Diverse forage mixtures to optimise ruminant animal production, nutrient use efficiency, environmental impact, biodiversity and resilience
Lead Research Organisation:
Rothamsted Research
Department Name: Sustainable Agriculture Sciences-NW
Abstract
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Technical Summary
In the face of climate change and unpredictable seasonal events, mineral nitrogen (N) inputs must decrease, and forage yield and quality must be more resilient to variable weather patterns. There is concern about the poor persistency of ryegrass and the need for improved herbage quality and quantity in variable climates. There is increasing awareness of the role of species-rich plant communities in reducing environmental impact and having positive consequences for agricultural productivity. Diverse plant communities are expected to utilise available resources more efficiently than monocultures due to species-niche complementarity and positive interspecific interactions. Manipulation of plant species richness found that the most diverse mixtures, on average, achieved a yield benefit of +77%, compared with monocultures. Further, reliance on mineral N inputs has been reduced by exploitation of N fixation from legumes, with grass-legume mixtures containing 40-60% legume and receiving 50 or 150 kg/ha/yr fertiliser N achieving similar yields as grass monocultures fertilised with 450 kg N/ha/yr.
The objective of greater sustainability, biodiversity, and resilience of livestock production will be achieved here through the harnessing of forage mixtures that have the capability to be more productive under variable climates, require less N fertiliser due to reliance on N-fixation capabilities, and contribute to greater N use efficiency at animal and farm scales, compared to swards typically grazed in the UK. Forage treatments will be based on agricultural and environmental requirements, and developed and performance tested in different areas of the UK. Agronomic characterisation, utilisation and feed value for livestock, on-farm uptake and performance, and resilience and recovery to drought and water stressors will be investigated. Information will be integrated into models to provide farm and national scale assessments for efficient, productive and sustainable agriculture.
The objective of greater sustainability, biodiversity, and resilience of livestock production will be achieved here through the harnessing of forage mixtures that have the capability to be more productive under variable climates, require less N fertiliser due to reliance on N-fixation capabilities, and contribute to greater N use efficiency at animal and farm scales, compared to swards typically grazed in the UK. Forage treatments will be based on agricultural and environmental requirements, and developed and performance tested in different areas of the UK. Agronomic characterisation, utilisation and feed value for livestock, on-farm uptake and performance, and resilience and recovery to drought and water stressors will be investigated. Information will be integrated into models to provide farm and national scale assessments for efficient, productive and sustainable agriculture.
Planned Impact
Please refer to the main application.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Tom Misselbrook (Principal Investigator) | |
| Lianhai Wu (Co-Investigator) |
Publications
D. J. Humphries
(2021)
Growth rates of beef steers fed forage mixtures over two complete grazing seasons
Punalekara, S. M
(2018)
Application of Sentinel-2A data for pasture biomass monitoring using a physically based radiative transfer model
in Remote Sensing of Environment
Shepperd S
(2020)
Forage plant mixture type interacts with soil moisture to affect soil nutrient availability in the short term
in Experimental Results
| Description | The DiverseForages Project is a five-year project funded by the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Innovation Club, which is led by the University of Reading in collaboration with Duchy College, Rothamsted North Wyke, and Cotswold Seeds. The overall aim of the project is: "To achieve acceptable yields of good quality forage for livestock production whilst having a positive and long term impact on the environment." Why diverse forages? Perennial ryegrass (PRG) is widely grown as forage for ruminant animal production. It responds well to N fertilizer but has a shallow root system and thus is prone to drought. There are many plants other than ryegrass that can be used for forage including other species of grasses, legumes (e.g. clover) and herbs/forbs (e.g. chicory or plantain). Legumes capture atmospheric nitrogen as compounds available to other plants, replacing the need for nitrogen fertiliser, and some plant species are deep rooting, improving soil structure and providing resilience to drought and flooding. In this way, mixed species work together to fulfil different ecosystem functions, potentially increasing forage yield of the whole pasture above the yield of any one species sown alone, as well as enhancing biodiversity. Project overview Three forage mixtures comprising six, twelve or seventeen species and containing grasses, legumes, and herbs were established in Autumn of 2016 and compared to N fertilised PRG at multiple research sites and farms over 