Rob Richmond will discuss his use of diverse swards on a grass based dairy system. He will cover the reasons for grazing taller swards, the experience of varying sward height and rest periods over the last 10yrs, concluding with current practice at Manor Farm on Cotswold brash soils. This year has seen milk production reach 6000l/cow from 1tonne of concentrate/cow, with a stocking rate of 1.9 cows/ha. Of particular interest is the impact that these grazing practices are having on soil fertility, and how this relates to the development of a sustainable production system, having resilience to weather extremes.
