QUALITY GRASS SEED MIXTURES AND FORAGE CROPS.

QUALITY GRASS SEED MIXTURES

AND FORAGE CROPS

2021

01

Downland is delighted to bring to you our New 2021 Quality Grass Seed guide.

Within this guide we aim to provide you with the Best advice on what we believe, are the best range of Quality Grass Seed mixtures.

We continue to focus on providing mixtures which naturally produce higher levels of digestible fibre (Fibre ME) along with selecting varieties for yield, persistency, and disease resistance. All Downland Quality Grass Seed mixtures are formulated solely using varieties carefully selected from the Grass and Clover Recommended lists for across the UK.

For 2021 we have also introduced a new Herbal Meadows mixture which complies with GS4 Countryside Stewardship. Not only will this mixture feed a large number of different species of livestock, it is also an excellent soil improver, please see page 4 & 16 for further details.

The combination of the Best Products and the Best advice from Downland and our experienced retailers will help you maximise forage potential. If you are still unsure which product would best suit your needs and would like further guidance, please contact your local Downland retailer or Downland to discuss further; 01228 564498 bestadvice@downland.co.uk

Stuart Stamper

Operations Manager

Contents Page

Downland Quality Standards 2

Downland Fibre ME ₃

Downland Legume and Herbs ₄ Downland Mixture Selector ₅ Short Term Mixtures 7

Medium Term Mixtures 8

Medium/Long Term Mixtures 9

Long Term Mixtures ₁₀ High Clover / Organic Mixtures 14

Downland Specialist Mixtures 15

Downland Herbal Mixtures 16

Downland Overseeding ₁₇ Downland Root and Forage crops ₁₉

02

Species (%) UK Minimum _Germination Downland Minimum Germination Downland Actual 2020 Germination Downland Germination Benefit Italian Ryegrass 75 90 94 19% Perennial Ryegrass 80 90 95 15% Timothy 80 90 92 12%

Downland Quality Standards

Quality grass seed is the foundation of a good sward. To ensure the best possible sward performance Downland Grass Leys are formulated using only the very best varieties sourced to the highest possible standards.

The benefit of sowing high germination Downland seed could be as much as 4.01kgs more live seed per 20kg bag, equivalent to 2.8 kgs more live seed sown per acre or 475

extra live seed per square metre for a mixture such as Downland Versatile.

The actual germinations achieved in 2020 are equivalent to a saving of about £13.85/ acreat 2021 prices, but the real value is better establishment leading to thicker swards,

Downland Fibre ME

Fibre ME is bred to have more readily digested cell wall fibre. This releases more energy to the animal and increases live weight gain or yields more milk as a result.

Every 1% increase in cell wall digestibility gives around 0.25 litre more milk per cow per day.

With a range of 3 to 6% higherdigestibility in the FIBRE ME

varieties you should expect between 0.75 and 1.5 litres more milk per cow per day when she is eating 100% FIBRE ME varieties. On average, this would be worth 30p/cow/day.

Beef cattle and lambs also benefit from eating FIBRE ME grass varieties, however it is less easy to quantify, as the energy required for maintenance varies at different liveweights so much more than with a dairy cow, where we can assume a body weight of approximately 650 kg.

03

Scan the QR code to watch our Youtube video about FIBRE ME

FIBRE ME Varieties

Intermediate Diploid Elyria Nifty Intermediate Tetraploid Diwan

Late Diploid Cancan

Smile Late Tetraploid Nashota

Legume and herb-rich mixtures provide an abundance of productive and diverse grazing for many classes of livestock, as well as being a great habitat and food source for pollinators and invertebrates.

These increasingly popular mixtures also contribute to soil organic matter levels and increase the soils resilience to drought and indeed water logging. The inclusion of a range of deep rooting grasses, herbs and legumes means that the overall root mass is greater than a normal grass sward and this leads to greater availability of many trace elements as well as better botanical diversity for the livestock.

Some of the herbs have high tannin levels and this may have some anthelmintic effect, but we would always recommend checking the worm burden to make sure you are treating any worm problems. The legumes will fix nitrogen for the companion grasses and herbs, so “in season” use of nitrogen fertiliser is not usually required.

