ForaGin

The ForaGin Project: Experiences, Interest, Barriers and Opportunities for forage crops

Thank you for your interest in participating in the Defra Scoping Study on the Opportunities and Barriers of Improved Forages for Livestock Sustainability and Productivity (ForaGin). This study is being led by NIAB and SRUC in partnership.

Your experiences and thoughts are needed to help generate a short-list of forage crops with the most potential to increase sustainability and productivity of livestock farming.

This exercise is designed to be completed by farmers. If you have another role in the sector and would like to participate, or to discuss these topics further, please contact Ellie Sweetman, Forage Crop Specialist at NIAB, before the 3rd June 2021 at ellie.sweetman@niab.com or on 07734 567597.

The main outcomes of the project will be a set of recommendations for Defra on a range of research and development activity to increase the potential of specific forage crops and address the barriers that currently restrict their use and productivity.

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* 1. Which livestock types do you have & how many?

Sheep

Beef

Dairy

Other

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* 2. How many forage hectares do you have?

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* 3. How much grassland do you have and how often do you reseed?

Permanent pasture

Leys

Other

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* 4. Which forage grasses do you grow?

	Currently grow	Previously grown	Would like to grow	Doesn't suit our system	Doesn't suit our conditions	Never grown
Perennial Ryegrass	Perennial Ryegrass Currently grow	Perennial Ryegrass Previously grown	Perennial Ryegrass Would like to grow	Perennial Ryegrass Doesn't suit our system	Perennial Ryegrass Doesn't suit our conditions	Perennial Ryegrass Never grown
Italian Ryegrass	Italian Ryegrass Currently grow	Italian Ryegrass Previously grown	Italian Ryegrass Would like to grow	Italian Ryegrass Doesn't suit our system	Italian Ryegrass Doesn't suit our conditions	Italian Ryegrass Never grown
Hybrid Ryegrass	Hybrid Ryegrass Currently grow	Hybrid Ryegrass Previously grown	Hybrid Ryegrass Would like to grow	Hybrid Ryegrass Doesn't suit our system	Hybrid Ryegrass Doesn't suit our conditions	Hybrid Ryegrass Never grown
Festulolium	Festulolium Currently grow	Festulolium Previously grown	Festulolium Would like to grow	Festulolium Doesn't suit our system	Festulolium Doesn't suit our conditions	Festulolium Never grown
Westerwolds	Westerwolds Currently grow	Westerwolds Previously grown	Westerwolds Would like to grow	Westerwolds Doesn't suit our system	Westerwolds Doesn't suit our conditions	Westerwolds Never grown
Timothy	Timothy Currently grow	Timothy Previously grown	Timothy Would like to grow	Timothy Doesn't suit our system	Timothy Doesn't suit our conditions	Timothy Never grown
Cocksfoot	Cocksfoot Currently grow	Cocksfoot Previously grown	Cocksfoot Would like to grow	Cocksfoot Doesn't suit our system	Cocksfoot Doesn't suit our conditions	Cocksfoot Never grown
Tall Fescue	Tall Fescue Currently grow	Tall Fescue Previously grown	Tall Fescue Would like to grow	Tall Fescue Doesn't suit our system	Tall Fescue Doesn't suit our conditions	Tall Fescue Never grown
Meadow Fescue	Meadow Fescue Currently grow	Meadow Fescue Previously grown	Meadow Fescue Would like to grow	Meadow Fescue Doesn't suit our system	Meadow Fescue Doesn't suit our conditions	Meadow Fescue Never grown

Any others? Any thoughts about these species you'd like to share?

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* 5. Which forage legumes do you grow?

