SFI Light Soils Herbal Ley (SAM3)

Ref: SFILIGHT

SFI Codes: SAM3

A dual purpose soil improving Herbal ley that can be both cut and grazed throughout the year, tailored to suit particularly light calcareous soils prone to drought, these deep rooting, robust species ensures the ley stays green throughout the summer months.This mix is mainly used for grazing, but can be cut for silage if the forage gets away from the stock, aim to cut before the end of July to avoid the Chicory becoming woody If you are over-seeding into an existing sward please call for advice. Suitable for SFI SAM3 Herbal Leys

Persistence (0-10 Years)
               
Yield (0-20 T DM/Ha)
                                   
Grazing Suitability (1-5)
     
Cutting Suitability (1-5)
     

Contents per Acre%kg
certified SPARTA cocksfoot22.52.250
certified LOFA festulolium16.51.650
certified CALIBRA tet. perennial ryegrass10.01.000
certified BARDOUX tall fescue5.00.500
certified COMER timothy4.00.400
commercial Sainfoin18.01.800
certified ALTASWEDE red clover4.00.400
certified LUZELLE lucerne - RHIZOBIUM INOCULATED2.00.200
certified Sibemol lucerne - rhizobium inoculated2.00.200
certified Buddy white clover4.00.400
certified LEO birdsfoot trefoil2.50.250
certifed Puna / Endure chicory blend4.00.400
Burnet forage herb3.50.350
certified TONIC ribgrass2.00.200

£74.50 / Acre

Sowing rate: 10.0kg/acre (25.0kg/ha)

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Legume

Birdsfoot Trefoil

Birdsfoot Trefoil is a legume, it grows from a basal crown, with numerous stems that can vary from prostrate to erect in growth habit. In some parts of the country it is called the 'eggs and bacon' plant.

Birdsfoot Trefoil Species Guide  Buy Birdsfoot Trefoil Straight

Herb

Burnet

Burnet is a forage herb, It is noted for having deep tap roots, which helps it remain green on thin, dry soils. It is also early to grow in the spring, contributing to forage in late March to April.

Burnet Species Guide  Buy Burnet Straight

Herb

Chicory

Chicory is an eye catching, mineral rich forage herb that has a long taproot capable of penetrating to great depth, breaking through plough pans and leaving the soil aerated, aiding drainage and crop root development. It’s frequently used in combination with other species as a soil improving species and is commonly used as an addition to grazing leys due to its high protein content and its ability to fatten lambs. It is also a known anthelmintic species.

Chicory Species Guide  Buy Chicory Straight

Grass

Cocksfoot

A densely tufted, bluish green species, it can grow up to 1 metre in height and can create tussocks. The dense one sided panicle is said to resemble the shape of a cocks foot.

Cocksfoot Species Guide  Buy Cocksfoot Straight

Grass

Festulolium (Hybrid)

Festulolium is a natural hybridisation of ryegrass and fescue species, combining the stress resistant genes of fescue with the bulky yield of ryegrass. To provide a more resilient species, with a better tolerance of drought or water logged soils, while still providing high yielding, very palatable forage.

Festulolium (Hybrid) Species Guide  Buy Festulolium (Hybrid) Straight

Legume

Late Flowering Red Clover

Red clover is one of the most popularly used true clovers in the UK. Once established it’s capable of rapid growth and shows reasonably good persistence up to three years, although ongoing breeding work is being carried out to increase plant persistence. The 'single cut' or 'late' strains of red clover, notably the diploid variety altaswede provide one large cut per season, flowering once per season, approximately 2-3 weeks later than the 'double cut' early strains.

Late Flowering Red Clover Species Guide

Legume

Lucerne

Also known as alfalfa in the states, lucerne benefits animal health and soil fertility. It is a high protein forage crop which is usually grown on its own and is very good on drought-prone soils. It establishes relatively slowly, producing significantly more biomass in the second and third years. Lucerne should only be grown on free-draining, alkaline soil. Lucerne requires the correct strain of rhizobia (known as an inoculant) to efficiently fix atmospheric nitrogen and get the most growth.

Lucerne Species Guide  Buy Lucerne Straight

Legume

Medium Leaved White Clover

White clover is one of the most common legumes in the UK. This species can be recognised by its creeping growth habit. Its creeping stolons help to fill in gaps in the sward, putting down roots at each node. White clover varieties can be categorised into small, medium and large leaf sizes. Generally the smaller the leaf size, the more persistent and prostrate the plant will be, the small leaf type will tolerate closer grazing from sheep and tends to sit lower at the base of the sward, the small and medium leaf varieties are used for grazing mixtures. Using mixtures of white clover varieties helps to ensure that at least one can tolerate and contribute to what ever management regime is being imposed at a given time. The medium leaf varieties are very adaptable, generally they can be used for both grazing and cutting mixtures. They combine a good tolerance to cattle or sheep grazing and can contribute to cutting yields, while still being more persistent than the large leaf varieties. There are also variations, which can be classed as small to medium in terms of leaf size. Common medium leaf varieties are aberherald & aberdai, while the variety aberpearl is classed as small to medium leaf in terms of size.

Medium Leaved White Clover Species Guide  Buy Medium Leaved White Clover Straight

Grass

Perennial Ryegrass

Perennial ryegrass is the most commonly grown productive grass in the UK, used particularly for livestock grazing and forage. It has been the subject of plant breeding for over 60 years, ensuring there are a wide range of perennial ryegrass varieties available commercially.

Perennial Ryegrass Species Guide  Buy Perennial Ryegrass Straight

Herb

Ribgrass (plantain)

Ribgrass is a very popular perennial forage herb which is commonly mixed with sheep's parsley, yarrow and burnet to increase diversity and lift trace elements from deep within the soil profile. It can be mixed with regular grassland species to increase grazing quality, and with deep roots it is also popular in mixtures for lighter land. It is also known as Plantain or narrow leaf plantain.

Ribgrass (plantain) Species Guide  Buy Ribgrass (plantain) Straight

Legume

Sainfoin

Sainfoin is extremely palatable to livestock and has very good nutritional balance. It can be grazed or fed as hay or silage. It suits the thin soils and limestone rich downlands found in some areas of the UK. Loosely translated sainfoin in French means 'Healthy Hay'.

Sainfoin Species Guide

Grass

Tall Fescue

Tall fescue is found throughout the UK, it has similar features to meadow fescue, however it is distinguished by being taller, and coarser, with a rough upper leaf and margins. The well developed root system means it is tolerant of drought, damp and frost, which has created interest among plant breeders, looking to cross highly productive ryegrass and resilient fescue species as festuloliums. Recent thinking has altered the Latin so that the flat leaved fescues (meadow fescue and tall fescue) have been given their own genus, separate from the finer leaved fescues.

Tall Fescue Species Guide  Buy Tall Fescue Straight

Grass

Timothy

Possibly the most important and flexible grass species which is used both environmentally and agriculturally. It is a very common species found in pasture throughout the UK. It retains its verdure longer than most grasses and although similar to smaller cats tail, it is larger in size with wider leaves and a longer spike like panicle.

Timothy Species Guide  Buy Timothy Straight

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