Feed cost savings in the region of 12p/kg DM will be the reward for farmers next spring if they take steps during the late summer to reseed damaged pastures.

Helen Mathieu of British Seed Houses

So says Helen Mathieu of British Seed Houses, who points out that grazed grass at 5p/kg DM is less than a third of the cost of most bought in concentrate feeds and that investment in grass and clover seed will be a small fraction of the potential savings on offer.

“Paddocks that have been badly poached, or even flooded, will be in a poor state and may never fully recover,” she says. “There is certainly going to be a question mark over the potential of worn out pastures to deliver the early spring growth required to sustain an early turnout. Now is the time to act if the plan is to cut feed costs by keeping the winter as short as possible.

“Soil temperatures are currently quite high and we still have long daylight hours and plenty of moisture, so - provided it does not become too wet again - conditions are just about ideal for reseeding.

“Whilst a full reseed is always going to produce the best results, overseeding or slot seeding offer cheaper ways of improving pastures and are appropriate in some cases.

“Whatever your establishment method, be sure to use the best available varieties for your needs. The latest Aber perennial ryegrasses from the IGER breeding programme, including varieties such as AberStar and AberDart, are amongst the top yielding available, and offer the added advantages of high sugar and also exceptional early spring growth.”

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