MULTI-SPECIES SWARDS GRAZING WORKSHOP

The aim of the workshop is to bring together farmers, industry representatives, and researchers with an interest in the management of multi-species (herbal) leys to discuss best practice for grazing these pastures with cattle and sheep.

Multi-species swards are gaining popularity as a lower-input, environmentally friendly forage option for livestock systems. However, there are limited resources available to guide farmers in managing and grazing these pastures to make the most out of the quality forage they can provide. This workshop will act as a forum for experienced growers and those new to mixed forages alike to share their experiences and approaches. The workshop is organised by researchers working on The DiverseForages project: a five-year study quantifying the long-term benefits of utilising multi-species forage mixtures for cattle grazing (www.reading.ac.uk/diverseforages). Our objective is for the outcome to be best practice recommendations for grazing multi-species mixtures that can be put into practice as part of the DiverseForages project’s new grazing platform at the Centre for Dairy Research at the University of Reading.

The workshop will be held at Rothamsted Research North Wyke where free parking will be available on site.