Heading date 17 - 23 May

SILOGEN - Short Term Multi-cut Silage (2-4 years) Contains: A two to four year intensive mixture for multiple silage cuts of the very best quality. These grasses are very responsive to fertiliser so return on investment is excellent. 25%

PERSEUS

Advanced™ Italian Ryegrass

Heading date 26 May**

35%

PERUN

Advanced™ Italian Ryegrass

Heading date 23 May**

20%

LOFA

Advanced™ Hybrid Ryegrass

Heading date 22 May**

20%

TETRAGRAZE

Tetraploid Hybrid Ryegrass

Heading date 19 May**

Sowing Rate 14-16kg/acre (35-40kg/ha) Excellent for intensive silage production 80% Advanced™ Ryegrass for yield & forage quality Deep rooting so will withstand extremes of the seasons

Will provide multiple quality cuts through the season Heading date 19 - 26 May

NYTROGEN - Short Term Red Clover (2-3 years) Contains: A two to three year ley intended for conservation. With a high Red Clover content this mixture will produce multi-cut silage throughout the growing season. 22%

PERSEUS

Advanced™ Italian Ryegrass

Heading date 26 May**

25%

PERUN

Advanced™ Italian Ryegrass

Heading date 23 May**

14%

LOFA

Advanced™ Hybrid Ryegrass

Heading date 22 May**

19%

TETRAGRAZE

Tetraploid Hybrid Ryegrass

Heading date 19 May**

10%

AMOS

Red Clover

10%

MAGELLAN

Red Clover

Sowing Rate 12-14 Kg/acre (30 – 35kg/ha) 61% Advanced™ Ryegrass for high yields & quality Deep rooting cultivars will improve soil structure and fertility whilst withstanding extremes of the seasons

Optimum Red Clover content aimed at high protein silage Heading date circa 19 - 26 May

The continued use of red clover can lead to long term soil borne disease problems. It is important to rotate area to ensure soil and plant health. ** Heading dates are based on figures for central England and should be adjusted for local conditions

Short Term Mixtures

CATCH CROP - Short Term Italian (1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2 years) A short term, highly productive blend of Italian Ryegrass which can be used for a number of applications, to replace failed crops, to sow after maize or to ensure compliance with single farm payment, winter soil programs etc. 50%

Diploid Italian Ryegrass

50%

Tetraploid Italian Ryegrass

Sowing Rate 13-16kg/acre (32-40kg/ha) Short term, highly productive Italian mix 50/50 mix of tetraploid and diploid

Rapid establishment. Can be cut or grazed Heading date 19 - 22 May

SPRINTER - Short Term Italian /Westerwolds (1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2 years) Contains: A short term mixture that is ideal for spring sowing. Autumn sowing should only be on frost free sites as Westerwolds may suffer from extreme cold conditions. 50%

MAJOR

Tetraploid Westerwolds Ryegrass

Heading date 16 May**

50%

DANERGO

Tetraploid Italian Ryegrass

Heading date 21 May**

Sowing Rate 13-16kg/acre (32-40kg/ha) Very vigorous in establishment Responsive to high fertiliser inputs

Very good disease resistance Heading date 16 - 21 May

WESTERWOLDS - Short Term (1 Year) Westerwolds Ryegrass is an annual species that is used in situations where rapid but short term production is required. Sow in early spring for a grazing crop 8 - 10 weeks post sowing or cutting 12 weeks post sowing. 100%

Tetraploid Westerwolds Ryegrass

Sowing Rate 12-16kg/acre (30-40kg/ha) (supplied in 25kg bags) Heading dates are based on figures for central England and should be adjusted for local conditions

TOPGRASS Medium Term Mixtures

EXTRAGEN - Medium Term Multi-cut Silage (3-4 years) Contains: An intensive silage mixture with a grazing option if required in the latter part of the season. A combination of excellent yield and forage quality varieties makes this a very adaptable mixture. 45%

LOFA

Advancedâ&#x201E;˘ Hybrid Ryegrass

Heading date 22 May**

15%

ABERECHO

Tetraploid Hybrid Ryegrass

Heading date 15 May**

15%

TETRAGRAZE

Tetraploid Hybrid Ryegrass

Heading date 19 May**

12.5%

NIFTY

Diploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 23 May**

12.5%

SEAGOE

Tetraploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 21 May**

Sowing Rate 14-15kg/acre (35-37kg/ha) Lofa combines yield and forage quality High yields for multi-cut silage 12.5% high DNDF from Nifty, 15% Aberecho for enhanced forage quality

Responds well to fertiliser application giving rapid re-growth An option with 7% white clover cutting blend is available Heading date 15 - 23 May

INTOGEN - Medium Term Cut and Graze (3-4 years) Contains: A versatile blend of Hybrid and Perennial Ryegrasses to give excellent yields whether being cut or grazed. A four year mixture that will adapt under differing management scenarios. 15%

ABERECHO

Tetraploid Hybrid Ryegrass

Heading date 15 May**

15%

TETRAGRAZE

Tetraploid Hybrid Ryegrass

Heading date 19 May**

17%

NIFTY

Diploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 23 May**

15%

ABERZEUS

Diploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 25 May**

14%

SEAGOE

Tetraploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 21 May**

17%

ABERAVON

Diploid Late Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 1 June**

WHITE CLOVER

Dual Purpose White Clover Blend

Sowing Rate 14-15kg/acre (35-37kg/ha) Quality first cut then either cut again or graze 47% Aber HSG varieties enhance forage quality 17% Nifty improves quality with high DNDF

A no clover option is available Heading date 15 May - 1 June

Heading dates are based on figures for central England and should be adjusted for local conditions

TOPGRASS Medium Term Mixtures PROTOGEN - Medium Term Red Clover (3-4 years) Contains: A four year mixture developed using Hybrid Ryegrasses and long lasting Aber Red Clovers. Advanced™ Hybrid Lofa makes this mixture a potent conservation mix. 45%

LOFA

Advanced™ Hybrid Ryegrass

Heading date 22 May**

17.5% ABERECHO

Tetraploid Hybrid Ryegrass

Heading date 15 May**

17.5% ABEREVE

Tetraploid Hybrid Ryegrass

Heading date 21 May**

10%

ABERCHIANTI

Red Clover

10 %

ABERCLARET

Red Clover

Sowing Rate 12-14kg/acre (30-35kg/ha) Lofa has a stunning combination of yield and forage quality Four full years for multi-cut silage production All grasses are hybrid types and are ideal partners to Red Clover

Contains high yielding persistent red clovers increasing yield and protein content Heading date 15 - 22 May

The continued use of red clover can lead to long term soil borne disease problems. It is important to rotate area to ensure soil and plant health.

EXTREME - Medium Term Dual Purpose (3-4 years) Contains: Formulated to provide a stress tolerant, dual purpose mixture, capable of providing forage high in protein and energy during the dry summer months. Includes AdvancedTM Grasses for maximum stress tolerance. 16% 12% 28% 16% 17% 5%

PERUN PERSEUS LOFA ROMARK ALFONSO RED CLOVER

Advanced™ Italian Ryegrass Advanced™ Italian Ryegrass Advanced™ Hybrid Ryegrass Diploid Late Perennial Ryegrass Tetraploid Late Perennial Ryegrass Red Clover Blend

WHITE CLOVER

Dual Purpose White Clover Blend

Heading date 23 May** Heading date 26 May** Heading date 22 May** Heading date 3 June** Heading date 1 June**

Sowing Rate 14-15kg/acre (35-37kg/ha) AdvancedTM Grasses are deep rooted and can tolerate both drought and high temperature Tetraploid cultivars are high in sugar and are very palatable providing forage throughout the summer months

Copes equally well in very wet soils Available without clover Heading date 22 May - 3 June

**Heading dates are based on figures for central England and should be adjusted for local conditions

TOPGRASS Long Term Mixtures

TROGEN - Long Term Cut and Graze (5+ years) Contains: Probably the best dual purpose mixture available. Utilising the very best of both More Milk high DNDF and Aber HSG grasses this mixture will produce both cutting and grazing swards of the highest calibre. 14%

NIFTY

Diploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 23 May**

14%

ABERZEUS

Diploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 25 May**

14%

DIWAN

Tetraploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 30 May**

12%

CANCAN

Diploid Late Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 11 June**

17%

ABERAVON

Diploid Late Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 1 June**

15%

TWYMAX

Tetraploid Late Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 6 June**

PROMESSE

Timothy

Heading date 10 June**

WHITE CLOVER

Dual Purpose White Clover Blend

Sowing Rate 14-15kg/acre (35-37kg/ha) Superb combination of varieties for yield and quality for all dual purpose requirements

31% Aber HSG Varieties enhance forage quality and intake

Timothy inclusion makes this ideal for colder, wetter soils

Available without clover or Timothy

Equally suited to silage, hay and grazing

Heading date 23 May - 11 June

55% High DNDF varieties to improve digestibility

DAIRYGEN - Long Term Intensive Grazing (5+ years) Contains: Intensive grazing, as the name suggests, is predominantly aimed at those pursuing more production from grazed grass. A combination of More Milk high DNDF and Aber HSG cultivars makes this the ultimate grazing ley. 15%

ABERGREEN

Diploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 29 May**

15%

ABERMAGIC

Diploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 27 May**

25%

ROMARK

Diploid Late Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 3 June**

25%

CANCAN

Diploid Late Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 11 June**

20%

ABERAVON

Diploid Late Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 1 June**

Sowing Rate 14-15kg/acre (35-37kg/ha) 100% Diploid Perennials for extreme sward density 50 / 50 high DNDF and high sugar varieties Abergreen exhibits season long yield and forage quality

Aberavon has excellent grazing yields Heading date 27 May - 11 June

Heading dates are based on figures for central England and should be adjusted for local conditions

TOPGRASS Long Term Mixtures

ALL GRAZE - Long Term Grazing (5+ years) Contains: A high quality grazing mixture aimed at all classes of livestock. An excellent grazing ley that will enable both liveweight gain and milk production from grazed grass. 15%

ABERGREEN

Diploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 29 May**

15%

ABERMAGIC

Diploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 27 May**

15%

DIWAN

Tetraploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 30 May**

15%

CANCAN

Diploid Late Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 11 June**

23%

ABERAVON

Diploid Late Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 1 June**

10%

ABERGAIN

Tetraploid Late Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 4 June**

WHITE CLOVER

Grazing Clover Blend

Sowing Rate 14-15kg/acre (35-37kg/ha) Contains 68% Diploid Perennials all excellent grazing quality varieties 7% White clover grazing blend

Suitable for all livestock Clover will allow a less intensive management regime Heading date 27 May - 11 June

Heading dates are based on figures for central England and should be adjusted for local conditions

TOPGRASS Overseeding Mixtures

LEYBOOSTER CUTTING

LEYBOOSTER DUAL PURPOSE

Contains:

30% LOFA

AdvancedTM Hybrid Ryegrass

Heading date 22 May**

30% CITELIAC

Tetraploid Hybrid Ryegrass

Heading date 20 May**

40% CITELIAC

Tetraploid Hybrid Ryegrass

Heading date 20 May**

30% DIWAN

Heading date 30 May**

20% DIWAN

Tetraploid intermediate Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 30 May**

Tetraploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass

30% ASPECT

Tetraploid Late Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 3 June**

10% WHITE CLOVER CUTTING CLOVER BLEND

10% WHITE CLOVER DUAL PURPOSE CLOVER BLEND

Sowing Rate 10kg/acre (25kg/ha)

