United Kingdom
June 9, 2016
Few farmers would rely on genetics from the past for livestock breeding but many stick with the same grass seed varieties and mixtures year after year - even if they aren’t getting the best results. Our grasses have shown an average improvement of 0.5% yield per annum over the last 20 years, highlighting the benefits we’re delivering to farmers nationwide.
Modern farmers refuse to rely on livestock genetics that are decades old and we believe the same rule should apply to grass. That’s why we continually invest in the development of new varieties and mixtures that are fit for today’s farming requirements.
Breeding and commercialising a new agricultural grass cultivar is a challenging business. Typically it takes around 17 years and major resources to develop specialist new varieties. But this long-term investment in high-performance forage varieties and mixtures can pay handsome dividends for farmers that want a sure-fire way to boost yields and profits – and are prepared to give something new a go.
A cultivated background
Grassland is a defining feature of rural Britain, forming the dominant vegetation from coastal grazing to upland pasture. Estimates suggest that 65% of utilisable agricultural land in the UK is grassland with nearly 57% given over as permanent pasture.
The story of grass begins around 6,000 years ago when people first began growing grass as a food crop for domesticated animals. Ever since, grass cultivation has gone hand-in-hand with farming. For hundreds of years little changed. However, with the advent of the scientific age came the dawn of new plant breeding methods and grass production began a transition that continues to gather pace.
With a meristem situated near the bottom of the plant, grass is characterised by its ability to quickly recover from cropping at the top and rapidly replenish itself throughout the growing season – making it the most economical form of feed that farmers can give their animals.
Maximise yields with minimum risk
In today’s increasingly complex agricultural landscape, modern farmers have sophisticated requirements when it comes to grass. Alongside high dry matter production, key drivers for grass mixture selection now also include palatability, persistency, nitrogen efficiency, drought tolerance, winter survival, rumen stimulation, protein production and the highest level of disease resistance.
In line with changing requirements, plant breeding R&D has advanced rapidly, leading to the development of new strains and blends of forage grass that can deliver consistently improved performance. Over the years, work undertaken to develop new grass varieties by companies like us has had a huge impact on the productivity of UK grassland. Analysis of data from trials conducted over the last thirty years at AFBI in Loughgall – where Barenbrug is a partner – has shown a gradual increase in production equivalent of about 0.4% per annum. This means varieties being commercialised now are at least 12% higher yielding than the best available varieties three decades ago.
Yet despite overwhelming evidence demonstrating that new varieties far outperform older grass crops, some farmers remain reluctant to ditch the long-established varieties and mixtures they know and trust – meaning they are missing out on one of the easiest ways to maximise yields and minimise costs.
Given the nature of the agricultural sector it is perhaps unsurprising that some farmers feel this way. With continuing pressure on farm gate prices they want absolute assurances before changing anything – particularly a key crop like grass. But with so much science now involved in the development of new grass varieties, farmers should feel reassured that new strains and mixtures have undergone a meticulous development programme and some of the world’s most rigorous testing to eliminate virtually all risk.
A best of breed approach
We carefully select only a very small proportion of the thousands of grass species available in order to develop improved commercial varieties for use in specific parts of the world. Meticulously designed, our development process ensures that a new variety only makes it to market after it has been thoroughly tested, validated and proven to deliver high-quality performance that farmers can depend on.
Broadly, the old adage of cross the best with the best still applies, backed with in-depth assessment, measurement and data analysis at every stage. The initial step involves crossing selected parent plants of proven genetic heritage, performance and disease resistance. Seeds harvested from these crosses are then evaluated as an independent plant variety. New grass varieties are then tested in plots on multiple sites for factors such as disease resistance and winter hardiness, while separate laboratory trials evaluate seed production capability and nutritional quality. Finally, the very best varieties are submitted for independent National List trials and assessed for inclusion on recommended lists.
Click to download our PDF illustrating the key stages in our grass development process.
World-class innovation
We have been setting up research stations in different climate zones for more than 50 years. We also collaborate closely with industry partners, government agencies and leading academic research teams. Now spanning five continents, our global approach guarantees better testing and selection based on international best practice, offering well-adapted cultivars and species ideally suited to different habitats and weather systems.
In the UK our trials programme includes two sites – Cropvale near Evesham, and Loughgall, Northern Ireland. At these sites the conditions experienced by UK livestock producers are replicated. Via both locations we are accelerating the submission of material onto the National Lists while enabling trials of minor species that will hopefully deliver ever-improved disease resistance and mitigate the effects of climate change.
Reap what you sow
With so much investment in modern forage grasses, making the switch to a next generation specialist variety has never been a better bet for farmers. For forward-looking farmers, prepared to invest in the cultivation of grass as a special crop, the numbers prove that the story of grass is fact not fiction – and that the rewards can be significant.
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