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Web Version  |  Update preferences  |  Unsubscribe Like Tweet Forward CONTENTS • Welcome • 'Key Points of Influence' in sheep systems • Sobering thoughts • Rotationally grazing to keep costs down • Boost your forage knowledge • Expert view: Charlie Morgan HOW TO... ... make the most of manures John Morgan of Creedy Associates has some top tips for saving money while increasing grass production this spring. He advises farmers to take soil samples now so they know the nutrient status of each field; then consider what they need to make the grass grow to its full potential. Read more... ... MOT waterlogged fields Waterlogging is causing significant damage to grass in many areas. This could lead to decreased yields and lower feed quality this summer. Grass can only survive for a limited amount of time completely submerged and muddy conditions invariably lead to soil structure problems. Once things have dried out a bit, carry out a grass MOT to assess the damage. Read more... DO IT NOW! See if the grass is growing When calving and lambing is in full swing it is easy to forget about the grass. But good spring management is essential if swards are to achieve their potential the rest of the year. Go out and measure the heigh of a few fields on the same day each week, to see if, or how fast the grass is growing. Target sward heights for early spring are 4cm for sheep and 5-6cm for cattle when set stocked. If the grass is below 4cm at turnout, ewes and lambs will need supplementary feeding, as they won’t be able to eat enough for the demands of early lactation. Or consider applying some early fertiliser (30-50kg N/ha) to boost spring grass. Focus on south-facing well-drained fields with good levels of productive grasses to get the highest return on investment.  In spring, 1kg of N should produce 10-12kg DM of grass. WORDS OF WISDOM What makes a top performing business is not the breed of animal or soil type or location – it is how well it is managed. Whatever resources top performers have – they always seem to use them well. Trevor Cook, NZ Pasture Consultant Welcome The EBLEX Grazing Club is for all beef and sheep producers who want to: •  Improve grass yields and quality •  Improve animal performance off grass •  Cut production costs •  Get better returns. This newsletter is full of topical information and ideas on how to achieve these objectives. We will be using farmer case studies, calling in the experts for their views and reporting on grassland events from across the country. There will also be links to relevant tools, more information and ‘how-to’ videos. As with any club, members can share and swap ideas on how they make the most of grass. Join the Grazing Club conversation on twitter– just follow #grazingclub. Dr Liz Genever, EBLEX livestock scientist 'Key Points of Influence' in sheep systems There are certain times in the year when it is essential to assess both stock and pasture – and to take action if either the animals or the grass are not in ideal condition. This was the view of New Zealand consultant Trevor Cook, speaking at a series of meetings designed to make sheep farmers take a critical look at the way they do things. Trevor described his KPIs – ‘Key Points of Influence’ in the production cycle of ewes. He also explained why he feels Body Condition Scoring (BCS) is one of the most powerful tools on the farm. Read more... Sobering thoughts Average lowland sheep producers lost £13 per ewe put to the ram last year (before SFP and Agri-environment money). Top third producers made £18 profit per ewe put to the ram   Average producers selling weaned calves from suckler cows lost £236.72 per cow last year (before SFP and Agri-environment money). Top third producers lost £58.29 per cow Rotationally grazing to keep costs down Sheep and beef producers James and Anna King are looking to achieve above average levels of output, while keeping costs as low as possible. They currently run around 750 ewes – half Mules lambing from mid-March and half Easycares which lamb in mid-April. The aim is to get as many lambs sold as possible off grass or stubble turnips, without the use of concentrates. They tried rotational grazing for the first time last year, but struggled to maintain sward height targets in the summer. Undeterred, they are going to have another go this year. Read more... Boost your forage knowledge Two new BRP+ publications looking at alternative forages are now available on the EBLEX website: BRP+ Growing and Feeding Lucerne Lucerne may not be for every farm in England, but it could be used more widely than it is currently. It has the potential to produce high yields – 12 tonnes of dry matter per year (4.8t DM acre/year) of a high-protein crop, which can complement maize extremely well. It works better on naturally higher pH soils that are free draining. It generally needs a nurse crop for the first year and should not be grown with ryegrasses as they are too competitive. A series of BRP events on lucerne will be taking place in the summer.   BRP+ Using Chicory and Plantain in Beef and Sheep Systems There is growing evidence that forage chicory and plantain can produce high yields of highly palatable and nutritious feed for grazing livestock. Chicory is best suited to light soils and areas where its drought tolerant attributes (a deep tap root) can be exploited.  Plantain grows in a wider range of soils, but does not grow well in deep sands or waterlogged soils. It stops growing in most English winters. Both plants have natural anthelmintic properties and are well suited to finishing lambs or carrying ewes and lambs during lactation. Expert view: Charlie Morgan Are soil temperatures a good guide for applying N? Records taken over 25 years in Mid-Wales for the Met Office, showed that once 5°C has been recorded for five consecutive days it is a good indicator that temperatures will continue to rise. So applying fertiliser at this stage will optimise nitrogen use efficiency. Grass expert Charlie Morgan worked with EBLEX last spring, measuring soil temperatures on eight sheep and beef farms across England. Spring 2013 was far from normal and the data collected showed this.  Cornwall hit the target on April 15, followed by West Sussex the next day. Northumberland was the last to achieve target on April 19. Read more... © Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board 2014 EBLEX is a division of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) Edit your subscription | Unsubscribe EBLEX, AHDB Stoneleigh Park Kenilworth Warwickshire CV8 2TL