Available without clover Heading date 20 May - 30 May

Available without clover Heading date 20 May - 3 June

LEYBOOSTER GRAZING

LEYBOOSTER RED CLOVER

Contains:

Contains: Tetraploid intermediate Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 30 May**

20% ALFONSO

Tetraploid Late Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 1 June**

25% ASPECT

Tetraploid Late Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 3 June**

25% SOLAS

Tetraploid Late Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 7 June**

20% DIWAN

35% LOFA

AdvancedTM Hybrid Ryegrass

Heading date 22 May**

40% CITELIAC

Tetraploid Hybrid Ryegrass

Heading date 20 May**

25% RED CLOVER RED CLOVER BLEND Sowing Rate 10kg/acre (25kg/ha) Heading date 20 May - 22 May

10% WHITE CLOVER GRAZING CLOVER BLEND Sowing Rate 10kg/acre (25kg/ha) Available without clover Heading date 30 May - 7 June

All ForFarmers TOPGRASS overseeding mixtures contain ProNitro® to increase forage yield. Please see page 26 for further information on ProNitro®

Alternative Forage Crops Plantain

Plantain is a ribbed leafy perennial herb with a fibrous root system which can produce a forage crop for both cattle and sheep The leaves are spear shaped and scarcely toothed with three to seven strong parallel veins to a short stalk which can withstand higher temperatures in the Summer The forage produced is vary palatable, high in protein (up to 23%) and provides an excellent source of calcium, sodium, copper and selenium It has a deep tap root which makes Plantain particularly drought resistant but not as drought tolerant as chicory or red clover Similar to Chicory, Plantain it is not a legume and would require a source of nitrogen Can remain productive for 2 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3 years and can be grown on its own at a rate of 8-10 kg / acre or mixed with a grass and clover ley at a rate of 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2 kg / acre Best suited to spring sowing but with latest sowing date of July The crop should not be grazed until the plant has six fully grown leaves and the root system is fully developed. Once at this stage it can be rotationally grazed and have a faster regrowth potential

Chicory

Highly palatable perennial herb, which is an excellent source of high quality feed for finishing stock with high dry matter content Persistent crop with thick, deep tap root which is drought tolerant and helps fill the mid summer grazing gap Can be grown on its own at a rate of 2.5kg / acre or with grass at a rate of 0.25 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1 kg / acre, but damage to the crown must be avoided as this reduces productivity and persistency Performs better in dry conditions and needs 14-16 weeks growth before full production is achieved. Some newer varieties can last up to five years Provides essential minerals to grazing stock, including zinc, potassium and copper and does not cause bloat Perennial chicory in mixes has increased daily live weight gain and reduced finishing time in lambs and helps reduce the effects of internal parasites

Sainfoin

A silage or hay crop with grazing aftermath for dry, alkaline soils It is a high-yielding, drought-resistant plant which needs no nitrogen fertiliser and little phosphate Will not cause bloat, is a natural anthelmintic and, with rumen protected protein, produces top quality meat and milk Protein levels range up to 25% according to growth stage. The protein is largely undegradable in the rumen due to the presence of tannins Intake is 20-40% greater than for grass on account of its very high palatability. Sainfoin has a lower fibre content than grass or other legumes with the exception of white clover Sainfoin has been shown to give the highest liveweight gains compared with other forages due to efficiency of protein uptake by the animal Sainfoin has an extended period of flowering and is very attractive to bees

Mixed Herbs

While mixed herbs are low yielding plants, they have the ability to supply different trace elements and minerals; Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Potassium The minerals improve horses bone structure especially when young Can increase sward density and produce a well balanced forage Herbs establish easily and blend well into a sward and recover well from grazing Some deep rooting herbs will improve soil structure and drainage Herbal leys are an excellent source of forage, providing very good animal performance in terms of liveweight gain and milk production as well as providing a healthy, wholesome and nutritionally-balanced natural feed Grass leys with herbs need to be sown in the spring into warm soils

Protein Crops

12 Home Grown legume Benefits:-

Less reliance on bought in fertiliser – Clover can deliver 150 – 350kg / N /ha / year Increases forage intake Increases forage protein levels

Increase in palatability / rumen function Improvement in soil structure and fertility Improved drought tolerance

Grass and Clover Mixtures Grass and clover mixtures produce significantly proven yield benefits, compared to the same varieties sown individually. White clover is selected to withstand being grazed or cut, so the companion grass depends on the primary use of the sward. i.e. grazing or cutting. The ideal grass is ryegrass as it has good nitrogen efficiency and this means it can convert the nitrates produced by the clover into plant yield.

White Clover

Red Clover

Less productive than red clover but is much more persistent. It fills the mid summer ‘hungry gap’ Best suited in medium to long term mixtures and can be sown throughout the year Optimum soil pH is 6.0 - 6.5 and the crop has a high demand for phosphate and potash Leaf sizes are classed as small, medium or large and performance varies in terms of yield, seasonality and persistency under different management regimes. Small - continuous sheep grazing. Medium - Rotational sheep grazing, Continuous cattle grazing or cutting. Large - Cutting, Rotational cattle grazing All clover varieties in ForFarmers mixtures are specially selected and matched to suit the sward use. Sowing rate 1 - 4.5 kg / acre (7 - 10 % of the mixture weight) Ruminant livestock may consume 20 - 30 % more white clover than grass, assuming equal access which will increase live weight gains White clover has a higher digestibility, protein and mineral content than grass only swards. White clover can increase the crude protein content of first cut silage by 1% for every 10% increase in the amount of clover in the sward Quality characteristics

High yielding, tufted perennial plant with a productive lifespan of 2- 4 years. (some newer varieties lasting 4 - 5 years). Upright growth habit from the crown of the plant which lies at ground level and has a deep tap root The crown restricts its use for grazing and it is essentially a species for silage production which can be cut 3 - 4 times a year Potential to produce high yields of protein rich forage (typically around 15 - 20 % crude protein) with a high level of aerobic stability Ideal companion grasses are hybrid ryegrasses and the Advance grasses which are aggressive enough to compete in the sward containing a high percentage of red clover Sowing rate 2 - 3 kg / acre - in a mixture Red clover can fix between 150 - 250 kg N / ha / year and red clover / ryegrass swards can produce 10 - 15 t DM/ha / year Has significant benefits as a break crop in mixed farming due to its ability to improve soil structure and soil nitrogen status. It is a key forage and fertility building crop for organic farms Comparison of average silage and red clover silage

White Clover

Perennial Ryegrass

Average grass silage

Average red clover silage

Digestibility (D-value) (%)

75 - 85

65 - 85

DM %

34.8

25 - 30

Crude Protein (%)

25 - 28

16 - 18

D value %

60 - 70

Calcium content (%)

1.6

0.6

Magnesium content (%)

0.18

0.16

ME (Mj/Kg DM)

10.6

9.8 - 11.4

Phosphorus (%)

0.18

0.16

Crude Protein %

13.8

14 - 19

Copper (parts / million)

10.0

6.5

4.6

4.0 - 4.5

Selenium (parts / 100 million

0.6

0.2

Ammonia (% N of total N)

8.8

Protein Crops

Lucerne Lucerne is one of the most underrated and underutilised forage crops available to livestock farmers. Using Advancedâ&#x201E;˘ Grasses with Lucerne 50% Advanced Grass 50% Lucerne

Lucerne

Advanced Grass

Yield DM / Ha

9.5

14.5

14.4

% protein in DM

19.7

11.4

17.9

% Digestible organic matter

70.0

74.9

72.7

Sowing Guidelines Always ensure that the seed sown is treated with an inoculant Sow between April and mid August The seed should be sown into a fine, firm seedbed at 8 - 10kg per acre Sow at a depth of 6 - 12mm in loamy soils and 12 - 25mm in sandy soils where moisture may be limited High yielding, multi â&#x20AC;&#x201C; cut crop with 4 years duration. Target dry matter production is 12-14t DM /ha/year from 3 - 4 cuts Excellent in drought conditions- thrives in deep free draining soils due to its deep tap root Soil pH of 6.5 - 7 is essential for rapid establishment and will also ensure activity of nitrogen fixing Rhizobium bacteria within the root nodules. Lucerne can fix up to approximately 250 kg N/ha/year Lucerne is a good complement for maize silage due to its protein and certain minerals High fibre to support good rumen health Rations of 30% Lucerne silage can improve milk yield and fertility

Vetch Common vetch fixes large amounts of nitrogen but it is also high in protein. Vetch can be used alone or in a mixture with grasses. Vetch is an aggressive plant which bulks up quickly but has an open enough growth habit to allow the ley mixture underneath sufficient room to establish. Adding a vetch cover crop to a ley mixture is a good way to boost yields in the short term. Deep rooting and improves soil structure Highly productive and protein rich Can be sown in both Spring and Autumn Ideal companion to grass and red clover

Harvesting Guidelines Mid to late bud is identified as the best timing indicator for harvest Cutting too early should therefore be avoided as the persistence of the crop is dramatically reduced Cutting too late (first flowering stage) results in lower quality material which is high in indigestible cellulose Timing is critical as lucerne must be allowed to build up root reserves before being re-harvested. Root reserves are at a minimum around 3 weeks after cutting when there is around 15 - 20cm of re-growth on the crop Typically 4 cuts per year could be taken from late May to mid October with approximately 70% annual yield coming from the first two cuts

TOPGRASS Equine, Hay & Haylage Mixtures

HORSE PADDOCK Contains: A mixture designed to withstand the worst effects of poaching and sward degradation which is so often apparent with horse and pony paddocks. We have included cultivars which will exhibit good tolerance to stress, provide a dense grass cover to help eliminate harsh treatment by the animalsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; feet and also to provide forage of a low sugar content and high fibre content. The ley can also provide good quality hay, albeit of a softish nature. It is advisable to overseed paddocks each year in the autumn to ensure good ground cover for the following year and good grass cover for feeding and recreational usage. 25%

SOLOMON

Diploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 17 May**

15%

BOYNE

Diploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 19 May**

35%

GLENVEAGH

Diploid Late Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 1 June**

10%

PROMESSE

Timothy

Heading date 10 June**

15%

MAXIMA

Creeping Red Fescue

Sowing Rate: 15-20kg/acre (37-49kg/ha)

Overseeding Rate: 10kg/acre (25kg/ha)

Designed to produce a persistent dense hard wearing sward suitable for horses or ponies Palatable balanced grazing mix Suitable for producing a cut of hay

Creeping Red Fescue included to bind the sward to quickly repair damage by horses Inclusion of timothy to improve palatability Heading date 17 May - 10 June

HAYMAX SHORT TERM Contains: A blend of Italian Ryegrasses to produce quality hay or haylage. The mixture is of 2 years duration and is based on diploid species of Italian Ryegrass and Hybrid Ryegrass. 29%

PERUN

Advanced TM Italian Ryegrass

Heading date 23 May**

29%

PERSEUS

Advanced TM Italian Ryegrass

Heading date 26 May**

42%

ALAMO

Diploid Italian Ryegrass

Heading date 19 May**

Sowing Rate: 14-15kg/acre (35-37kg/ha)

Will provide excellent yields of either hay or haylage Very good early spring growth Suitable for multi-cut options if required

Varieties have excellent disease resistance Heading date 19 - 26 May

Heading dates are based on figures for central England and should be adjusted for local conditions

TOPGRASS Equine Mixes Do Not Contain Clover or Tetraploid Grasses (high sugar varieties) which could contribute to problems associated with laminitis