3 growing seasons (2017-2019). Treatment mixtures received no N fertilizer for the duration of the study. Measurements included: • Biomass yield, forage quality, botanical composition, and soil properties in a long-term replicated trial plot study at 4 sites in the South of England. • A comparison of agronomic performance of the control and treatment mixtures sown at dry and wet sites. • An assessment of the performance of the two most complex mixtures on ten participatory farms • A two-year evaluation of forage nutritional value, including measurements of digestibility, nitrogen use efficiency, methane emission, and growth rate of grazing cattle in 2018 and 2019. Twenty 1-hectare grazing plots were established in 2016 with 5 replicate plots for each treatment. Plots were used for haylage production in 2017. Each year 10 growing steers were assigned to each treatment for the duration of the grazing season to determine growth rates. Measurements of fresh forage digestibility, N utilization for growth, and methane emission were obtained over the course of the season whilst steers were housed in digestion stalls allowing total collection of faeces and urine. • A modelling exercise to determine economic and environmental impacts of the mixtures at farm-scale. Key Findings to Date: 1. For the multi-site agronomy trials, there was large variation in the species present across sites, sampling times within the growing season, and years of the study in spite of the use of the same seed mixtures for establishment. Species richness in the more complex mixtures was highest in year 1 and then declined slightly, but the total number of species present remained high. The number of unsown species (weeds) was greatest in PRG, which received no herbicide during the study. Overall, the PRG control with N fertilizer produced more biomass in year 1, but the multi-species swards with no N fertilizer were as productive as PRG receiving N in year 2, and produced more forage biomass than PRG in year 3. Years 2 and 3 were relatively dry years, which limited PRG growth, and legumes in the multispecies swards were more established in years 2 and 3, which made up for the lack of N fertilizer. The nutrient composition of the PRG differed from the other treatments, which were lower in crude protein, water soluble carbohydrates, and neutral detergent fibre, and higher in ash compared to PRG receiving N fertilizer. There were no effects of treatments on soil visual assessments or composition, but the number of earthworms present was greater for the multispecies treatment swards. Similar results were observed for the dry and wet sites when comparing treatments. Yield was lower for the dry site and greater for the wet site, but there was no evidence of the treatment swards being more resilient to drought or water logging in terms of total forage mass produced. 2. There was no effect of treatments on growth rates of steers and their average daily gain. Digestibility of diet dry matter and fibre was not affected by treatment, but protein digestibility was greater for PRG compared to the multispecies swards. Methane emission per kg forage consumed was higher for PRG, but similar for the multispecies sward treatments. Overall, the results show that multispecies swards containing legumes produced forage yields that were comparable to, or greater than, PRG receiving 250 kg N/ha. Whilst soil composition was not significantly affected over the 3 years of the study, greater earthworm populations were present after 3 years of multispecies sward establishment. Although PRG receiving N fertilizer had higher crude protein concentration at harvest, the overall digestibility of the multispecies swards was comparable to PRG and supported rates of growth of cattle that were not different to PRG receiving N fertilizer. In addition to the increased biodiversity observed with multispecies swards, and the benefits of withdrawing mineral N fertilizer and subsequent reductions in greenhouse gas emissions (embedded carbon for synthesis and transport and nitrous oxide emissions following application), steers consuming multispecies swards produced less methane per unit forage consumed, lowering the carbon footprint of production. |
| Exploitation Route | The results provide evidence for the productivity and nutritional value of multi-species swards relative to perennial ryegrass, giving the industry scientific evidence to support anecdotal claims as to the value of 'herbal leys'. The results are notable in that they clearly demonstrate the production that can be achieved without the use of N fertilizer. These results, as part of a wider body of work on multi-species swards and diverse forage mixtures, has been influential in the development of specific proposed options as part of the Environmental Land Management Scheme, set to be fully introduced in 2024 following pilot schemes from 2021, which will replace the agri-environment schemes that were available under the EU. The multiple articles in the popular farming press in addition to the many engagement activities listed are testament to the growing interest in the use of diverse forage mixtures by the farming industry. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment |
| Description | This project, as part of a wider body of work on multi-species swards and diverse forage mixtures, has been influential in the development of specific proposed options as part of the Environmental Land Management Scheme, set to be fully introduced in 2024 following pilot schemes from 2021, which will replace the agri-environment schemes that were available under the EU. The multiple articles in the popular farming press in addition to the many engagement activities listed are testament to the growing interest in the use of diverse forage mixtures by the farming industry. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2020 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment |
| Impact Types | Societal,Policy & public services |
| Description | ERDF Cornwall: Toolkit of Multispecies Swards (TOMS) |
| Amount | £11,800,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 05R16P00366 |
| Organisation | European Commission |
| Department | European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | Belgium |
| Start | 07/2018 |
| End | 06/2021 |
| Description | 'CropTrumps' |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The project (Hannah Jones) has also supported the on-going development of 'CropTrumps' a card based system for farmers to use for species identification, application and use which can be further adapted for use as an App. This work is in collaboration with the Agri-tech Cornwall Project 'Toolbox for Multispecies Swardss (TOMS)' in addition to industry partners. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | 'The feeding value of herbal leys' Workshop 30th May 2019 at Duchy College Stoke Climsland |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The DiverseForages project workshop 'The feeding value of herbal leys ' was held 30th May 2019 at Duchy College Stoke Climsland. Attendees (approx. 30) included farmers and industry representatives who discussed practical aspects of multi-species sward management with particular emphasis on suitable grazing to conserve ley diversity. Dr Dave Humphries spoke on practical experiences of grazing mutli-species swards for the DiverseForages project and Dr Deb Beaumont developed a grass ID handout and ran a plant ID session. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | A herbal ley workshop was held in collaboration with the Penwith Partnership and the Cornwall Wildlife Trus |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | A herbal ley workshop was held in collaboration with the Penwith Partnership and the Cornwall Wildlife Trust. This event was focused on addressing the hurdles in adopting herbal leys on farm. The discussion covered formulating bespoke mixtures for 'problem' fields, potential benefits and limitations of herbal leys and suitable management (grazing and nutrient). The day ended with a tour of a range of farm-based herbal leys which focused on the different methods for establishment. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | AHDB BGS Herbal Leys Webinar 24th July 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | AHDB supported a panel discussion from the British Grassland Society https://www.britishgrassland.com, featuring a conversation between Paul Muto, Natural England; Professor Chris Reynolds, University of Reading; Sam Lane, Cotswold Seeds and dairy farmer, Rob Richmond. The panel discussed the impact of herbal leys on animal performance and soil health as well as sharing their experience of establishment and management. The webinar covered: · How to select and grow · Animal performance · Herbal leys in agri-environment: Lessons learned and moving ahead |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRD4kuRQ7Qw |
| Description | AHDB BGS Herbal Leys Webinar 7 December 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | AHDB supported a panel discussion from the British Grassland Society https://www.britishgrassland.com, featuring a conversation between Dr Hannah Jones, Rob Richmond, and Paul Newell-Price. This was the third in a series of 4 webinars on Herbal Leys organized by AHDB and BGS. Topics included: - Animal performance - Soil health - Soil carbon sequestration - Fertiliser input |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ox_xHf1kkCM |
| Description | AHDB South West Beef and Lamb Discussion Group at North Wyke 11th Nov 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | 11th Nov 2019 AHDB South West Beef and Lamb Discussion Group at North Wyke. Regional, approximately 12 visitors (farmers and an agricultural consultant). Dr Deb Beaumont did a 30 minute presentation on the DiverseForage project, including a project overview and preliminary results. We then had a useful discussion regarding the management and benefits of herbal leys . |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | BBC Radio 4, Farming Today 9th June 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Professor Reynolds and Dr Thomson were interviewed by BBC Radio 4 for an extended Farming Today programme (9th June 2018) on pastures and meadows. Dr Thomson was subsequently interviewed for a BBC South news story on the effects of climate change on farming. The potential benefits of legumes and deep rooting species in multispecies swards and the objectives and plans for SARIC project were highlighted in both reports. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | BBC Radio 4, Farming Today 9th June 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Professor Reynolds and Dr Thomson were interviewed by BBC Radio 4 for an extended Farming Today programme (9th June 2018) on pastures and meadows. Dr Thomson was subsequently interviewed for a BBC South news story on the effects of climate change on farming. The potential benefits of legumes and deep rooting species in multispecies swards and the objectives and plans for SARIC project were highlighted in both reports. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | British Grassland Society Research Conference 2-4 March 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Prof Chris Reynolds, as President of the British Grassland Society, led the organization of a virtual research conference on the use of Multispecies Swards, including sessions on establishment, sward management for conservation and grazing, and utilization and nutritive value. Four papers from the Diverse Forages project were presented and published in the conference proceedings, given by Dr Zoe Barker, Dr Dave Humphries, and Prof Chris Reynolds. In total there were 179 people registered for the conference, 152 people attended a live session (the others are will take advantage of the recordings), more than 100 people attended each day, and 50 students were registered. Particpants were registered from 7 countries, including North America. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.britishgrassland.com/research-conference-2021/ |
| Description | Designing Forage Mixtures Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Approximately 20 participants including farmers, nutritionists and other specialists took part in a workshop to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different forage mixtures with the aim of informing the project as to the most suitable mixtures to be assessed on the research and commercial farm sites. An overview of the project was given as introduction and there was discussion regarding the purposes of growing forage mixtures and the wider animal health and environmental benefits that they may give and whether there was a trade off with productivity. Barriers to uptake of more diverse forage mixtures was also discussed. Several of the participants expressed an interest to be more involved in the project (e.g. to host a farm trial) and to be kept informed as theh project progresses. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Designing a multi-species treatment for the North Wyke Farm Platform Workshop, Tuesday 3rd Dec 2019 held at RRes North Wyke |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Designing a multi-species treatment for the North Wyke Farm Platform workshop, Tuesday 3rd Dec 2019 held at RRes North Wyke. The North Wyke Farm Platform (NWFP) 'farm lab' is a large scale research facility to study the complete flow of nutrients from soil to food. The aim of the workshop was to bring together farmers, industry representatives and researchers to discuss how to manage a 22ha area of the North Wyke Farm Platform where we plan to sow multi-species leys in autumn 2020. Topics discussed included what species and varieties to include in the seed mix, appropriate grazing and silage management and how are multi-species leys integrating into the wider farming community. Total number of attendees: 27, national (one overseas presenter). Results and main findings from the Diverse Forages Project were presented by Dr Dave Humphries. Dr Hannah Jones presented a talk on individual species and selection criteria. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Diverse Forages Project Video on Social Media - LEAF Open Farm Sunday September 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The University of Reading contributed to Leaf's Online farm Sunday on 20th September 2020 Dr Zoe Barker produced a video that showcased the Diverse Forages Project and other related University of Reading research on multispecies swards and herbal leys. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=677038499583616&extid=KctCho3CFU9gnY2b |
| Description | Diverse Forages Project Video on Social Media June 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The University of Reading contributed to Leaf's Online farm Sunday on 7th June 2020 We showcased the farms where the Diverse Forages Project has taken place and our other herbal leys. A video describing the project and showing the agronomy and grazing plots was seen by 1791 with 245 media views, 7 likes and 5 re-tweets at the time. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://twitter.com/ZEBarker1/status/1269611314340478976?s=20 |
| Description | DiverseForages Project Dissemination event 29th November 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | SARIC Dissemination event 29th November 2021 via webinar. The aim of the SARIC dissemination event was to disseminate the findings from the SARIC projects to the members of the Club. Dissemination events also provide a space for networking and delegates were provided the opportunity to interact with a multidisciplinary group of experts. BBSRC and NERC staff and the SARIC coordinators all attended. An overview of the Diverse Forages project progress to date was presented by Dr Zoe Barker. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | DiverseForages project at a Soil Association - Herbal Leys Event 13 Nov 2019 at Godminster Farm |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Dr Dave Humphries presented information on the DiverseForages project at a Soil Association - Herbal Leys Event on Herbal Leys for Production held 13 Nov 2019 at Godminster Farm, Bruton. This event included 40 farmers and representatives from the Soil Association, Bumble Bee Trust, Fabulous Farmers, Innovative Farmers. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.farmcarbontoolkit.org.uk/events/fab-farmers-herbal-leys-learning-network-event |