	Currently grow	Previously grown	Would like to grow	Doesn't suit our system	Doesn't suit our conditions	Never grown
Red clover	Red clover Currently grow	Red clover Previously grown	Red clover Would like to grow	Red clover Doesn't suit our system	Red clover Doesn't suit our conditions	Red clover Never grown
White clover	White clover Currently grow	White clover Previously grown	White clover Would like to grow	White clover Doesn't suit our system	White clover Doesn't suit our conditions	White clover Never grown
Lucerne	Lucerne Currently grow	Lucerne Previously grown	Lucerne Would like to grow	Lucerne Doesn't suit our system	Lucerne Doesn't suit our conditions	Lucerne Never grown
Sainfoin	Sainfoin Currently grow	Sainfoin Previously grown	Sainfoin Would like to grow	Sainfoin Doesn't suit our system	Sainfoin Doesn't suit our conditions	Sainfoin Never grown
Other clovers (e.g. Sweet/Alsike/Crimson)	Other clovers (e.g. Sweet/Alsike/Crimson) Currently grow	Other clovers (e.g. Sweet/Alsike/Crimson) Previously grown	Other clovers (e.g. Sweet/Alsike/Crimson) Would like to grow	Other clovers (e.g. Sweet/Alsike/Crimson) Doesn't suit our system	Other clovers (e.g. Sweet/Alsike/Crimson) Doesn't suit our conditions	Other clovers (e.g. Sweet/Alsike/Crimson) Never grown
Climbing (French) beans	Climbing (French) beans Currently grow	Climbing (French) beans Previously grown	Climbing (French) beans Would like to grow	Climbing (French) beans Doesn't suit our system	Climbing (French) beans Doesn't suit our conditions	Climbing (French) beans Never grown
Vetch	Vetch Currently grow	Vetch Previously grown	Vetch Would like to grow	Vetch Doesn't suit our system	Vetch Doesn't suit our conditions	Vetch Never grown
Forage peas	Forage peas Currently grow	Forage peas Previously grown	Forage peas Would like to grow	Forage peas Doesn't suit our system	Forage peas Doesn't suit our conditions	Forage peas Never grown
Birdsfoot trefoil	Birdsfoot trefoil Currently grow	Birdsfoot trefoil Previously grown	Birdsfoot trefoil Would like to grow	Birdsfoot trefoil Doesn't suit our system	Birdsfoot trefoil Doesn't suit our conditions	Birdsfoot trefoil Never grown
Hairy vetch	Hairy vetch Currently grow	Hairy vetch Previously grown	Hairy vetch Would like to grow	Hairy vetch Doesn't suit our system	Hairy vetch Doesn't suit our conditions	Hairy vetch Never grown

Any others? Any thoughts about these species you'd like to share?

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* 6. Which forage brassicas do you grow?

	Currently grow	Previously grown	Would like to grow	Doesn't suit our system	Doesn't suit our conditions	Never grown
Stubble turnips	Stubble turnips Currently grow	Stubble turnips Previously grown	Stubble turnips Would like to grow	Stubble turnips Doesn't suit our system	Stubble turnips Doesn't suit our conditions	Stubble turnips Never grown
Forage rape	Forage rape Currently grow	Forage rape Previously grown	Forage rape Would like to grow	Forage rape Doesn't suit our system	Forage rape Doesn't suit our conditions	Forage rape Never grown
Fodder kale	Fodder kale Currently grow	Fodder kale Previously grown	Fodder kale Would like to grow	Fodder kale Doesn't suit our system	Fodder kale Doesn't suit our conditions	Fodder kale Never grown
Rape/kale hybrids	Rape/kale hybrids Currently grow	Rape/kale hybrids Previously grown	Rape/kale hybrids Would like to grow	Rape/kale hybrids Doesn't suit our system	Rape/kale hybrids Doesn't suit our conditions	Rape/kale hybrids Never grown
Swede	Swede Currently grow	Swede Previously grown	Swede Would like to grow	Swede Doesn't suit our system	Swede Doesn't suit our conditions	Swede Never grown
Fodder radish	Fodder radish Currently grow	Fodder radish Previously grown	Fodder radish Would like to grow	Fodder radish Doesn't suit our system	Fodder radish Doesn't suit our conditions	Fodder radish Never grown
Fodder mustard	Fodder mustard Currently grow	Fodder mustard Previously grown	Fodder mustard Would like to grow	Fodder mustard Doesn't suit our system	Fodder mustard Doesn't suit our conditions	Fodder mustard Never grown

Any others? Any thoughts about these species you'd like to share?

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* 7. Which forage herbs do you grow?

	Currently grow	Previously grown	Would like to grow	Doesn't suit our system	Doesn't suit our conditions	Never grown
Chicory	Chicory Currently grow	Chicory Previously grown	Chicory Would like to grow	Chicory Doesn't suit our system	Chicory Doesn't suit our conditions	Chicory Never grown
Ribwort plantain	Ribwort plantain Currently grow	Ribwort plantain Previously grown	Ribwort plantain Would like to grow	Ribwort plantain Doesn't suit our system	Ribwort plantain Doesn't suit our conditions	Ribwort plantain Never grown
Burnet	Burnet Currently grow	Burnet Previously grown	Burnet Would like to grow	Burnet Doesn't suit our system	Burnet Doesn't suit our conditions	Burnet Never grown
Yarrow	Yarrow Currently grow	Yarrow Previously grown	Yarrow Would like to grow	Yarrow Doesn't suit our system	Yarrow Doesn't suit our conditions	Yarrow Never grown
Sheep's parsley	Sheep's parsley Currently grow	Sheep's parsley Previously grown	Sheep's parsley Would like to grow	Sheep's parsley Doesn't suit our system	Sheep's parsley Doesn't suit our conditions	Sheep's parsley Never grown

Any others? Any thoughts about these species you'd like to share?