TOPGRASS Equine, Hay & Haylage Mixtures

HAYMAX LONG TERM Contains: A mixture of 5 years duration provides excellent yields and can be used for both hay and haylage. We do not recommend mixing diploid and tetraploid varieties as this can lead to uneven conditioning of the sward, therefore we only use diploid varieties. 25%

GENESIS

Diploid Early Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 10 May**

15%

SOLOMAN

Diploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 17 May**

32%

BOYNE

Diploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 19 May**

14%

GLENVEAGH

Diploid Late Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 1 June**

14%

PROMESSE

Timothy

Heading date 10 June**

Sowing Rate: 14-15kg/acre (35-37kg/ha)

Excellent resistance to foliar diseases Outstanding yields for both hay and haylage

Timothy improves summer yield and sward structure Heading date 10 May - 10 June

COUNTRY MEADOW Contains: A traditional style mixture based around the use of non aggressive grass species like meadow fescue, timothy and meadow grass. These species formed the basis of very early reseeding mixtures of pasture land in the early 1900â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, long before more intensive farming was the norm. With the advent of farming policy reviews over the last few years, there has been a resurgence of interest in the more extensive ways of producing meat. The following mixture was designed to fill the gap between the more progressive dairy farmer and the land manager who is looking towards lower input and a more environmental approach to farming. The following mixture will make very good hay useful for a winter feed for many types of animal. 40%

MEADOW FESCUE

10%

ROUGH STALKED MEADOW GRASS

21%

TIMOTHY

11%

SMOOTH STALKED MEADOW GRASS

10%

CREEPING RED FESCUE

CRESTED DOGSTAIL

MEADOW FOXTAIL

Sowing Rate: 14-15kg/acre (35-37kg/ha)

Can be grazed or made into hay or haylage Will tolerate very wet conditions

Smooth Stalked Meadow Grass, will withstand the worst effects of summer heat and drought

TOPGRASS Organic Mixtures

SHORT TERM - 70% Organic (3 years) A very high yielding mixture which is designed for maximum production over a 2-3 year period and will provide high protein and sugar levels. The mixture also benefits from the stress tolerance of the AdvancedTM Ryegrass. 35%

PERUN

AdvancedTM Italian Ryegrass Organic

Heading date 23 May**

35%

DANERGO

Tetraploid Italian Ryegrass Organic

Heading date 21 May**

10%

LOFA

AdvancedTM Hybrid Ryegrass

Heading date 22 May**

20%

RED CLOVER

Red Clover Blend

Sowing Rate 14-15kg/acre (35-37kg/ha) Excellent disease resistance High dry matter yields with high levels of digestibility Open growth habit allows clover to thrive

High inclusion rate of red clover Aftermath grazing potential Heading date 21 - 23 May

MEDIUM TERM - 70% Organic (3-4 years) A mixture to provide very high yields of forage for both cutting and or grazing, principally designed to give a very heavy first cut of silage with an optional second cut and grazing thereafter. 11%

PREMIUM

Diploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass Organic

Heading date 27 May**

10%

SOLID

Tetraploid Hybrid Ryegrass Organic

Heading date 16 May**

10%

MAGICIAN

Tetraploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass Organic

Heading date 20 May**

15%

PASTOUR

Diploid Late Perennial Ryegrass Organic

Heading date 4 June**

16%

POLIM

Tetraploid Late Perennial Ryegrass Organic

Heading date 3 June**

10%

GLENVEAGH

Diploid Late Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 1 June**

SOLOMON

Diploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 17 May**

DOLINA

Timothy Organic

Heading date 9 June**

WHITE CLOVER

Dual Purpose White Clover Blend

RED CLOVER BLEND

Red Clover Blend

Sowing Rate 14-15kg/acre (35-37kg/ha) Medium term flexible cutting or grazing mix Optimum production throughout growing season High clover content improves sward quality Heading date 20 May - 9 June ** Heading dates are based on figures for central England and should be adjusted for local conditions

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Check with your organic certification officer with regards to sowing 70% organic mixes as you must obtain approval prior to your next annual inspectionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Selected perennials to ensure hard wearing productive sward Red Clover improves yields in 1st two years and fixes extra nitrogen

TOPGRASS Organic Mixtures

LONG TERM - 70% Organic (5+ years) Top quality Perennial Ryegrass varieties form the basis of this blend providing top yields and quality. The varieties have been chosen for their ability to produce quality forage within a low input scenario. 20%

MAGICIAN

Tetraploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass Organic

Heading date 20 May**

15%

PASTOUR

Diploid Late Perennial Ryegrass Organic

Heading date 4 June**

10%

ROMARK

Diploid Late Perennial Ryegrass Organic

Heading date 3 June**

15%

POLIM

Tetraploid Late Perennial Organic

Heading date 3 June**

20%

CANCAN

Diploid Late Perennial Ryegrass

Heading date 11 June**

10%

DOLINA

Timothy Organic

Heading date 9 June**

10%

WHITE CLOVER

Grazing Blend

Sowing Rate 14-15kg/acre (35-37kg/ha) 5+ years permanent pasture Clover fixes nitrogen and improves protein and digestibility

Selected perennials maximise sward density and production

Timothy improves winter hardiness and persistence

Heading date 20 May - 11 June

LEY BOOSTER - 70% Organic 35%

MAGICIAN

Tetraploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass Organic

Heading date 20 May**

35%

POLIM

Tetraploid Late Perennial Ryegrass Organic

Heading date 3 June**

15%

LOFA

AdvancedTM Hybrid Ryegrass

Heading date 22 May**

15%

WHITE CLOVER

Dual Purpose Blend

Sowing Rate 10kg/acre (25kg/ha) Suitable for sowing after cutting or hard grazing in spring or autumn Tops up sward by preventing weed grass ingress

Improves sward quality Available without clover Heading date 20 May - 3 June

Heading dates are based on figures for central England and should be adjusted for local conditions

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Check with your organic certification officer with regards to sowing 70% organic mixes as you must obtain approval prior to your next annual inspectionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Organic Farming Products

Soil Nutrient Products Suitable for Organic use Terrafed™ Liquid Carbon-based Fertiliser

Phosphate Range

Nitrogen (N) 0.5% Phosphorus (P) 0.0% Potassium (K) 1.7% Potassium Oxide soluble in water 2.0% Terrafed™ is a combination of complex carbon sources and balanced crop nutrients which supplies readily available carbon as sucrose, to feed soil biology and enhance plant nutrient availability. Readily-available carbon is the most critical nutrient for the growth and health of soil microbe populations which directly supports healthy and productive soils. Terrafed™ enhances fertiliser performance resulting in an average 9% increase in yield as demonstrated in UK trials, providing more than a 10:1 return on investment. The liquid carbon based soil nutrients supplied by Terrafed™ have been certified for use on organic farms by the Soil Association and can be applied to maize, cereals, potatoes, grassland, lucerne/alfalfa, vegetables, fruit/herbs. Typical application rates are 10-50l/ha; with specific application rates based on crop and soil type. For information regarding specific application rates, application methods, and mixing and handling instructions, consult with your ForFarmers Forage Specialist. Terrafed™ is delivered in IBC or bulk delivery to farm plastic storage tanks.

All the benefits of Phosmin with Sulphate of Potash added to suit requirements. N

SO3

CaO

Basic Powder F001078 (ORG)

29.5

Phosmin (ORG)

F001079

Natural 1* (Granular)

F000319

Natural 2* (Granular)

F001954

Natural 3* (Granular)

F000164

Product

Code

*These grades are Soil Association approved but are restricted and therefore require derogation. Basic powder (ORG) and Phosmin (ORG) are fully approved and unrestricted.

Silage Additives Suitable for Organic use GRASS SILAGE CLAMP

GRASS SILAGE BALED

Fermentation

Performance

ECOSYL 100

SILASURE

Aerobic Stability

SIL-ALL PLUS

ADVANCE GRASS

WHOLECROP

Performance

ECOCOOL

SIL-ALL PLUS

ECOCOOL

Aerobic Stability

MAIZE

Fermentation

Performance

SILASURE MAIZE

ADVANCE WHOLECROP

ADVANCE MAIZE

ECOCOOL

SIL-ALL MAIZE PLUS

Aerobic Stability All of the above is for information only. Always check with your organic association for further guidelines.

Forage Focus Update Grass multi-cut systems gain popularity Higher dry matter intakes, higher milk solids, reduced concentrate cost and improved rumen health are just some of the benefits of taking the ‘multi-cut’ approach to silage making practised widely in Europe and particular by Dutch and Danish dairy farmers. Cutting grass for silage at an earlier growth stage, more frequently and achieving high dry matters can significantly improve farm income by providing more home-grown energy and protein, so reducing reliance on purchased feeds. However for best results a nutrient management plan, the right fertiliser programme, reseeding policy, grass varieties and growth stage all play a part. Selected ForFarmers TOPGRASS mixtures are suited to the multi-cut system.

Advanced grasses (Festuloliums) Having been used on some farms for a number of years the full benefits of Advanced Grasses are now being understood. An Advanced grass is a fescue and ryegrass cross which creates a variety that has high forage quality combined with good persistence, stress tolerance and disease resistance. In trials yield increases of between 10 and 50% are common and response to frequent cutting is good. The Advanced Italian Perseus is producing yields over 22 tonnes DM/ha and the Advanced Hybrid Lofa is producing yields of 21.6 t DM/ ha compared to a tetraploid intermediate Perennial ryegrass yielding 17.4 t DM/ha. ForFarmers TOPGRASS leys feature these new varieties.

Lucerne Recent developments in plant breeding make lucerne one of the most exciting forage crops available to livestock farmers. With improvements in digestibility new varieties perform well in drought conditions, with a duration of 4 years where it can be cut multiple times. The target dry matter production is 12 – 14 t DM/ha/year from 3 – 4 cuts. As well as good yields lucerne can produce crude protein levels in excess of 18% and can fix up to 250 kg /N/ha/year. Rations of 30% lucerne silage have potential to improve milk yield and fertility.

Pinnacle maize seed Following the breeding success of Ambition from Limagrain a new variety is to be added to the recommended list in 2019 called Pinnacle. Using the breeding success of Ambition, Pinnacle has reached new heights with a starch yield of 110% on less favourable sites. Along with a cell wall digestibility value of 58.8% Pinnacle is proving to be very successful on farm, providing good yields and a highly digestible maize crop for today’s progressive farmer. The high digestibility improves feed intake and sitting in the early maturity category means an early harvest, which allows for follow on crops to be sown. Book early with ForFarmers to ensure seed availability for the 2018 growing season.

Silage additive developments Energy losses from field to feed-out in a well managed system can typically be up to 25% which is not obvious to most farmers, but where do they occur? Approximately half of these losses happen before opening the clamp and half occur after. Fermentation is a very necessary, but potentially wasteful process in energy and protein terms. Ironically the better the nutritional quality of the material the greater the losses are likely to be, as feed for livestock is also feed for bacteria, yeast and mould activity within the silage Rapid clamp filling, appropriate compaction, effective sealing and consistent top weight followed by shear grab use on a fast moving face are the basic requirements to manage losses. Most silage inoculants can help in speeding up fermentation, so reducing protein breakdown and energy loss before opening. This effect alone has been consistently proven to be worth an extra litre per cow per day or up to an extra 10% live weight gain. Of the different types of additives proven to reduce losses after opening and during feed-out, ForFarmers work with leading manufacturers to supply the latest technology.

