Can diverse forage mixtures optimise ruminant animal production, resilience and environmental impact ?

摘要

Greater sustainability, biodiversity and resilience of ruminant livestock production systems may be achieved through the harnessing of diverse forage mixtures. These mixtures have greater potential productivity under variable climates, include specieswith N-fixation capabilities, and contribute to greater N use efficiency at an animal and farm scale compared with the conventional swards typically grazed in the UK. This new study funded by SARIC, BBSRC and NERC aims to assess three diverse forage mixtures against a control of perennial ryegrass with mineral fertiliser N across four sites in southern England over three years. The three diverse forage mixtures comprise six (Smartgrass), twelve (Biomix) and seventeen (Herbal Ley) species, including grasses, legumes and other forbs. In addition to the main agronomy trial sites, the mixtures are being trialled on ten commercial farms over the three years. Measurements will include forage quality and quantity throughout each year; production resilience in drought-prone and waterlogged soils; growth and N-use efficiency of growing cattle grazing or fed conserved forage; and finally performance and practicalities of inclusion of diverse forage mixtures in current farming systems across the South and Westof the UK. This paper outlines the main experimental components of this new project.