Description
The renovation method and composition of the seed mixture for each grassland object on the farm is composed by a meadow expert, taking into account its habitat conditions and level of degradation.
Reason for the innovation
There are several separate grasslands on the farm, differentiated in terms of habitat conditions. The use of seed mixtures available on the market did not allow to obtain the necessary forage demand and secure sufficient feed base. The farmer, wanting to increase the production potential of each grassland, decided to hire an expert service in the field of grassland renovation. The expert based on the analysis of individual habitat conditions of meadow objects determined the methods of their renovation and composed seed mixtures matched specifically to site conditions of each object. The farmer already in the first year after the renovation observed a significant increase in the productivity of the sward and an improvement in the quality of the obtained feed.
Farm description
Environment
- Soil types: Sand, Sandy loam, Peat
- Climate: Warm-summer humid continental
- Altitude: 115 m a.s.l.
- Slope: 0%
Grassland management
- All of the grasslands are exclusively mowed.
- The sward is conserved by making haylage.
Structure
- Annual Work Unit: 4
- Agricultural Area: 43 ha UAA
- Main forage area: 37 ha
- Arable land area: 26 ha
- Permanent grassland area: 17 ha
- Other forage area (silage maize): 20 ha
- Average stocking rates:
- agriculture area 1.8 LU/ha
- main forage area 2.1 LU/ha
- grassland area 4.5 LU/ha
Animal performance
- Dairy cows: 55
- Total livestock units: 76.25 LU
- Milk production per head: 10040 (l/year)
Why it is working
Grassland renovation based on site-specific mixtures determined for a specific habitat of each object in the farm by grassland expert allows to obtain higher yields and better feed quality, which leads to reduce milk production costs.