Fertiliser with Sulphur, Selenium and Sodium Due to less atmospheric pollution, current rates of sulphur deposition are enough for only 50% of the requirement for a single cut of grass silage, however adding sulphur can improve dry matter yield by as much as 27.5%. The quality of grass protein, due to the N:S ratio and higher amounts of sulphur containing amino acids methionine and cysteine, can also be improved. Around 88% of soils and 83% of grass samples are low in selenium, but the positive effect of the trace element on mastitis and herd fertility is dramatic at around 50% improvement. ForFarmers supplies fertiliser containing sodium and selenium for use on grassland to help boost the cow’s immune system and fertility. Addition of sodium to fertiliser has been shown to improve palatability and grass intake leading to increased milk production which is particularly useful in a grazing system.

For more Forage Focus Update information please contact your local ForFarmers account manager or email info.forage@forfarmers.eu

Forage Quality

ForFarmers can offer a range of quality grass leys for all farming situations. We have combined the latest varieties on the grass and clover recommended list available from leading grass breeders, DLF and Germinal, to create the TOPGRASS mixture range for today’s livestock producer. As well as yield, persistency and disease resistance TOPGRASS mixtures benefit from leading edge research and include many varieties with exceptional cell wall Digestibility (DNDF) and high sugar (WSC).

Fibre Digestibility (DNDF) and High Sugar (WSC) The key to achieving more meat and milk from forage. For Farmers A4 page_Layout 1 10/12/2015 10:47 Page 2

Breeders have spent many years successfully improving the yield and disease resistance of grass varieties. Now the main goal is to improve forage quality – in particular the sugar content (WSC) and the fibre digestibility (DNDF). Germinal

Fibre Digestibility (DNDF) The benefits of using grasses with high DNDF are far reaching, from improving milk yield and live weight gain to rumen health and the reducing nitrogen released into the atmosphere by up to 4.9%. High DNDF forage will help rumen pH to remain stable allowing cattle to increase dry matter intake and therefore increase production from home grown forage Trials show 3-6% difference in cell wall digestibility (DNDF) between listed varieties Every 1% increase in DNDF results in 0.25 litres more milk/cow/day A 4% increase in DNDF = 1 litre of milk/day = £85/cow/year This equates to £17,000/year for a 200-cow herd

The science behind Aber High Sug

High Sugar (WSC)

The science be Aber High SugarinGrass Water-soluble carbohydrates grass are the sugars found plant cells, rather than more complex Aber High Sug forinside milktheproduction carbohydrates that make up cell walls. They quickly fuel 6% more milk per the rumen microbes to process more of the protein into cow over grazing season milk and meat. Under grazing management high sugar matter intakes up Cattle and sheep are inefficient at grassDry is efficiently utilised thus leading to higher intakes. by 2kg/head per day 3% improvement in diet digestibility

6% more milk over the grazing season 24% less feed nitrogen

lost in urinepalatability and higher forage intake A major reason for these losses is Improved

available energy and protein withi broken down when feed enters th readily available energy, rumen mi 3% Improvement in overall plant digestibility nitrogen released from the feed. T of the nitrogen being absorbed as Up to 24% reduction in loss of feed nitrogen eventually excreted.

20% higher live weight gain

Aber High Sugar Grass for beef production from feeding high sugar grass Dry matter intakes increased by around 25% Improved palatability

High DNDF Perennial Ryegrass varieties Intermediate diploid

Nifty

Intermediate tetraploid

Diwan Romark Cancan Alfonso

Late tetraploid Twymax

Grass cell walls consist of comple hemicellulose and lignin. Although broken down to provide energy, th and often out of balance with the

20% higher daily Water soluble carbohydrates in gr liveweight gains High WSC Perennial Ryegrass varieties the plant cells, rather than in the c Slaughter weights reached more quickly

AberEve

Hybrid tetraploid

Late diploid

milk and meat. When grazing con only about 20% of protein from th of the rest is wasted in urine. This it is detrimental to the environmen

AberEcho

Aber High Sugar Grass AberGreen for lamb production

Higher forage intakes Intermediate diploid

20% higher liveweight gains

20% higher carrying capacity of Aber HSG sward

Late diploid

AberMagic AberZeus AberAvon AberBite

Late tetraploid AberGain

Aber® and Aber® HSG are registered trademarks of Germinal Holdings Ltd

carbohydrate in the cells walls, the available energy soon after forage rumen microbes to process more can then be used in the productio than being excreted.

This is why livestock perform bett sugar levels.

Research at IBERS Aberystwyth U HSG varieties have consistently h standard varieties, throughout an levels up to 50% higher than cont some Aber HSG varieties.

gar Grass

AdvancedTM Grasses

Advanced™ Grasses are created by crossing Fescues with Ryegrasses. The objective of this Advanced™ hybrid breeding is to create grass varieties with high forage quality combined with good persistence, stress tolerance and disease resistance.Yield increases of between 10% and 50% are common when DLF varieties of Advanced™ Grasses are tested in trials. Italian/Hybrid

PERSEUS & PERUN All the attributes of an Italian Ryegrass with additional yield Demonstrate improved persistence and stress tolerance Ideal for short term mixtures which last up to 3 years Can replace Italian and hybrid Ryegrass in a silage and aftermath grazing mixture Quick to recover after drought / wet conditions

Perun Perseus Italian Hybrid

Yield

Persistence

✱✱✱✱✱ ✱✱✱✱✱ ✱✱✱✱✱ ✱✱✱✱

✱✱✱ ✱✱✱ ✱✱ ✱✱✱

LOFA

ehind LOFA has the broadest appeal of all Advanced™ Grasses It has all the attributes of a hybrid Ryegrass but exhibits gar Grasses

improved persistence and stress tolerance over standard hybrid Ryegrass varieties Ideal component in medium term mixtures at converting grass protein into Persistence, being similar to standard hybrid Ryegrass, nventional grass, livestock use matches the expected duration of the vast majority of he herbage for production – most medium term mixtures currently used in the UK s is not only a waste of money, but nt. Provides extra yield and quality in your ley

s the imbalance between readily in the grass. Proteins are rapidly he rumen but, when the diet lacks microbes are able to use less of the This results in a large proportion Suitable to s ammonia and

Hybrid

Lofa Hybrid Perennial

FOJTAN & MAHULENA

Yield

Persistence

✱✱✱✱✱ ✱✱✱✱ ✱✱✱✱

✱✱✱ ✱✱✱ ✱✱✱✱

Tall Fescue

go into all types of mixture Complement perennial and hybrid Ryegrasses along with ex carbohydrates called cellulose, Lucerne or Red Clover h these components can be Advanced™ Tall Fescue increases the persistency of a his is a relatively slow process mixture as they are able to tolerate challenging and e breakdown of protein. grass are the sugars stressful found insideconditions cell walls themselves. Unlike therooting system which means a greater tolerance Deeper hese sugars are a source of readily to drythe conditions e enters the rumen, fuelling

Fojtan Mahulena Perennial Tall Fescue Meadow Fescue

Yield

Persistence

✱✱✱ ✱✱✱ ✱✱✱✱ ✱✱ ✱✱

✱✱✱✱✱ ✱✱✱✱✱ ✱✱✱✱ ✱✱✱✱✱ ✱✱✱✱✱

e of the grass protein. This protein on of milk and meat, rather

AdvancedTM Grasses Performance Data

ter off forage with higher

% Protein ME D-Value Content MJ/KG DM

Yield T DM/Ha

% Sugar Content

17.63

10.4

22.5

11.4

71.4

Tall Fescue

16.37

12.5

19.8

11.4

71.6

PERSEUS AdvancedTM Italian Ryegrass

22.68

12.2

21.6

11.3

71.1

LOFA AdvancedTM Hybrid Ryegrass

21.69

12.0

21.9

11.3

71.1

University has shown that Aber higher levels of sugars than ny grass growingHYKOR season. WSC TM ntrols have beenAdvanced recorded in

Tall Fescue

Tetraploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass

Advanced™ Grasses on the right have higher yields

✱ = Poor > ✱ ✱ ✱ ✱ ✱ = Excellent 17.37

12.1

24.8

11.4

71.9

The varieties compared in the tables above are for reference only. Comparing festulolium performance vs the specific species varieties. Individual performance may vary.

Weed & Pest Control for Grass Leys

Pre Cultivation Clean Up

Pest Control

Reseeding grassland regularly is the best way to maintain beneficial grass species and therefore grass yield. However, to get the best from a reseed it is important to start with a clean slate. Spraying off the old ley with glyphosate before cultivating the field will ensure all the weeds and weed grasses are dead before you plant any new seed. Just ploughing may not necessarily kill the roots of weeds and they may establish in your new grass ley. Glyphosate will kill the whole plant including the roots giving you the best chance to establish a clean grass ley.

Old grass leys will often contain Frit fly and Leatherjackets. These pests can decimate a new grass ley rendering a field bare. Top Tips to help prevent frit fly damage • Where possible, leave a long gap between ploughing and reseeding grass, ideally 6-10 weeks but a minimum of 2 weeks removing the frit fly food source • Establish a summer break crop, typically a fast growing spring sown brassica again denying the frit fly a food source • Reseed using TOPGRASS leys which include the biostimulent GroMax. This ensures a rapid establishment which will help if frit fly attack

OLD GRASS LEY FULL OF BROAD LEAF WEEDS AND WEED GRASSES

MAY

JUNE

2nd Cut Silage

1st Cut Silage

Cultivate and leave > two weeks Cultivate and leave > two weeks

FRIT FLY DAMAGE IN A NEW LEY

JULY

Cultivate and leave > two weeks

AUG

SEPT

Sow Stubble Turnip or Forage Rape

Sow Swede or Kale Sow Stubble Turnip or Forage Rape

MARCH

APRIL

Plough > and leave two weeks

Sow TOPGRASS Ley

Plough > and leave two weeks

Sow TOPGRASS Ley

Risk of Frit Fly Damage

Slugs can damage autumn sown leys Autumn sown leys can be vulnerable to slugs. Careful monitoring of newly sown leys is vital to check for slug feeding activity and trails. Top Tips to prevent slugs • Plough if possible, especially if following catch crops such as kale or forage rape • Create a fine well consolidated seed bed which is good for germination but bad for slug mobility

• Be aware direct and late drilled leys pose a high risk • Be prepared to apply a quality slug pellet to control slug populations

ANY CHEMICAL TREATMENTS MUST BE RECOMMENDED BY A BASIS QUALIFIED AGRONOMIST. THE ABOVE NOTES ARE FOR GENERAL GUIDANCE ONLY.

GroMax and ProNitro®

Biostimulants do not offer the benefit of added nutrients; they simply assist the seedlings ability to take advantage of the soils own inherent reserves of nutrient by stimulating the soils microflora, resulting in improved root growth and establishment.

TOPGR ASS mixtur es cont GroMa ain x as stan dard

Ingredient Summary Humic Acids

Sucrose

Rich in auxin type substances which enhance antioxidant synthesis – important in increasing plant metabolism under stress conditions Serve as an important high carbon food source for soil micro-organisms Improve the permeability of cell-wall membranes in roots, allowing more rapid absorption of essential nutrients

Seaweed Extract

Serves as a high energy food source for plant and soil micro-organisms

B Complex & K Vitamins Act as important catalysts to enhance and drive plant metabolism. Vitamin B1 is widely used as a rooting aid

Amino Acids Form the building blocks of proteins-essential for plant growth and metabolism

Contains high levels of cytokinins which promote cell division and lateral root growth and delay the ageing process of plant tissue Stimulates root growth after damage by disease or root feeding insects, or under conditions of temperature, water or salt stress

Potassium Plays a vital role in disease resistance and overall hardiness of grass plants

- The Nitrogen Seed Coating ForFarmers overseeding mixtures are all available with ProNitro® seed treatment, while every seed is coated with nitrogen fertiliser in both fast and slow release forms to form a coating to give the seed an extra boost. This unique, precision targeted fertiliser coating feeds only the sown seed and not the surrounding sward, resulting in less weeds and improved establishment vigour at the most crucial stage in the overseeding process.