| Description | Duchy of Cornwall tenants meeting at Tresemple Farm, Truro in October 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Dr Dave Humphries and Dr Hannah Jones participated in a Duchy of Cornwall tenants meeting at Tresemple Farm, Truro in October 2019. The meeting focused on the use of multi-species swards as part of their 'Natural Capital' project. Background on herbal Leys and their grazing management, forage production and digestibility was discussed. (Oct 2019) (participants include 20 tenant farmers, the Duchy Estates managers and advisors) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | EIT Food Focus on Farmers Webinar 7th September 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | As part of an EIT Food educational (for farmers) project "Focus on Farmers", a series of discussion fora are being held under the theme of "Connected Pasture Management". Dr David Humphries presented results from the SARIC Diverse Forages project. It was a live online event on September 7th at 8.00-9.00 pm and the audience was about 60 beef farmers, with 150 registered. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | EcoDoc Podcast June 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Prof Chris Reynolds (University of Reading) recorded an 'ECODOC' podcast on options for reducing environmental impact of animal production, including multispecies swards Show Notes: Farming is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and global warming. Farm animals play a big role in these emissions. At the same time we increasingly recognise the importance of animals to soil health and therefore the long term sustainability of food production. Chris Reynolds and his team at Reading University are researching how we can reduce the environmental impact of meat and dairy production by changing the ways we manage our animals. Chris started his career in the USA and brings a fascinating perspective to this crucial field. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.buzzsprout.com/1777245/8762697 |
| Description | FABulous Farmers Herbal Leys Stakeholder Meeting Webinar 10 December 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | FABulous Farmers Interreg NW Europe Herbal leys Stakeholder meeting 10 December 2020. Dr Dave Humphries presented results of the Diverse Forages project to stakeholders. The focus of the meeting was on the benefits of herbal leys and barriers and challenges to their uptake. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Farm Consultancy Group Training Day 22 September 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Farm Consultancy Group training day. Dr David Humphries presented results and lessons learned from the Diverse Forages Project. The venue was the Farm Ed Centre at Cotswolds Seeds' Honeydale Farm. The subject was diverse and herbal leys: the state of our knowledge why they should not be dismissed |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Grazing Multi-Species Swards Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The aim of the workshop was to bring together farmers, industry representatives, and researchers with an interest in the management of multi-species (herbal) leys to discuss best practice for grazing these pastures with cattle and sheep. With over 45 delegates, the day proved to be a great success with lively debate relating to the pros and cons of diverse forages. The outcome was the discussion of best practice recommendations for grazing multi-species mixtures that can be put into practice as part of the DiverseForages project's new grazing platform at the Centre for Dairy Research at the University of Reading. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | http://www.reading.ac.uk/diverseforages |
| Description | Innovative Farmers Steering Group Visit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Dr Dave Humphries and Dr Anna Thompson, University of Reading, Centre for Dairy Research (CEDAR) hosted a visit from the Innovative Farmers Steering Group. Innovative Farmers are a not for profit membership network, for farmers and growers who are running on farm trials, on their own terms. The aims of the visit was to provide a networking opportunity and to discuss shared experiences. There was also discussion around potential research questions. A Youtube video was made showing exact sampling procedures for Herbal Leys, Forage Samples which is available on the Innovative Farmers website. A WhatsApp group was set up. Farmers are already using the group to show pictures, ask for advice and help with species identification |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://www.innovativefarmers.org/news/2018/june/15/how-to-measure-forage-diversity-growth/?count=25 |
