Cymraeg These resources look at how to manage your grassland system to minimise other input costs such as nitrogen fertilisers and housing. In Part 1, we will look at how to increase your forage production and pasture diversity without synthetic inputs.
Low and no input grassland standard of the Sustainable Farming Incentive pilot – Defra
Find out about the standard for low and no input grassland, what land is eligible and how much you can get paid.
AHDB Grass – access to a lot of information and resources
Well-managed grassland provides the cheapest feed throughout the year, either as grazed grass or silage. Making the most of grass on your farm offers a huge opportunity to increase profits in a sustainable way.
Paul & Nic Renison farmer profile – commissioned as part of the AHDB Grass project.
A case study on the benefits of rotational grazing. Rotational grazing means you grow more grass. Learn more about their journey and the lessons they learnt.
Cover Crops Incorporated into Rotational Grazing Improves Soil Health – magazine article
In a limited study, funded by a Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SSARE) Graduate Student Grant, Louisiana State University researchers found that winter annuals incorporated into a bahiagrass pasture improved soil organic matter, while nitrate concentrations decreased, carbon concentrations stabilized, and soil microbial enzyme activity increased, suggesting a healthy soil environment.
The Herbal Ley Farming System – pdf guide
A comprehensive guide to herbal ley farming systems using Goosegreen Farm as a case study.
‘When we make a pasture of nature’s model of complex ingredients (herbal ley) for the primary purpose of building soil fertility, we can also achieve for the grazing animal food of a quality which will enable the animal to maintain its own health and fertility and produce abundantly of milk and progeny’.
Improving pasture for Better Returns – AHDB manual
Research data, information and photography have been sourced from AHDB Grass+, Simon Draper Agronomy, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), AHDB Nutrient Management Guide (RB209), Barenbrug, Institute of Biological, Environmental & Rural Sciences (IBERS), Jenny Gibbons, Kings Crop, Kingshay, Professional Agricultural Analysis Group, Recommended Grass and Clover Lists and SRUC.
PFLA Website
The Pasture-Fed Livestock Association brings together British farmers committed to producing high quality food in a more natural way.
Pasture containing grasses, wildflowers and herbs is the natural diet of cattle and sheep. Yet today, very few animals are fed from pasture alone. Many farmers now try to produce their meat and milk as quickly as possible, by feeding things like cereals and imported soya, with animals indoors much of the time. So animals are vanishing from our fields and the tasty, healthy, grass-fed food they produce is hard to find. Our farmers make the most of their pastures by keeping their animals out for as long as possible and feeding preserved pasture if they need to come inside
The animal welfare and environmental benefits of Pasture for Life farming – interim findings – report part authored by Rob Havard
This interim report from Pasture-Fed Livestock Association (PFLA) farmers seeks to address the environmental and animal welfare benefits of the raising of ruminants wholly on pasture, as reflected in the Pasture for Life (PfL) certification mark and its underlying standards. Advocates of this approach find that ruminants thrive with better health and lower vet bills, and when land is sustainably managed with grazing livestock, there is improved carbon sequestration, water infiltration, soil fertility, nutrient cycling, soil formation, biodiversity, wildlife habitat, and ecosystem stability and resilience. The report follows a similar report on the human health benefits arising from animals raised to PfL standards.
Pasture for Life – It can be done. The farm business case for feeding ruminants just on pasture
This booklet has been written with the help of some of PFLA member farmers, who also engage with the AHDB Beef & Lamb Stocktake costings service. They wanted to showcase their stories and tell us why they feel their way of farming is better for human health, their farm business and the wider environment.
Rob Havard farmer profile
Rob’s family have been farming since 1919 when my great grandfather moved from south Wales. They have always farmed sheep and cattle, have been in Environmental Stewardship schemes for well over 10 years now, and have recently converted to organic and certified Pasture for Life beef and lamb. Their main operation is fattening grass-fed organic Aberdeen Angus beef cattle.
Feeding livestock on pasture-based diets – practical recommendations
This abstract was composed as part of a Defra funded project looking at organic management techniques that could be applied on non-organic farms and help improve sustainability. It describes information on pasture-fed livestock production and lists the main agronomic, economic and/or ecological value you can expect to gain from applying the method. It includes practical recommendations that will help you implement the method on your farm and other useful information such as the time of year you could apply the method, suitability according to your farming system, and equipment required. It also includes a case study of a farmer who is applying the practice. Potential benefits and potential barriers you would need to consider, financial implications, and how it relates to legislation are also listed.
Use of diverse swards and ‘mob grazing’ for forage production SOLID Farmer Handbook
The feeding and nutrition of dairy cows is one of the most important factors in efficient dairy production (effecting overall animal performance, health and welfare). Within organic and low-input systems this is particularly challenging, as there are fewer options for feed and forage purchases to balance rations.
This technical note, produced as part of the SOLID project, examines the potential benefits of growing diverse swards for low-input and organic dairy systems.
Novel Forage Crops
This abstract was composed as part of a Defra-funded project looking at organic management techniques that could be applied on non-organic farms and help improve sustainability. It describes information on novel forage crops, listing the main agronomic, economic and/or ecological value you can expect to gain from growing sainfoin, chicory and lucerne. It includes practical recommendations such as the time of year they should be planted, suitability according to your farming system, and equipment required. It also includes a case study of a farmer who is applying the practice. Potential benefits and potential barriers you would need to consider and financial implications are also listed.
Jonty & Mel Brunyee farmer profile
Their vision for Conygree Farm is to develop a diverse sustainable farm business following holistic and regenerative principles. They seek a range of environmental, community and economic outcomes with the aim of putting more back in than we take out – rebuilding natural, social and financial capital.
The system is low input/premium output, respecting flora, fauna, landscape, heritage, air, soil and water. They aim to be energy efficient and build soil carbon. Although commercially smart (the farm must be profitable) livestock numbers and crop yields do not drive the business.
Manage grazing on improved grassland – Defra guidance
Find out how land managers can reduce inputs of fertiliser and manure, improve soil health and benefit wildlife by using pasture efficiently.
