How to improve soil health by through grazing management techniques

Reflecting on Groundswell and having listened to various speakers including Greg Judy, a rancher from Missouri, USA, it was clear that grazing has a big part to play as we improve soils. Building organic matter and feed the soil microbes.

Electric Fencing https://www.pasturetec.co.uk/product-category/electric-fencing/ has the flexibility to enable farmers to either graze fields as part of an arable rotation that perhaps do not have the best infrastructure. Split fields and tighten up the grazing, then rest paddocks post grazing to allow the re growth and allow time for the soil to recover.

Genetics

Reducing the size of your cows can help, so genetics is key to having the right type of animal to graze grass for as long as possible throughout the year and reduce input costs.

Fertiliser

With fertiliser costs this year, more farmers are looking at reseeding https://www.pasturetec.co.uk/product/grass-seed-forage-seed/ to improve grazing quality and reduce input costs. As the saying goes, ‘grass grows grass’ which means that if you improve your grazing, you will improve the amount of dry matter that you grow on the same area. A further benefit is that you will improve your soil health, so it makes sense.

Clover

Introducing clover into a sward as part of a re seed will increase the amount of home-grown protein from forage. The nitrogen fixing properties of clover are well documented, fixing 150-250kg N/ha per year, with a 30% cover. 75-100kg of that could be transferred to the surrounding crops, with the rest taken up by the plant.

Timing is key to successful germination with clover and so it should ideally be in the ground by the third week of August for England and Wales and second week for Scotland. This is to ensure that it has established before the cold weather arrives.

Pasturetec can help! – Get in touch with our team:

Pasturetec can talk you through options for re seeding this Autumn and can also advise on how to improve your grazing and which products will work for you to help reduce input costs. This will also improve soil health and increase productivity. Call the Office on 01283 387290 or speak to one of our sales team who will be keen to help and talk you through all aspects of grazing management and soil health. https://www.pasturetec.co.uk/contact-us/