| Description | LEAF Network Innovation Newsletter March 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | An article in the LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) March 2021 Newsletter issue focusing on Nutrient Use Efficiency reported on the Diverse Forages Project and the key results to date. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://issuu.com/linking-environment-and-farming/docs/network_innovation_news_-_march_2021 |
| Description | LEAF Open Farm Tweets - June and September 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The University of Reading contributed to Leaf's Online farm Sunday in June 2020 We showcased the farms where the Diverse Forages Project has taken place and our other herbal leys. A video describing the project and showing the agronomy and grazing plots was seen by 1791 with 245 media views, 7 likes and 5 re-tweets at the time. https://twitter.com/ZEBarker1/status/1269611314340478976?s=20 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://twitter.com/ZEBarker1/status/1269611314340478976?s=20 |
| Description | LEAF online Farm Sunday 26th September 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Facebook Live Tour of CEDAR Dr Zoe Barker discussed research at the Centre for Dairy Research including the Diverse Forages Project during a Facebook live tour https://fb.watch/bGXoBiR_mZ/ that to date has received 408 views. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://fb.watch/bGXoBiR_mZ/ |
| Description | Liskeard Grassland Group - an evening session covering herbal leys (HJ) and precision grazing (Precision Grazing Ltd). 25th February 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | 25th February 2020 Liskeard Grassland Group - an evening session covering herbal leys (Dr Hannah Jones) and precision grazing (Precision Grazing Ltd). There were about 30 farmers present many of whom had heard of herbal leys but had had no experience in growing them. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | NE Catchment Sensitive Farming Officers visit to CEDAR October 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | In October 2019 Dr Zoe Barker, Prof Christopher Reynolds and Dr Dave Humpries hosted a visit to CEDAR (Centre for Dairy Research) from a group of 8 Catchment Sensitive Farming Officers (CSFOs) from the South of England. Catchment sensitive farming (CSF) is a partnership between Natural England, Defra and the Environment Agency that aims to improve water and air quality in key agricultural areas. The group viewed the diverse forages paddocks and the respiration chambers used for the project and there were discussions between researchers and CSFO's on how the research could be used to support their work with farmers. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Presentation to Grassland Society of Southern Australia - August 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Dr Anna Thomson (now working at Ellinbank Dairy Research Centre in Victoria, Australia) gave a presentation on the Diverse Forages Project for the Grassland Society of Southern Australia Annual Conference. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.grasslands.org.au/events/annual-conference-2021/program/ |
| Description | Prof Chris Reynolds gave an invited talk at the Efficient Dairy Genome Project Stakeholder Conference on Improving Feed Efficiency in Guelph, Canada.10th December 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Prof Chris Reynolds gave an invited talk on 'Multispecies Forages as Alternatives to Perennial Ryegrass: Beyond White Clover' at the Efficient Dairy Genome Project Stakeholder Conference on Improving Feed Efficiency in Guelph, Canada. 10th December 2018. The background to the DiverseForages project and preliminary results were presented. Approximately 200 attendees, including academics, students, farmers, and industry representatives from Canada, the USA, Australia, and Europe. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Project Dissemination Event March 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A series of recorded presentations provided an overview of the project and key results and perspectives on the future use and benefits of multispecies swards were released to event participates over a series of days. This was followed by an online discussion and question and answer session attended by 34 individuals from around the world, with 85 total registrants able to view the recorded presentations. Project speakers included Prof Chris Reynolds and Tom Misselbrook, Drs Dave Humphries and Zoe Barker, and Sam Lane, with guest presentations from Paul Muto (formerly Natural England now Oliver Seeds) and Prof Tommy Boland (UCD Ireland). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | SARIC Dissemination Event 2016 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The aim of the SARIC dissemination event was to disseminate the findings from the SARIC projects to the members of the Club. Dissemination events also provide a space for networking and delegates were provided the opportunity to interact with a multidisciplinary group of experts. BBSRC and NERC staff and the SARIC coordinators all attended. An overview of the Diverse Forages project and progress to date was presented by Dr Humphries. Dr Humphries (Co-I) and Prof Reynolds (PI) attended. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | https://storify.com/James_Phi/saric-winter-2016 |