Sow from 10kg/acre (25kg/ha) Feeds the seed and not the surrounding grass giving up to 34% more viable plants and up to 30% increase in root growth Can increase forage yield and therefore benefit from more meat and milk production Targeted nutrient application which can reduce losses to the environment by up to 50%

Drilling Method and ProNitro® Seed Establishment Response ASS TOPGR eding Overse s e mixtur o® o Pr Nitr contain dard as stan

Disc Drill + ProNitro® Disc Drill + Grass Harrow + ProNitro® Harrow + Grass 0

100

150

Benefits of Reseeding

Currently only 5% of agricultural grassland is reseeded and permanent grass leys play a signiﬁcant role in UK production. As grass varieties are constantly improved, reseeding can produce over £500/acre potential extra milk production. Using new improved varieties can give 33% more yield than a typical ﬁve year ley. Over the next four years, DM yield will be 10% higher.

Reseeding Beneﬁts New improved varieties Increased palatability Increased protein Improved nitrogen efficiency Reduced nitrogen requirement Opportunity to review soil compaction and any weed issues Less disease – cycles are broken

Assess the Sward The amount of ryegrass (or other sown species) is a better indicator for a need to reseed than the actual age of the ley. As the ley increases in age, the yield potential falls to as much as 50% after five years. Reseeding should be considered when sown species fall below 40%. Weed grasses e.g annual meadow grass make up the rest. These offer less yield, poor feed quality and low response to nitrogen. The easiest indicator of assessing the amount of sown species in a ley is to review the quantity of grass that has a red colour at its base. Although there is obviously a cost in reseeding this will be quickly gained back in extra milk production. It is also important to address other issues that might reduce output, before reseeding, to ensure maximum benefit.

Reseeding Beneﬁts By selecting a recommended listed grass mix you will benefit from scientifically proven yield benefits and allows you to capitalise on the strengths of different species Using the recommended list provides information on the best performing grasses and clovers available. Varieties on the list have been independently tested The recommended list allows selection for quality: Yield and Quality Performance Dry matter and energy Field Performance Disease resistance and persistence Feed Performance Grass fibre (NDF), Cell wall digestibility (CWD), Water soluble carbohydrate (WSC), protein Select a mix for your system e.g. silage only, grazing only or dual purpose

Benefits of Reseeding

The amount of weed grasses in the sward increases over time reducing productivity 100% WeedWeed Sp Sp

80% 80%

90%

70% 70%

80%

60% 60%

70%

50% 50%

60%

40% 40%

50%

30% 30%

40%

20% 20%

30%

Grasses

90% 90%

10% 10%

20%

SownSown Sp Sp

0% 0%

10%

Years Years

WeedWeed Sp Sp

Weed Sp

SownSown Sp Sp

Sown Sp 2

0% Weed Weed Sp %Sp % 18 18 Years

Sown Sown Sp %Sp % 82 82

WeedWeed Sp Sp

Weed Sp

Weed Sp %

Sown Sp %

WeedWeed Sp Sp

Weed Sp

SownSown Sp Sp

Sown Sp3

24 24 76 76

2 24

SownSown Sp Sp

68 68

3 32

Sown10 Sp 10

51 51

88 88

62 62

49 49

12 12

1.5 1.5

1stDM/ha cut DM/ha 1st cut

2.2

StalkStalk Meadow GrassGrass Rough Meadow PRG (Perennial Ryegrass) PRG (Perennial Ryegrass) Rough Bent Bent Yorkshire Fog Fog Yorkshire

100 100 100 90

1st cut DM/ha over time Productivity of a grass ley decreases

Age of ley

Yield (t DM/ha)

ME/kg DM

13.0

12.0

12.5

PRG (Perennial Ryegrass)

Rough Stalk Mead

Yorkshire Fog

Bent

100

80 70 60

42 42 33 33

50 40 30 20

1.7

1.5

1.7 1.7 2

2.7 2.2 2.2

2.5

Percentage

DM/ha

2.7 2.7

100 100

3.4

2.5 2.5

Rough Stalk Meadow Grass 90 Bent

Percentage

DM/ha

Yorkshire Fog

Sown Sp

Perennial Ryegrass and weed grass response to nitrogen

StalkStalk Meadow GrassGrass Rough Meadow PRG PRG (Perennial Ryegrass) (Perennial Ryegrass) Rough Bent Bent

3.4 3.4 3.5

SownSown Sp Sp

Sown5Sp 5

Yorkshire Fog Fog Yorkshire

PRG (Perennial Ryegrass)

SownSown Sp Sp

Weed Sp

Potential yield losses from weed grasses compared to Perennial Ryegrass

3.5 3.5

WeedWeed Sp Sp

Weed Sp

38 38

4 Sown Sp

32 32

WeedWeed Sp Sp

Weed Sp

Percentage

100%100%

17 17 42

N response % % N response

0 N response %

Lost MJ/ha

Lost revenue £/ha

11.8

8500

£401

11.5

11.6

22600

£1,066

10.5

11.4

36300

£1,712

9.5

11.2

49600

£2,340

8.5

11.0

62500

£2,948

7.0

10.8

80400

£3,792

Source: AHDB Dairy *Milk at 25p/litre

Benefits of Overseeding

Open Swards Yield too little Overseeding using the correct mixtures and machinery designed for the job is now accepted as good practice to both maintain the physical and nutritional quality of medium and long term swards. When the sward becomes open allowing weeds and unsown species to invade, overseeding will quickly check this and maintain the productivity by increasing both yield and quality.

The loss of 1 tonne DM/ha @ 11MJ/ kg DM equates to 11000 MJ/ha = more than 2000 litres milk/ha for the dairy farmer. Overseeding a sward with the correct ForFarmers Leybooster overseeding mixture will help maintain production beyond its expected life.

Slot seeding – depth and seed to soil contact are critical

ForFarmers Overseeding Top 10 Tips • Assess the field for weeds and grass species content • Correct timing is essential; either in the spring where leys have been poached during the winter or to increase yield at cutting. Alternatively after the last cut or hard grazing in the late summer/ early autumn • Select the appropriate TOPGRASS Leybooster mixture – Dual Purpose, Graze, Cut or Red Clover

• Use the correct drilling method. For younger open swards a scarifying rake, for denser swards a disc drill • Cross drilling can improve ground cover • Roll after drilling for good seed to soil contact. Use a Cambridge roll if possible

• All overseeding mixes contain ProNitro®

• Be aware of Frit fly and Leatherjacket attack (consult your agronomist).

• Scarify pre drilling to remove thatch. This lets in sunlight and moisture

• Stock can continue to graze up to seedling emergence. Then allow establishment

Excellence in farming demonstrated by good forage management Producers at the top of their game have been recognised in the second year of the ForFarmers’ Excellence in Farming Awards. The national winners, announced at a presentation ceremony in London include: Adrian Smith, based at Middlewich in Cheshire; the Wannop family, from Morecambe in Lancashire; and John Heller, based near Truro in Cornwall.

Each won their regional category round before going forward to the national competition, where they won the overall awards for Forage Manager, Dairy Feed Efficiency, and Young Stock Producer respectively. “All of this year’s winners have demonstrated that attention to detail and an attitude focused on continual improvement, whatever their system, is the key to making the most from their farming enterprise,” said ForFarmers’ marketing director Henry Verwaijen, who presented the awards. Each winner was awarded two places on an organised study tour in Europe. If you are interested in taking part please contact your local ForFarmers account manager. Grazing management strategies that coordinate grazing with grass growth stages can stimulate increased herbage production by up to 45%.

Forage Manager award winner Adrian Smith

The excellence in farming awards demonstrate the importance of good pasture management by reseeding or overseeding.

Wholecrop and Cereals

Forage Rye

Benefits Good nutritional, agronomic and versatile crop Bi-crop produces good levels of home-grown protein reducing reliance on purchased feed Improved soil structure and increased organic matter content Early harvest allows for earlier drilling of autumn combinable crops or reseeding of grass Useful alternative forage for grass and maize systems Provides good energy and high dry matter forage

Forage Rye helps reduce overwintering costs and helps mop up residual nitrogen and soil erosion

Wholecrop offers an alternative or additional feed to grass or maize silage, particularly in situations where it may be difficult to achieve ideal sowing conditions in the spring. It can provide a cost effective, high quality forage of consistent quality and palatability, with high yields of dry matter even in dry seasons and cold weather. Cereals are versatile as they can be grown across the UK under a wide range of conditions and will produce consistently high yields of dry matter. Wholecrop mixtures provide a useful source of home produced protein and starch, which reduces reliance on purchased feed. As wholecrop cereals are in the ground for a short time (12-14 weeks) their early harvest allows earlier reseeding or drilling of other autumn combinable crops. Wholecrop cereals are also useful as a cover crop for establishing an under-sown grass crop, however, when using this option seed rates need to be reduced. Wholecrop mixtures can combine wheat, barley, oats or triticale with a legume crop such as peas or lupins. The cereal crop provides the energy in the form of starch and the legume provides protein.

Forage Rye is suitable for early turnout (reducing overwintering costs) for cows and good for winter sheep keep. It provides a flexible sowing option after maize or cereals and can be zero grazed or big baled. It is good for helping to mop-up residual nitrogen and prevents soil erosion. Sowing period and method As Forage Rye is primarily grown for its ability to deliver very early grazing in the early spring it is essential to make sure that the right field is selected. Although Forage Rye will grow on a very wide range of soil types it is best to avoid very exposed or badly drained fields. The seedbed for forage rye should be reasonably firm and well consolidated. A seed rate of between 160-185kg/ha (65-75kg/acre) is adequate under most circumstances and the seed should be drilled to a depth of 3.5-5.0cm. Drilling should take place mid-August to late September. This ensures that the crop gets well established before the winter sets in. Feeding Forage Rye should not be allowed to enter the winter in a very proud state and in a mild autumn, crops sown in good time can be lightly grazed in late November or early December. If grazing dairy cows on Forage Rye then the crop length needs to be about 30-35 cm. For sheep the crop can be a little shorter. Controlled grazing, using an electric fence is very important to avoid excessive wastage.

Hybrid Rye Hybrid Rye is relatively straight forward to grow and suits a wide range of soils across the UK, providing high DM yields along with agronomic benefits. It can help reduce black grass It is an ideal crop in biogas plants to help balance the high productivity of energy beet or maize substrates, providing an alternative nutrient source for the bacteria in the digester. Highest yields will be where good establishment and tillering is achieved and the season and soil type allows for strong grain fill and ripening before harvest.

For all your cereals, pulse, wholecrop, oilseed rape and linseed requirements please contact your local ForFarmers account manager or the customer service team on 0845 070 6280

Correct harvest timing for wholecrop silage is important to ensure optimal yield, quality and ensiling conditions. Crops should be between 35 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 40% DM, otherwise known as the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;cheesy doughâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; stage. This allows for maximum grain fill which is a large contributor to yield and quality. It is at this stage that ensiling compaction is most efficient and anaerobic conditions most easily achieved during fermentation. Approaching harvest, the dry matter of the crop will increase by around 1% per day allowing for a narrow harvest window.