04

Downland Legume and Herb Rich swards

For mixtures please see page 16

This mixture is formulated

to comply with the English

Countryside Stewardship

Scheme (mid tier and

higher tier) for GS4 –

Legume and Herb Rich

mixtures.

The current payment is

£309.00/hectare/ year.

Downland Legume and

Herb Rich Mixture (GS4)

Sowing rate of 14/15 kg/acre 35/37 kg/ha

NEW

2021

05

Downland Mixture Selector

Designed to help answer many of the common questions in mixture selection, however if in doubt, please contact your local Downland retailer for further advice.

How long

will the

mixture be

down for?

How will it be used?

Intensive

cutting? Downland _Silage page 7

06

We also offer specialist

mixtures for

High Clover/Organic Page 14 Equipaddock Page 15

Herbal leys Page 16 Overseeding Page 17

Dual Purpose

Downland Long Stay page 12

Downland Dairy page 13

Downland Legume and herb page 16

Downland herbal page 16 Intensive grazing? Herbal grazing? Persistent grazing? Downland Versatile page 11 Downland Cut and Graze

page 10 Downland Forager page 9 Downland Intensive page 8 Cutting Grazing

DISCLAIMER: Any information provided in this catalogue is given in good faith and to the best of our existing knowledge. Any advice should therefore be taken as a general guide only and not relied upon for all conditions and circumstances. Downland cannot accept any legal liability for information given in this guide. In any instance where there are shortages of specified varieties Downland reserves the right to substitute equivalent varieties

• Maximum yield and quality under an intensive cutting regime

• Very good spring growth for high quality silage yields at early first cut dates

• The combination of Tetraploid Ryegrasses and Festulolium give a fast production of a good quality silage, with high sugar content

• A drought tolerant mixture that can be cut up to 4 times per year

• Superb aftermath grazing for finishing non-breeding stock

• Considerably improves the physical, chemical and biological health of the soil

07

Downland Protein Plus

high protein silage

ALAMO Italian Ryegrass HUNTER Tetraploid Italian Ryegrass TETRAGRAZE Tetraploid Hybrid Ryegrass ASTONCRUSADER Tetraploid Hybrid Ryegrass LOFA Hybrid Festulolium PERSEUS Festulolium

Downland Silage

2-3 years intensive cutting for maximum quality silage production

Sow from 14 - 15kg/acre 35-37kg/hectare

Short Term Mixtures

• Specifically designed to be very high yielding • Includes varieties with extra energy from

digestible fibre

• Designed to be very drought tolerant • Excellent sward density and persistency

08

Downland Intensive

4-5 years of high output cutting or grazing ASTONCRUSADER Tetraploid Hybrid Ryegrass NOLWEN Tetraploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass PENSEL Tetraploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass NASHOTA Tetraploid Late Perennial Ryegrass THEGN Tetraploid Late Perennial Ryegrass LOFA Hybrid Festulolium

Sow from 14 - 15kg/acre 35-37kg/hectare

Sow from 14 - 15kg/acre 35-37kg/hectare

• Top quality silage from high sugar varieties • Designed for maximum silage yields over 2-4 cuts • A clover option is also available

• More production from FIBRE ME varieties NIFTY and NASHOTA

09

Medium/Long Term Mixtures

NIFTY Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass BOYNE Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass AGASKA Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass PENSEL Tetraploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass SEAGOE Tetraploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass NASHOTA Tetraploid Late Perennial Ryegrass TODDINGTON Late Perennial Ryegrass

Downland Forager

4-6 years of Silage followed by aftermath grazing

Sow from 15kg/acre 37kg/hectare

10

• Our biggest selling mixture across the UK • High yielding under both grazing and cutting • Quality is maintained with high Fibre ME

varieties

• Outstanding sward density from the diploids, but also from NASHOTA, the most dense tetraploid we have seen

Downland Cut & Graze

AGASKA Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass NIFTY Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass PENSEL Tetraploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass SEAGOE Tetraploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass TODDINGTON Tetraploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass SMILE

Late Perennial Ryegrass

NASHOTA Late Perennial Ryegrass DOWNLAND DUAL PURPOSE CLOVER BLEND White Clover

• Later heading mixture to maintain season long quality

• High yielding and disease resistant • Timothy inclusion for early growth and

palatability

• Packed full of highly digestible FIBRE ME varieties

Downland Versatile

AGASKA Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass NIFTY Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass SMILE

