Grass may go as cereals get cheaper

摘要

Straw may be regarded as a waste product in arable Lincolnshire, but milk producer Jim Stanser believes it will be his ticket to a profitable future in dairying. He plans to feed his cows a diet based solely on straw, supplemented with a variety of by-products. Under this regime, he proposes to increase cow numbers to 300 and push yields up by 1,500 litres to 7,500 litres/cow.Jim farms 136ha at Corringham, Gainsborough, where five out of every six years are dry. It is this climate, coupled with heavy soils, that has shaped his future plans. While grass grows well during May, by late June, the lack of rainfall - just 100mm last summer and 375mm for the year - leads to cracked soils and burnt swards, Grazed grass simply cannot be relied upon to supply a major part of the ration.