Fodder Crops

Fodder Crops Mixed forage diets help increase intakes and ensure optimum rumen stability, improved feed utilisation and animal performance. Using home grown forages will help in reducing concentrate usage Produce high yields of dry matter over a relatively short growing period

Useful option between winter and spring cereals when ground would be fallow Significantly extend grazing season when grass tails off Can be grown in many locations and soil types

Contribute substantial amounts of fresh fodder

Require little attention and can be grazed in situ or cut and lifted

Cut feeding costs and fill feeding gaps

Retain their nutritive value well in freezing temperatures

Wide range of crops for dairy, beef and sheep

Offers opportunity to store and feed crops through winter months

Good break crop option in a rotation. Good entry back into grass allowing control of weed problems

Reduces reliance on purchased feed

Fodder Beet

Forage Rape

High yield potential and is grown as a main root crop. The roots have excellent feed quality and are very palatable. Ideal for clamping and storing for winter months. May be fed chopped or whole. Chopped beet will provide a better liveweight gain. Can be grazed in situ for out wintering systems.

Very quick growing leafy crop suitable for grazing by sheep or cattle. Can provide valuable high protein autumn and winter grazing feed. Excellent break crop. Can be utilised between 13 - 15 weeks from sowing. ideal for finishing lambs and flushing ewes. Forage rape is an ideal companion to stubble turnips.

Kale

Fodder Mixtures

Highest yielding of all the leafy brassicas. Very high protein content, traditionally grown for grazing cattle, but can also be cut and fed to stock â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;in houseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; or be ensiled. The feeding value of kale is related to the proportion of leaf to stem. Ideal buffer feed for dairy cows during summer months where strip grazing is the ideal method. Is also used in out wintering systems. Taller, thick stemmed varieties are more suited to dairy and beef where shorter, leafy varieties for sheep and lambs.

Excellent fast growing catch crop which can produce nutritious, highly palatable feed, in just 12 - 14 weeks from sowing. For larger acreages sequential sowing is recommended. Most mixtures contain species such as stubble turnips, forage rape and kale. The high protein of forage rape and kale complement the high energy of stubble turnips and provide an excellent, well balanced autumn or winter feed.

Fodder Crops

Swede

Stubble Turnips

Swedes provide high energy feed, with high dry matter yield which can be grazed in-situ or lifted. The winter hardiness of swedes makes them suitable for finishing lambs or winter maintenance.

Excellent fast growing catch crop which can produce nutritious, highly palatable feed, in just 12 - 14 weeks from sowing. For larger acreages sequential sowing is recommended. Ideal summer buffer feed for dairy cows or for finishing lambs. Strip grazing the crop will reduce wastage.

Sowing Period

Utilisation

Fodder Beet

Mar -Apr

Oct - Mar

Forage Rape Kale Fodder Mixtures Stubble Turnips Swedes

May -Aug Apr - Jun Apr - Sept Apr - Sept Apr - Sept

Fodder Beet Forage Rape Kale Stubble Turnips Turnips Swedes

Precision Drill

Direct Drill

Broadcast

N/A

Jul - Dec Aug - Mar Jun - Feb Jun - Dec Aug - Mar

50,000 seeds depth 2.5/3.0cm N/A N/A N/A N/A 150 - 350g / acre

2kg / acre 2kg / acre 2.5kg / acre 2kg / acre 1 - 2kg / acre

4kg / acre 3kg / acre 3 - 4kg / acre 3kg / acre 2kg / acre

Dry Matter Yield t/ha

Fresh Yield t/ha

Dry Matter Content %

Crude Protein %

Met Energy MJ/kg/DM

15 - 17 3.5 - 4 8 - 10 3.5 - 5 5.5 - 6 7 - 10

80 - 90 24 - 35 60 - 70 38 - 45 60 - 70 70 - 90

12 - 22 11 - 12 14 -16 8-9 8 - 10 10 - 13

12 - 13 19 - 20 16 - 17 17 - 18 15 - 17 10 - 11

12.5 - 13.5 10 - 11 10 - 11 11 10 - 11 12.8 - 13.1

For all brassica crops: Stock should be introduced gradually over a two week period and an area of grassland should be available for animals to return to; water and hay or straw should also be made available.

Our 2018 Practical Guide will support you in selecting the correct fodder crop. For a free copy contact your local ForFarmers account manager or the customer service team on 0845 070 6280 email info.forage@forfarmers.eu

Forage Maize Selector

30 Location

South West & North West

Central

South & South East

Marginal

Mainstream

Semi Continental

Conditions

Field conditions Soil type

Cooler

Heavy

Wetter

Climate

Higher

Less sunshine

More sunshine

South-facing

Less favourable sites data

Favourable sites data

late April – May

Late April

mid – late April

September – October

Mid October

Late October

Sowing Harvesting

Drier

Lower

Orientation

North-facing

Sites info

Warmer

Light

Altitude

Variety

ULTRA EARLY

VERY EARLY

EARLY

Extra Early NEW!

Kaspian (MC13)

Emmerson (MC12)

89%

Activate (MC12)

96%

Augustus (MC11) 96%

P7326

Sergio (MC 10)

36.8%

97%

Perez (MC 10)

P7034

Dry Matter Yield

Dry Matter Content

Dry Matter Yield

102%

Very high starch

35.9%

34.4%

34.9%

33.9%

32.9%

34.7%

32.3%

Excellent dry matter Good early vigour Dent type characteristics with early maturity

Starch Content

55.7%

55.8%

57.7%

56.5%

70.4%

56.5%

55.3%

Cell Wall Digestibility

Whole Plant Digestibility

Cell Wall Digestibility

Very Early NEW!

P7378

Pinnacle (MC 9)

Ambition (MC 9)

39%

Currently national listed, due to be descriptive listed 2019

Dry Matter Yield

34.4%

Excellent Dry Matter Yield

Starch Content

Dry Matter Content Starch Content

71.7%

Whole Plant Digestibility Very Good Early Vigour

110%

High Starch Yield

58.5%

Severus (MC 8)

103%

102%

Dry Matter Yield

32.45%

32.6%

Starch Content

56.7%

55.3%

Cell Wall Digestibility

P7892 32.5%

Dry Matter Content

27.6%

Starch Content

69.6%

Whole Plant Digestibility

Autens (MC 8) 108% Dry Matter Yield

30.9%

Starch Content

55.4%

Cell Wall Digestibility

Cell Wall Digestibility Very Good Early Vigour

Early P7524 33.5%

Dry Matter Content

30.9%

Starch Content

68.2%

Whole Plant Digestibility

Aurelius (MC 8) 105%

Dry Matter Yield

30.7%

Starch Content

55.7%

Cell Wall Digestibility

Forage Maize Leading NIAB listed varieties/PACTS trialled varieties Maximum performance and manageability for today’s changing climate Supports todays farming rotations to allow early harvest for subsequent sowings of cereals and grass Low FAO varieties to offer early harvest without expense of yield High cell wall digestibility, maximum starch yields and high dry matter content

New Forage Maize Varieties

Pinnacle Very Early maturity - The new Ambition from LG Good early vigour Suitable for favourable and less favourable sites

Highly digestible improving intakes at feeding Good cell wall digestibility

Due to be added to BSPB/NIAB list in 2019 Very high starch yield

Starch content % v Cell wall digestibility

Cell Wall Digestibility

PINNACLE

Starch Content %

Pinnacle is highly digestible and has a high starch content

P7034 Extra Early Maturity P7034 is an extra early maturity Pioneer hybrid with dent like grain.

This hybrid flowers early and produces silage with a high starch content and starch yield.

P7034 is the first dent type hybrid of its type that Pioneer has bred for the cool maritime locations found in the UK,

Dent type hybrids not only generally yield more starch than traditional flint types but they produce silages with significantly faster ruminal starch digestibility. Due to its faster starch digestion rate P7034 can be clamped last and fed first thereby assisting the transition to new crop silage. Starch accumulation increases steeply just before physiological maturity is reached Early Vigour

Good

Lodging Resistance 1

8.1

Eyespot Resistance Score 1

5.7

Stover Dry-Down Rate

Good

% protein in DM

70.0

1 Score on a 1- 9 scale where 9 = resistant

Green Manuring

Green manure crops not only improve soil status, composition and nutrient balance but provide a base for an environmentally friendly approach to todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s modern farming. Cover crops do not produce a marketable product but benefit the soil for the succeeding crops and are a good return on investment.

Why Grow a Cover Crop? They are beneďŹ cial to the soil by Improving soil health by adding organic matter to the soil. Increasing biological activity Improving soil structure Reducing soil erosion and run off Suppress weeds and reduces leaching Increase the supply of nutrients available to the next crop (particularly by adding nitrogen by fixation) Nematode control Counts towards EFA points

Controlling nematodes by using cover crops Nematodes can be detrimental to plant health. They can feed externally on plant roots or invade the roots internally. Both cause damage, resulting in an overall reduction in yield or affect the marketability of the crop. A cover crop is a very effective way of controlling nematode populations Choosing the correct species and variety is key and needs careful pre-planning Some species of plants such as oil radish and mustard have been specially bred to be resistant to specific nematodes. They allow little or no reproduction of the nematodes to occur. As a result the life cycle is broken which reduces the population When grown successively the reduction in the nematode population usually lasts 3-4 years Nematode levels will increase again if a host crop is used too closely together in a rotation

Plant species to use A wide range of plant species can be used as green manures Different crops bring different benefits and the final choice is influenced by many considerations If the most is to be made of green manuring crops, it is important that they are carefully integrated into the crop rotation and proper attention paid to the crop husbandry Different species can be mixed to extend the function of the mixture Fast growing species help suppress weed growth Different rooting depths ensure good soil penetration and utilisation of surplus nutrients

Incorporation of green manure Most effective when plants are young and succulent A cut and chopped crop to produce a mulch before turning it into the soil allows it to decompose quickly and release nutrients to be used by the following crops Where crops require nitrogen to be available at a later stage, they will benefit from the green manure being left to become more mature Decomposition and the release of nutrients will take longer and more available at the right time during the crops development It is important not to sow too early due to allelopathic effect of the decomposing plants on the germinating seeds

Green Manuring

Short Term Crops - Spring/Summer Sowing & Summer/Autumn Incorporation White Mustard

Brown Mustard

Phacelia

Fodder Radish

Crimson Clover

Buckwheat

Aslike Clover

Black Oats / Japanese Oats

Daikon Radish

Over Winter Crops - Autumn Sowing & Spring Incorporation Forage Winter Rye

Italian Ryegrass

Forage Rape

Cocksfoot

Vetches

Longer Term Crops White Clover

Lucerne

Yellow Blossom Clover

Red Clover

Green Manuring Mixtures N-Rich Cover

Revival Cover

Buster Cover

N-Hance Cover

N-Retain Cover

Countryside Stewardship – Environmental

Countrywide stewardship provides incentives for land managers to look after their environment. It replaces the Environmental stewardship. The main priority is biodiversity and water quality.