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* 8. Which whole-crop cereals do you grow?

	Currently grow	Previously grown	Would like to grow	Doesn't suit our system	Doesn't suit our conditions	Never grown
Wheat	Wheat Currently grow	Wheat Previously grown	Wheat Would like to grow	Wheat Doesn't suit our system	Wheat Doesn't suit our conditions	Wheat Never grown
Barley	Barley Currently grow	Barley Previously grown	Barley Would like to grow	Barley Doesn't suit our system	Barley Doesn't suit our conditions	Barley Never grown
Triticale	Triticale Currently grow	Triticale Previously grown	Triticale Would like to grow	Triticale Doesn't suit our system	Triticale Doesn't suit our conditions	Triticale Never grown
Oats	Oats Currently grow	Oats Previously grown	Oats Would like to grow	Oats Doesn't suit our system	Oats Doesn't suit our conditions	Oats Never grown
Maize	Maize Currently grow	Maize Previously grown	Maize Would like to grow	Maize Doesn't suit our system	Maize Doesn't suit our conditions	Maize Never grown

Any others? Any thoughts about these species you'd like to share?

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* 9. Which other forage crops do you grow?

	Currently grow	Previously grown	Would like to grow	Doesn't suit our system	Doesn't suit our conditions	Never grown
Fodder beet	Fodder beet Currently grow	Fodder beet Previously grown	Fodder beet Would like to grow	Fodder beet Doesn't suit our system	Fodder beet Doesn't suit our conditions	Fodder beet Never grown
Grazing rye	Grazing rye Currently grow	Grazing rye Previously grown	Grazing rye Would like to grow	Grazing rye Doesn't suit our system	Grazing rye Doesn't suit our conditions	Grazing rye Never grown
Canary grass	Canary grass Currently grow	Canary grass Previously grown	Canary grass Would like to grow	Canary grass Doesn't suit our system	Canary grass Doesn't suit our conditions	Canary grass Never grown
Buckwheat	Buckwheat Currently grow	Buckwheat Previously grown	Buckwheat Would like to grow	Buckwheat Doesn't suit our system	Buckwheat Doesn't suit our conditions	Buckwheat Never grown
Forage millet	Forage millet Currently grow	Forage millet Previously grown	Forage millet Would like to grow	Forage millet Doesn't suit our system	Forage millet Doesn't suit our conditions	Forage millet Never grown

Any others? Any thoughts about these species you'd like to share?

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* 10. What are your biggest challenges with forage production?

Prolonged dry weather

Prolonged wet weather

Herbal Leys establishment

Establishing legumes and/or herbs within existing swards

Optimising nutrient use

Pest issues

Weed control options in mixed swards or with legumes

Controlling disease in grass

Controlling disease in maize

Undesirable grass species in swards

Timing harvest for yield and quality

Assessing grassland quality and quantity

Assessing multi species swards quality and quantity

Matching crops/varieties to the soil type/depth and climate

Any others?

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* 11. Tell us about any forage crops where concerns about feeding are holding you back from using them (e.g. pre-processing, anti-nutritional factors, storage issues)

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* 12. Tell us about any forage crops with practical challenges of growing them which hold you back from using them (e.g. difficult establishment, rotational fit, yield reliability).

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* 13. Which forage crops have potential but have supply chain practicalities? (e.g. seed/pesticide availability, need for specialist harvester)

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* 14. Are there any other production, environmental or economic considerations to be taken into account when proposing the development and uptake of underused or new forage crops?

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* 15. Which types of information would be of benefit to you?

Matching crops/varieties to soil conditions and climate

Technical agronomy/knowledge for specific crops (please name these)

Independent variety trials for specific forage crops (please name these)

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* 16. If you would like to receive a summary of the outcomes of this project, please add your contact details here, or contact Ellie Sweetman, Forage Crops Specialist at NIAB, ellie.sweetman@niab.com 07734 567597).