Mastering Herbal Ley Management: Grazing Strategies and Field Rotation Insights

In this video, David Cross discusses his approach to herbal ley management, covering topics such as grazing infrastructure, field allocation, and rotation length. He explains how factors like covers, time of year, rotation length, and grass growth influence grazing allocation. David bases his grazing strategy on providing 3% of body weight in dry matter (DM) for single day moves. He prefers to start grazing at covers just below 3000 kg DM/ha and finish at just below 2000 kg DM/ha. Adopting a flexible approach, David adjusts his grass management practices according to the season, ensuring a balance between supply and demand. He also discusses how he modifies his rotation length throughout the year to maintain both quality and yield, particularly with herbal leys.
Welcome to AHDB Beef & Lamb, a statutory levy board funded by farmers and others in the supply chain. Our purpose is to be a critical enabler, to positively influence outcomes, allowing farmers, growers and others in the supply chain to be competitive, successful and share good practice. We equip levy payers with easy to use products, tools and services to help them make informed decisions and improve business performance. Established in 2008 and classified as a Non-Departmental Public Body, AHDB supports the following industries: meat and livestock (Beef, Lamb and Pork) in England; Dairy in Great Britain; and Cereals and Oilseeds in the UK.
For further information visit www.ahdb.org.uk
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