A free advisory event focussing on herbal leys is being held at Broadaford Farm, Widecombe on Thursday 9 May 9:30am – 1pm.
Modern herbal leys are a complex mixture of grasses, legumes and herbs, which bring a range of benefits to forage, livestock health and soil fertility. They can include multiple different species depending on the aims of the ley, location and soil type. The inclusion of herbs such as plantain and ribgrass improves the quantities of vital minerals in the forage and helps increase daily liveweight gains and milk production.
Herbal leys also have a greater biodiversity value than rye grass swards and are more resistant to drought conditions such as those experienced in 2018. Not surprisingly there is increasing interest in both their productive and environmental value and Devon has seen a significant expansion of this type of grassland.
The event is being jointly promoted by the Dartmoor Hill Farm Project, Dartmoor Facilitation Fund and the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) supported by AHDB.
Charlie Morgan, an independent grassland consultant who is recognised as a national expert in this field said: “Herbal leys have much to offer livestsock farms and can deliver a wide range of benefits from mining soil nutrients to anthelmintic properties. This event will explore the topic in detail including grazing strategies, soils, productivity and establishment costs.”
Broadaford Farm has been working with Charlie Morgan for two years and has been gathering data on the value of the herbal leys and the benefits to their business. In particular grassland performance has helped enhance the farms productivity.
John Dracup, who farms with his son Will, stated that: “We have seen significant improvements in grassland management through using a number of these techniques and hope this day will demonstrate some of the benefits.”
The event will also highlight the environmental aspects of herbal leys which have been shown to improve soil health, structure and enhance nectaring opportunities. Currently there are options in mid-tier Countryside Stewardship for herbal leys and this will be addressed on the day. As well as the main speaker the farm walk will include contributions from Clare Densley an expert on pollinators and Helen Parkin of Pickards who will cover options for seed mixes.
Luke Dale Harris of FWAG said:
“FWAG SW are excited to be involved in this event looking at the important role multi species swards can play in the uplands. With agricultural policy changing to reward environmental services there is significant interest in this topic across the South West from farmers seeking to secure profitable business models within a healthy environment.”
In addition to herbal leys, the event will also look at lime as a facet of soil health and productivity. Representatives from Glendinnings quarry will be present to discuss bulk lime and Mark Sampson of Sampson Agricultural Services will also demonstrate application using smart technology and soil mapping.
Russell Ashford, Chairman of the Dartmoor Hill Farm Project said:
“This should be a really valuable event for anyone considering new grassland options or mid tier Countryside Stewardship. We are grateful to our hosts, sponsors and contributors for their support.”
Anyone interested in attending the event which includes a free pasty lunch should contact the Hill Farm Project on 01822 890913 or hfp@dartmoor.gov.ukto reserve a place.
Notes:
Newman Turner, one of the great advocates of herbal leys, described these mixes as his ‘fertiliser merchant, food manufacturer and vet all in one’.
Herbal Leys have traditionally been used to build soil fertility and structure in an arable rotation, acting as a minimal input, four year break crop, but they bring significant benefits not only to the soil health, but also to the health and diet of livestock and the wider environment.
The deep rooting species in the mixture add drought tolerance when grown on thin soils or during dry summers, remaining green and palatable for much longer than other forage mixtures.
They work especially well on dry, light land where ryegrass leys prone to burning up in mid summer. The mixture of species also ensures a longer growing season and certain species included in the mixtures such as Sainfoin, Chicory and Birdsfoot Trefoil, have anthelmintic properties, which helps to reduce the worm burden in livestock, creating less reliance on artificial wormers.
The deep rooting herbs, notably Chicory, mine the soil for important nutrients and minerals, making them available to the grazing livestock and lowering the need for bought in concentrates. The high legume content of these leys reduces the need for expensive artificial nitrogen, since they fix their own N, feeding the other grasses and herbs in the mixture, and again helping to reduce costs.
Growing a complex mixture of species can increase the overall yield of the forage. This is known as the ‘overyielding’ effect, created by different species growing in different spaces both above and below ground, throughout the growing season. Trials have proven that complex mixtures can outyield monocultures or simple mixtures even when they have received a nitrogen application.
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Image: Cotswold Seeds