Wildlife and Nature – By restoring habitats, protecting

The scheme will help to improve

hedges, providing food and nesting resources for birds, insects and other animals and creating farmers areas for rare flowing plants

Flood management The historic environment

Pollinators – By providing pollen and nectar sources

Landscape character Genetic conservation

and nesting places. Farmers will be able to provide the right resources for pollinators where they are most needed

Educational access

Forestry – By funding the planting of new trees and supporting the management of woodlands

Climate change adaptation and mitigation

Water / Flooding – Making water cleaner and reducing risk of flooding by supporting changes to farming practice such as crop management, improving infrastructure and creating woodland

Wild Bird Seed Mixtures

WBS1

WBS2

1 year Spring sown

WBS3

2 year Spring sown

1 year Spring sown

Northern WBS1

WBS4

Northern WBS2

1 year Spring sown

WBA1

1 year Spring sown

1 year Autumn sown

WBA2

2 year Autumn sown

Northern WBS2

2 year Spring sown

Non cereal

Buffer Strip Mixtures

BGM1 RC

BGM1

with Cocksfoot

BGM2

Red Clover & Cocksfoot

SRG

Species Rich Grass

No Cocksfoot

SRWF

Species Rich Wild Flowers

BGM2 RC

Red Clover No Cocksfoot

Legume & Herb Rich Mixture

BGM3

with Cocksfoot and Clover

Solar Mixtures

BGM4

with Wildflowers & Fine Grasses

BGM5

with Ryegrass

Herbal Meadow

Nectar Rich Mixtures Pollen & Nectar with Grass

Annual Nectar Mixture

Nectar Rich Bronze

Nectar Rich Gold

Butterfly & Bumblebee Mixture

WF1

Flower Rich Margin Mixture

Legume Fallow Mixture

Game Cover

Leisure activities are an important part of the rural environment. More farms and estates manage their shoots and environmental conservation together. A successfully managed shoot is both profitable and rewarding and its contributes positively to the countryside and the overall environment.

Game maize One of the most popular crops used for cover and feed.

Brassicas Kale is one of the most popular cover crops and will provide cover for the whole shooting season. Forage Rape, Hybrid Brassicas and Texsel Greens are also commonly used crops.

Sorghums and Millets Although slow to establish sorghum will provide clover throughout the shooting season. Millets provide a valuable feed source to hold the birds.

Sunflowers Provide highly nutritious seed of high oil content. Mostly grown in conjunction with other game crops either in mixtures or in adjacent blocks.

Perennial Crops

Traditional Game Cover Mixture

Four Ten Mix Maize, Dwarf Sorghum

Sundown Mix Maize , Sunflower

Canary grass, Yellow Blossom Clover, Perennial Chicory. Provides year round habitat.

Traditional Game Cover

Other Cover Crops

Maize, White & Red Millet, Buckwheat, Kale, Sunflower, Mustard, Rape, Phacelia

Gold of Pleasure, Quinoa, Phacelia, Mustard, Fodder Radish.

Game Cover Mixtures Specially formulated to combine different species into a mixture can extend the utilisation period, help to attract and hold specific types of game and provide feed and cover where both are required.

Decoy Game Mixture Linseed, Buckwheat, Red & White Millet, Fodder Radish, Mustard

Overdrive Quinoa, Kale

Partridge Mix Triticale, Barley, Linseed, Gold of Pleasure, Kale

Boost Mix Texel Greens, Hybrid Brassica, Fodder Radish, Brown Mustard

Late Cover Rape, Stubble Turnips, Mustard, Fodder Radish

Kwik Fix Fodder Radish, Mustard Rapid Fire Game Maize

Fertiliser for Grazing & Silage

Do you grow grass or do you let your grass grow? Grass is often left to grow without adopting many of the principles used to grow other crops, leaving huge yield and quality potential that can benefit livestock farmers. Both yield and quality are influenced by mineral nutrient supply, so this should be managed within the grass management plan. This means having a structured approach to the nutrient demand of the crop, nutrient supply from the soil and other organic material supplied which is then balanced with the fertiliser requirement to fill the gap. ForFarmers works with Yara and the 1-2-3 step approach to help implement this process.

The best way to maximise the return from grass is by: applying the correct balance of essential nutrients NPKS applying the most effective nutrient sources, with AN more reliable than urea applying fertiliser at the right time, with delays in application likely to reduce DM yield ensuring that nutrients are spread accurately, selecting a uniform compound over a blend improving the utilisation of what is grown, with effective field and clamp management

Grazing Fertiliser Programme

r for seeds

including sulphur, sodium and selenium: 240kg/ha N (192 units/acre) Product

Feb/Mar

YaraMila™

or ds

April

May

June

July

STOCK BOOSTER S

150 kg/ha

200 kg/ha

135 kg/ha

YaraBela™

August

NUTRI BOOSTER

240 kg/ha

135 kg/ha

100 kg/ha

Silage Fertiliser Programme

including sulphur, sodium and selenium: 335kg/ha N (268 units/acre) Product

Feb/Mar

Nutrients (kg/ha & units/acre )

cwt/ac

P20 5

YaraMila™

SILAGE BOOSTER

K2 0

April SO 3

650 kg/ha 12

or establishment g or silage/hay

May

June

July

SILAGE BOOSTER

600 kg/ha

425 kg/ha

August

Newly Sown Grass Fertiliser Programme

Nutrients (kg/ha & units/acre )

including sulphur: 60kg/ha N (48 units/acre) SO

P20 5

N 0

K2 0 48

Product 48

Feb/Mar 10

SULPHUR CUT

Yara

April

May

June

July

August

ACTYVA S

YaraMila™

SULPHUR CUT

EXTRA GRASS

375 kg/ha

EXTRA GRASS

SUPER PK

250 kg/ha

Fertiliser for Grazing & Silage

Grassland Fertiliser for Improved Performance & Fertility While most fertilisers provide N,P and K it is also worthwhile considering sulphur and selenium. Due to a cleaner environment and less atmospheric pollution current rates of sulphur deposition are enough for only 50% of the requirement for a single cut of grass silage, while including sulphur in fertiliser can improve DM yield by as much as 27.5%. The quality of grass protein, due to the N:S ratio and higher amounts of sulphur containing amino acids methionine and cysteine, can also be improved.

Sulphur deficiency severely affects growth of ryegrass

Complete Nutrient Supply Cut (every 4 weeks)

Have you considered enriching your grass with selenium containing fertiliser?

First

Fourth

Fifth

Sulphur Deficient

Around 88% of soils and 83% of grass samples are low or very low in selenium, however the positive effect of selenium on mastitis and herd fertility is dramatic at around 50% improvement.

47% 40.5%

11.6%

0.9% V Low

Low

Slightly Normal Low

UK grassland soil selenium status

0.0% High

50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 50-

Control

0.70 46.2%

Se Fertilizer

0.60 0.50 mg/kg DM

50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 50-

Percentage

88% of soils and 83% of grass samples are low or very low in Selenium

28.3%

17%

0.40 0.30 0.20 -

8.5% 0.0% V Low

Low

Slightly Normal Low

UK grassland leaf selenium status

High

0.10 0.00 -

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Effect of selenium fertiliser on Se content of herbage in mg/kg DM

Selenium fertiliser applied in one application in April resulted in significant increased selenium concentration in grass/silage with subsequent increased blood levels for the duration of the season. There was some fall off in herbage concentration over the season indicating the benefit of repeated applications of selenium with a fertiliser from the Booster Range. The Booster Range contains selenium in the selenate form as this is the most available for uptake by the plant. Applying selenium in grassland fertiliser increases selenium uptake by the grass and therefore increases the availability of selenium to animals. In mildly selenium deficient soils, repeated applications will lead to an improvement in the general overall health and well-being of the animal.

NUTRI BOOSTER available from ForFarmers is a CAN based granular nitrogen compound fertiliser containing sulphur, sodium, selenium and magnesium. The sulphur improves nitrogen utilisation, sodium will improve the palatability of grass, while selenium will boost the immune system and fertility. The magnesium content is important for both guarding against staggers and boosting chlorophyll production in the plant.

ForFarmers also supplies STOCK BOOSTER and SILAGE BOOSTER, compound prilled NPK fertilisers containing sodium and selenium for use on grassland to help DM yield, grass protein quality and animal fertility

Cost Benefits of Using a Silage Additive

With modern silage making techniques and equipment, farmers are often able to make good silage without using a silage additive. In fact, those who are placed in silage competitions are sometimes non additive users. So why should farmers treat their silage and spend the extra money? Stock do generally eat on average 5% more treated silage because it tends to be more palatable, but that alone does not justify the extra cost of treatment. Today’s farmers need to be able to see a return on the money spent on their additive, and understand the cost/benefit. There are four different areas where you can see and potentially measure the return.

Reduced Dry Matter Loss During Fermentation Untreated silages lose 6-10% DM during fermentation Level of loss depends on crop and dry matter Inoculant treatment can reduce losses by up to 50% A Saving of £24 /silage acre…this pays for the additive

Reduced Heating & Waste After Opening Untreated silages lose 6-12% of energy after opening Higher dry matter silages lose the most Inoculant treatment can reduce losses by up to 50% A Saving of £30/silage acre…in a range of £24-£72/acre

Increased Milk Production Inoculant use produces 0.8-1.5 litres more milk/cow/day Depending on product and silage dry matter The higher the dry matter silages, the higher the response Protection of forage protein stimulates rumen activity A Gain of £90/silage acre…over additive cost of £14-£24

Increased Live Weight Gain Inoculant treatment increases LWG by 7-15% The lower responses with Maize & Grass finishing Inoculant treatment can reduce losses by up to 50% So cattle can be ready 2 weeks earlier, which saves cost A Saving of £90/silage acre…£1.60/head/day less feed

Summarising the cost benefits for a typical 30% DM Grass or Maize silage acre:

A Dairy gain of £144/acre…less additive cost av. £19/acre A Beef gain of £144/acre …less additive cost av. £19/acre

Approx 8:1 return

Silage Additive Selector

Grass silage BALED

CLAMP

Fermentation

Aerobic stability

Performance

Aerobic stability

Organic

SIL-ALL PLUS

DA ECOBALE

ECO COOL

PIONEER 11G22

PROMYR SILAGE PLUS

Aerobic stability Organic

ECOSYL 100

PIONEER 1188

PIONEER 11GFT

SIL-ALL PLUS

PROMYR SILAGE

SILASURE

ECOSYL 100

ECO COOL

ADVANCE GRASS

PROMYR SILAGE PLUS

SILASURE

DA ECOSTABLE

ECO COOL

SIL-ALL PLUS

PIONEER 11G22

ECO COOL

SIL-ALL PLUS ADVANCE GRASS

Alternative forage MAIZE SILAGE

WHOLECROP

Aerobic stability

Fermentation

Performance

Organic

Performance

Organic

ADVANCE MAIZE

ECO COOL

SIL-ALL MAIZE PLUS

PROMYR SILAGE PLUS

ADVANCE MAIZE

ECO COOL

SIL-ALL MAIZE PLUS

ECO COOL

DA ECOCORN

ADVANCE MAIZE

PIONEER 11A44

ECO COOL

DA ECOCORN

ADVANCE WHOLECROP

SIL-ALL MAIZE PLUS

FIREGUARD

SILASURE MAIZE

SIL-ALL MAIZE PLUS

FIREGUARD

PIONEER 11G22

SILASURE MAIZE

PIONEER 11CFT

SILASHIELD

SILASURE MAIZE

PIONEER 11CFT

SILASURE MAIZE

PIONEER 11C33

SILASHIELD PLUS

HOME Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; DRY

Feed2Milk and MELK

MELK More Energy for the Lactating Cow MELK is a measure of net energy developed and used exclusively by ForFarmers. It is the result of several years of research and development work by ForFarmers Nutrition and Innovation Centre (NIC) and has been successfully validated in commercial practice over the last four years. Metabolisable energy (ME), which is the current measure of energy use in the UK, is influenced by oil content and digestibility. Digestibility includes the contribution from fat, carbohydrate, fibre and protein, however MELK a measure of net energy used exclusively by ForFarmers is based solely on the contribution of energy from fat, carbohydrate and fibre, but not protein. The current ME system therefore has limitations, as it values protein as an energy source, so whether it’s soya bean meal or wheat, the energy value of each is similar. Unlike traditional energy systems, MELK discounts feedingstuffs rich in protein as a source of energy for the cow. The relative feeding value calculated is shown below.

MELK in comparison to ME 120

HiPro Soya

Wheat

Maize

Rape Ext.

Glucogenic precursors

• propionate produced by rumen fermentation

• silage lactic acid • some branched chain fatty

acids produced in the rumen

• digestible unfermentable starch

(DUS) available in the small intestine

• rumen by-pass glycerol from fats containing triglycerides

Ketogenic precursors

• acetate and butyrate, produced by rumen fermentation

100

• silage acetic acid and

butyric acid

• digestible dietary fat • digestible microbial fat produced

by rumen fermentation

20 0

The MELK value indicates the amount of energy in forage, feed or a ration which is available to the cow to support maintenance and milk production. It is based on the supply of glucogenic and ketogenic nutrients. Glucose supplied by the ration is measured as Glucose Potential. Glucose represents readily available energy for the cow and is key in the production of milk sugar (lactose), which drives milk yield.

MELK

Rumen

Intestine DUS

Fatty Acids Fermentable Carbohydrate Fermentable Protein

MELK Glucose Potential

TDP

Forage and MELK To maximise forage utilisation, MELK should be used in conjunction with other important Feed2Milk nutrients such as Rapidly Fermentable Carbohydrate (RFC), which takes into account starch, sugar, fibre and fermentation acids. Also Acidosis Index (AI) which highlights the risk of rumen health problems and True Digestible Protein (TDP) a measure of protein that can be utilised by the cow for milk production and maintenance. MELK and other key Feed2Milk nutrients not only provide a more reliable measure of milk yield potential, but also lead to healthier cows with higher lifetime production and greater feed efficiency.

Calculation of the RFC and AI content of a feed or forage requires detailed knowledge of the degradability (rumen breakdown) characteristics of both feeds and forage. If maize silage is used in a ration it is critical to accurately predict the degradability characteristics of the maize starch. The degradability characteristics of maize starch vary between crops and also alter with storage time in the clamp. For this reason ForFarmers have carried out extensive R&D to predict maize starch degradability characteristics in F2M Dietplan from information on dry NIR silage analysis, a service unique to ForFarmers. A deficit of RFC will lead to sub-optimal rumen function, whilst an excess can lead to reduced rumen health.

Elements of the F2M silage category: 1 = Low; 2 = Average; 3 = High

Overall F2M Silage Category 1 = Low; 2 = Average; 3 = High

Grass Silage Page 1 of 2

Customer Details ForFarmers Advisor

Farm Dairy Farm

Account Code Customer Code Sample Received Report Produced Certificate Number

Mr Dairy Farm

0001111111 B111

COA1607250026

Sample Details Lab Reference

Description

Forage

FRG1614281

CORE DAIRY PIT

Grass Silage

Sample Reference

Additive

Variety

Harvest Date Cut No. 1

F2M Silage Category Milk Yield Potential

Digestible Protein

Rumen Health Risk

Grass Silage Category

1 - Low 2 - Average 3 - High

F2M Nutrient Value Nutrient

(Reported on a dry matter basis) Units

Result

(g/kg)

247

166

254

316

489

280

330

MELK

('/kg)

950

733

939

1005

1137

1010

1150

TDP

(g/kg)

RFC

(g/kg)

168

146

170

265

165

185

('/kg)

100

106

137

110

('/kg)

145

Dry Matter

Low

124

Normal

164

High

183

Target

248

160

2 1 1

175

Key F2M nutrient values â&#x20AC;&#x201C; MELK - More Energy for the Lactating Cow qualitative information TDP - True Digestible Protein

RFC - Rapidly Fermentable Carbohydrate

Future research work hopes to allow feed rationing to be taken a stage further to seed selection. This would provide ForFarmers maize seed varieties with a MELK value, allowing farmers to Analysis is within Target range Analysisdecide is within Normal range which are best suited to complement the other feeds All information, data, forecasts, recommendations and advice given by ForFarmersand or its employees are given in forage available on the farm. good faith on the basis of information provided to ForFarmers and prepared in light of circumstances prevailing

RI -at Rumination Index By looking more closely what nutrients are produced and the AI Acidosis Index degradability we can understand which feeds make a better combination with forage to provide optimal rumen health and Analysis is outside Normal range feed efficiency. at the time they are given.

Slurry and Nutrient Management

The Value of Manure and Slurry Slurry, manure and increasingly compost and digestate is regularly applied to many livestock and arable soils throughout the UK. Farm livestock manure in particular, is notoriously variable and more often than not of unknown quality, depending on any number of factors including the type of livestock, their diet, bedding and management system, local rainfall and the amount of dirty water and rainfall permitted to enter the system. Book values (RB209) are a useful guide, but are often very different to actual analysis (see graphics below showing variability in N and K fractions of slurries analysed 2013-17). Farmers should plan to utilise as many organic manures and their valuable nutrients in as efficient and responsible manner as possible. However, the fact that these organic materials can vary so much means that testing them is not only a sensible measure, but a very cost effective one. Targeted application of manure not only saves money in terms of crop inputs but can also have a big influence on resultant forage quality. This will also have a beneficial effect environmentally and is seen as best practice. Therefore, it is important to know the value of slurry and manure produced and used on farm. ForFarmers can offer a full and comprehensive analysis service of all slurry and manure from all classes of livestock in addition to compost and digestate from composting facilities and anaerobic digester plants.

The implications can be far reaching and hugely positive once a Nutrient and Manure Management Plan has been prepared and implemented. This provides benefits in cost savings as well as higher forage yield, better quality and longer term business profitability.

2017

2013

2014 2013

Soil is at the heart of every efficient profitable livestock farming business throughout the UK By managing soil our crops can be grown in an efficient, profitable and sustainable way

>7.9

35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 7.5 - 7.9

pH: Only 45.4% of soils were at target 6 - 7 pH necessary for healthy livestock and crops.

2017 2016

Everything we do affects the soil and for this reason we need to monitor and take remedial action to correct any deficiencies

7.0 - 7.4

Recent analysis of 2017 grassland soil samples collected by ForFarmers advisors found that :-

2016 2015

Results for pH

<5.0

In recent times many farmers have understandably reduced crop inputs as a result of financial pressures. This has resulted in soil analysis results showing lower levels of the key nutrients.

% of samples

The value of soil Soil is our most basic, precious and finite resource Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a living breathing thing, affected by how we manage it and the crops and livestock systems we expect it to support

2015 2014

RB209 average % K20 content 2.5

6.5 - 6.9

Qtr4

Qtr3

Qtr2

Qtr1

2017 2016

6.0 - 6.4

2016 2015

RB209 average % N content 2.6

5.5 - 5.9

2015 2014

Qtr4

Qtr2 Qtr1 Qtr3 Qtr2 Qtr4 Qtr3 Qtr1 Qtr4 Qtr2 Qtr1 Qtr3 Qtr2 Qtr4 Qtr3 Qtr1 Qtr4 Qtr2 Qtr1 Qtr3 Qtr2 Qtr4 Qtr3 Qtr1 Qtr4 Qtr2 Qtr1 Qtr3 Qtr2 Qtr4 Qtr3

Qtr4

Qtr3

Qtr1

2014 2013

Qtr2

Qtr1

1 Qtr4

Qtr3

1 Qtr2

Qtr1

Qtr2

4 Average slurry K2O content of dairy slurry by season

Qtr4

Qtr2 Qtr1 Qtr3 Qtr2 Qtr4 Qtr3 Qtr1 Qtr4 Qtr2 Qtr1 Qtr3 Qtr2 Qtr4 Qtr3 Qtr1 Qtr4 Qtr2 Qtr1 Qtr3 Qtr2 Qtr4 Qtr3 Qtr1 Qtr4 Qtr2 Qtr1 Qtr3 Qtr2 Qtr4 Qtr3

Average slurry N content of dairy slurry by season

2013

ForFarmers have a team of FACTS qualified advisors able to collate the results from soil and slurry analysis and prepare a detailed Nutrient and Manure Management Plan. This enables the farmer to make informed decisions before purchasing and applying manufactured fertiliser and organic material, both for financial and technical efficiency and fully complying with farm assurance requirements.

5.0 - 5.4

Nutrient and Manure Management

2017

25 20 15 10 5 0

Results for K Index

% of samples

Results for P Index

25 20 15 10 5

2 3 P Index

P: 34.8% of P results fall below RB209 target value of 2 or more index, considered necessary for optimal grassland production.

The influence of soil pH on nutrient availability

2+ 3 K Index

K: 27.6% of K results fall below RB209 target value of 2- or more index, considered necessary for optimal grassland production.

4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

6.0

6.5

7.0

RANGE OF ACIDITY

7.5

8.0

8.5

9.0

9.5

PHOSPHORUS POTASSIUM SULPHUR CALCIUM

Liming is an important part of crop production and monitoring the soil pH should be part of an annual soil management plan with samples taken every three to four years helps to ensure soil pH is kept at an optimum.

MAGNESIUM IRON MANGANESE BORON

Each year there is likely to be an increase in acidity from the build up of hydrogen ions in the soil, which leads to a reduction in soil fertility unless corrected.

COPPER & ZINC MOLYBDENUM

ForFarmers basic soil testing is important because: pH â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Correct pH for optimum plant growth and uptake of nutrients

Nitrogen â&#x20AC;&#x201C; If soil pH is under optimum, Nitrogen uptake can be reduced by up to 50%

ForFarmers Basic Soil Analysis pH, available P, K and Mg ForFarmers Broad Spectrum Soil Analysis pH and key macronutrients P, K, Mg plus Boron and Zinc

10.

RANGE OF ALKALINITY NITROGEN

Soil pH plays an important role in the availability of nutrients. A soil pH of around 7 is optimal for the maximum availability of all nutrients and is in line with the optimum pH for grass growth of 6 to 7.

Qtr4

Qtr3

Slurry and Nutrient Management

Low Phosphorus = Poor root development, poor use of nutrients.

Low Potassium = Poor transport and utilisation of nutrients and poor growth

ForFarmers Soil Analysis Extra pH available P, K and Mg plus Na and Ca ForFarmers Maize Plus Analysis pH and key macronutrients P, K, Mg plus Boron and Zinc

For more information on soil testing or forage services contact your ForFarmers Forage Specialist, local account manager or our customer service team on 0845 070 6280 email info.forage@forfarmers.eu

ForFarmers offers knowledge, expertise and a wide range of seed, fertiliser and forage additive products to improve feed and forage efficiency. With the correct management and utilisation through effective cutting, grazing and feeding strategies, modern seed varieties can have a significant impact on farm profitability.

Seeds Grass, maize, cereals, pulses, oilseed rape, roots, greening and game cover crops

Fertiliser Compounds, blends and straights for all crops

Additives and inoculants A wide range of forage additives to treat grass, legume, wholecrop and maize silages as well as preservatives for crimp, hay, TMR, cereal grains and slurry treatment

Analytical services Soil testing, grass analysis, silage analysis, water and slurry testing

Crop protection A wide range of crop protection products and advice for forage and arable crops To maintain quality and productivity and take full advantage of all that modern agronomy has to offer contact ForFarmers, where we believe it is vitally important to select seed varieties for optimal quality and performance, choose the correct fertiliser to maximise yield and use specific forage additives to improve feed efficiency.

0845 070 6280 info.forage@forfarmers.eu www.forfarmers.co.uk