Low input grazing leys

Rhodri has improved a lot of his best land at Brynllech Uchaf over recent years and has had success introducing high quality Red Clover leys into the grazing and cutting platforms.

In order to achieve better control of the management of his best improved fields, he is now keen to improve his poorer grazing fields. The main reason for this focus is because the current grass leys are not compatible with the changing weather patterns, especially the drier and hotter summers. Over the last 2 years, some fields have not been grazed for prolonged periods over the summer due to a lack of grass growth, forcing him to mismanage the best fields on the farm.

By trialling various seed mixtures, it is hoped that we can establish which seed mixtures suit these fields on his farm (which is typical of many hill farms in Meirionnydd and beyond), the system (low N inputs) and the climate.

Through driving further improvement in efficiency, the project will also contribute to the Sustainable Land Management outcomes including:

• reduce the farms’ greenhouse gas emissions
• support improvement in maximising carbon storage and sequestration whilst reducing the whole-farm carbon footprint
• maintain and enhance the ecosystem 
• contribute to high flock health and welfare.