| Description | SARIC Dissemination Event 2017 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The aim of the SARIC dissemination event was to disseminate the findings from the SARIC projects to the members of the Club. Dissemination events also provide a space for networking and delegates were provided the opportunity to interact with a multidisciplinary group of experts. BBSRC and NERC staff and the SARIC coordinators all attended. An overview of the Diverse Forages project and progress to date was presented by Dr Humphries. Dr Humphries (Co-I) and Prof Reynolds (PI) attended with Dr Tom Misselbrook (Co-I), Dr Hannah Jones (Co-I), and Deborah Beaumont (Research Technician), and Dr Anna Thomson (PDRA). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | SARIC Dissemination Event 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The aim of the SARIC dissemination event was to disseminate the findings from the SARIC projects to the members of the Club. Dissemination events also provide a space for networking and delegates were provided the opportunity to interact with a multidisciplinary group of experts. BBSRC and NERC staff and the SARIC coordinators all attended. An overview of the Diverse Forages project and progress to date was presented by Dr Humphries. Attended by Dr Dave Humphries (Co-I), Prof Chris Reynolds (PI) and Dr Anna Thompson (PDRA) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | SARIC Dissemination Event 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of the SARIC Diverse Forages project to all SARIC stakeholders and other interested parties at the annual SARIC Dissemination Event |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | SARIC Dissemination event 1 and 2 October 2019 at Sheffield |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | SARIC Dissemination event 1st-2nd October 2019 in Sheffield. The aim of the SARIC dissemination event was to disseminate the findings from the SARIC projects to the members of the Club. Dissemination events also provide a space for networking and delegates were provided the opportunity to interact with a multidisciplinary group of experts. BBSRC and NERC staff and the SARIC coordinators all attended. An overview of the Diverse Forages project and progress to date was presented by Dr Zoe Barker, PDRA on the project.The event was also attended by Dr Dave Humphries. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Seminar presentation on Multispecies Swards 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Prof Reynolds gave an invited talk on "Multispecies forages as alternatives to perennial ryegrass: Beyond white clover!", to a group of Dairy Farm Consults who were seeking information on how best to advise farmers on the use of multispecies swards and 'herbal leys' on dairy farms in the UK. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Webinar - The Dairy Group - January 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Professor Chris Reynolds gave an overview of the Diverse Forages Project and key results for the Dairy Group - a dairy consultancy organization. www.thedairygroup.co.uk |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Webinar - University of Reading Soil Biochemistry Seminar Series - June 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Professor Chris Reynolds gave an overview of the Diverse Forages Project and key results for the University of Reading's Soil Biochemistry Seminar Series and external guests. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Webinar - Velcourt - January 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Professor Chris Reynolds gave an overview of the Diverse Forages Project and key results for the Velcourt Farm Advisors annual meeting. https://www.velcourt.co.uk/ |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Webinar on Herbal Leys |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Herbal Leys Virtual Field Day: Part 1 - Establishment and Management & Soil Health, Grazing and Ensiling, 21st May, a collaboration between Agricology, Soil Association, Innovative Farmers, FABulous Farmers, Duchy College, Agritech Cornwall, FWAGSW and Rothamsted Research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Workshop on multispecies leys - Sheep on Arable SARIC Project 2nd June 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Chris Reynolds and Hannah Jones contributed to the workshop and shared information from the Diverse Forages project. The objective of the workshop was to gather information on the current use of herbal leys and research needed to increase their wider use. Main aims of the workshop: 1) Gather information/expertise on the motivations for and barriers to uptake of species rich leys and livestock (particularly in arable systems) 2) Identify what constitutes successful implementation of a livestock/ley on arable land and what management protocols are effective (from multiple perspectives - farmer satisfaction, productivity, soil improvement etc.) 3) Identify questions that could be asked of farmers to improve our understanding of their issues/needs |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |