Brassicas 'a useful break crop' in grassland reseeding

“Incorporating a hybrid brassica break crop into a reseeding programme results in additional forage dry matter production during the process, which is not possible when going straight back into grass,” she says.

“In the case of an autumn grass reseed, this will be from grazing Redstart in the period between ploughing up the old ley after an early season grazing or silage cut and drilling the new ley in the early autumn.

“For those in more southerly locations, there is the possibility of a second grazing of Redstart, exploiting the potential of regrowth from these hybrid brassicas and therefore further increasing the dry matter production.

“In the case of a spring reseed, we recommend grazing the old ley for longer into the season - or taking a second cut - and then establishing Swift in later summer to provide a lengthy grazing through the autumn and into winter. There is then ample time to make the necessary preparations for a spring grass reseed, or possibly grow spring barley with grass undersown or even forage maize.”

Time to prepare properly for grassland reseeding is a key element of the system - and particularly as it comes without the penalty of lost forage acres.

“It’s vitally important to make the best possible job of grassland reseeding to ensure top performance from the new ley over its lifetime,” says Ms Mathieu. “Incorporating a brassica break crop into the programme will have all the advantages of enhanced weed, pest and disease control, while also affording the time to rectify soil nutrient levels and restore soil structure if required.”

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