Late Perennial Ryegrass

TODDINGTON

Late Perennial Ryegrass

NASHOTA

TetraploidLate Perennial Ryegrass

ALFONSO

Tetraploid Late Perennial Ryegrass

DOLINA

Timothy

DOWNLAND DUAL PURPOSE CLOVER BLEND

White Clover

Sow from 15kg/acre 37kg/hectare

11

• Designed for persistency and winter hardiness • Tremendous season long production

• Higher clover, Timothy and diploid ryegrasses to thicken the bottom of the sward

• Replaces Downland Sheep and Long Term Graze

Downland Long Stay

growing season NIFTY Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass AGASKA Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass SEAGOE Tetraploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass PENSEL TetraploidIntermediate Perennial Ryegrass TODDINGTON

Late Perennial Ryegrass

SMILE

Late Perennial Ryegrass

NASHOTA Tetraploid Late Perennial Ryegrass DOLINA Timothy DOWNLAND GRAZING CLOVER BLEND White Clover

• The long term grazing mixture for good grass managers

• Very leafy, dense sward for NZ style AYR grazing • Later heading and easily grazed to low residuals • High yielding, high density and outstanding

speed of regrowth

Downland Dairy and

Intensive graze

Long term intensive grazing

Sow from 14-16kg/acre 35-40kg/hectare

13

Late Perennial Ryegrass

NASHOTA

Tetraploid late Perennial Ryegrass

THEGN

Tetraploid Late Perennial Ryegrass

DOWNLAND GRAZING CLOVER BLEND

• Outstanding Sward density and winter hardiness • Very palatable, leafy sward to maximise grazing

intakes

• High white clover inclusion to feed the companion grasses

• High yields of quality silage and excellent aftermath grazing

• Small inclusion of Red Clover to boost production in years 1 and 2

• May be grazed before closing up for conservation

Downland high clover

Long Term Graze

A permanant mixture for cattle and sheep grazing

Downland High Clover

Dual Pupose

Also available as 70% organic seed mixtures

AGASKA Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass PENSEL Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass EVOCATIVE TetraploidIntermediate Perennial Ryegrass ASTON CHIEFTAIN

Late Perennial Ryegrass

THEGN Tetraploid Late Perennial Ryegrass NASHOTA Tetraploid Late Perennial Ryegrass DOLINA Timothy DOWNLAND DUAL PURPOSE White Clover DOWNLAND RED CLOVER BLEND Red Clover NIFTY Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass AGASKA Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass EVOCATIVE

Late Perennial Ryegrass

GLENROYAL

Late Perennial Ryegrass

ASTON CHIEFTAIN

Late Perennial Ryegrass

THEGN Tetraploid Late Perennial Ryegrass ASPECT Tetraploid Late Perennial Ryegrass DOWNLAND GRAZING CLOVER White Clover

High Clover Mixtures

Downland Specialist mixtures

15

Downland

Equipaddock

Long term horse grazing and haymaking

• Low sugar grasses and diploid ryegrasses used to help lower the laminitis risk

• High inclusion of Timothy for Haymaking

• Sward density from creeping red fescue, smooth stalked meadow grass and diploid ryegrasses

BOYNE

Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass

TODDINGTON

Late Perennial Ryegrass

WINNETOU

Timothy

MAXIMA

Creeping Red Fescue

EVORA

mooth Stalked Meadow Grass

Downland

Multipurpose Landscaper

Designed for low mainentence areas

• Great variety of uses, including around poly tunnels, orchards, river banks and caravan parks • Excellent sward densisty

• 50/50 mix of strong creeping red fescue and diploid ryegrasses aid weed suppression

GLENROYAL

Late Perennial Ryegrass

MAXIMA

Creeping Red Fescue

ASPECT Tetraploid Late Perennial Ryegrass TONIC Ribwort Plantain DOWNLAND GRAZING White Clover DOWNLAND RED CLOVER BLEND Red Clover Perennial Ryegrass, Meadow Fescue, Timothy, Red Fescue, Smooth Stalked Meadow Grass, Red Clover, Sainfoin, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Lucerne, Sheeps burnet, Ribwort Plantain, Yarrow, Sheeps parsley, Wild carrot

16

Downland Herbal Ley

Downland

Legume and Herb Mixture (GS4)

• Diverse and highly productive sward for grazing livestock, rotationally or holistically

• A tremendous organic matter builder, soil improver and pollinator food source • Compliant with CSS GS 4 legume and herb

mixture which is currently worth £309.00/hectare

Downland

herbal ley

3 to 4 year mix, chicory option available

• Highly palatable and nutritious, must be rotationally grazed to get the best performance • Popular for ewes with 3 lambs, finishing and

pedigree stock

• Clovers all selected on their ability to withstand hard grazing. 15 to 18 day rest periods.

NEW

2021

Sowing rate of 14/15 kg/acre 35/37 kg/ha

Downland

Overseeding Mixtures

Downland

For overseeding fields that will be mainly cut

• Varieties selected for cutting yield and high D-Values

• A RED CLOVER option is available with 25% inclusion of RED CLOVER

• A no clover option is available

LOFA

Hybrid Ryegrass PlusTM

TETRAGRAZE

Tetraploid Hybrid Ryegrass

DIWAN

Tetraploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass

CUTTING

White Clover blend

Sow from 10kg/acre 25kg/hectare

17

Downland

For overseeding fields that will be mainly grazed

• Contains only varieties with top grazing yields and quality

• Will establish a highly palatable, leafy and dense sward

• A no clover option is available

NASHOTA

Tetraploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass

ASPECT

Tetraploid Late Perennial Ryegrass

THEGN

Tetraploid Late Perennial Ryegrass

GRAZING

Downland

For overseeding fields that will benefit from nitrogen coated seed

Downland

For overseeding fields that will be both cut and grazed

• Each seed has a nitrogen coating to boost its own establishment, in an existing sward • Designed for challenging situations where

extra help is required early in the seedlings life • A no clover option is available

• Equally good performance under different grassland managements

• Excellent spring growth for an early graze and 1st cut yields

• A no clover option is available

TETRAGRAZE Intermediate Perennial Ryegrasss DIWAN Tetraploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrasss ALFONSO Tetraploid Late Perennial Ryegrass DUAL PURPOSE

White Clover blend

NIFTY Intermediate Perennial Ryegrasss TRIWARWIC Tetraploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrasss ALFONSO Tetraploid Late Perennial Ryegrass THEGN Tetraploid Intermediate Perennial Ryegrass DUAL PURPOSE

White Clover blend

Downland Root and Forage crops

Stock should be introduced gradually over a two week period and an area of grassland should be available for animals to return to; water and hay or straw should also be made available. Please contact your supplier for further guidance.

Crop

Pack Size

Average Sowing Rate kg / Hectare

Sowing Date

Guide

Utilisation Period _{Average Drill} Depth cm Average Row Width cm

Suggested Guide to Seedbed Fertiliser

(kg) ha

Broadcast Direct Drill N P K

Stubble Turnip 10kg & _25kg 7.5 5 Apr-mid _Sept Jun-Jan 1-2 n/a 75 40 40

Main Crop Turnip 2kg 5 2.5 - 3.5 May-Jul Oct-Jan 1-2 n/a 40 80 100

Forage Rape 10kg & _25kg 10 6 May-end _Sept Jun-Jan 1-2 n/a 20 40 40

Fodder Beet 50,000 1ac seeds

-Precision drill

100,000/ha Mar-May Oct-Mar 2.5-3 50-60 110 50 50

Swede _{& 1kg}500g 2.5 - 5 Precision drill 370-865 kg/ ha grade H Direct Drill 1 Apr-June Aug-Mar 1-2 45-70 graded 40 natural 40 80 100

Kale 1kg 7.5 2.5 - 5 Apr-Jul Sept-Mar 1-2 50 100 50 120

Spitfire 5kg & _25kg 10 6 _{end Sept}May- Jul-Dec 1-2.5 15-20 20 40 40

Zoom 5kg 10 6 April-Sep Sept-Jan 1-2 various 110 55 55

Rapid Root Mixture 5kg 8.5 6 Apr-mid mid

Sept Jul-Dec 1-2 n/a 60 50 50

Winter Graze Mixture 5kg 8.5 6 Jul-mid mid Sept

Post

Christmas 1-2 n/a 60 50 50

• Grown as a main root crop which requires similar inputs and husbandry as sugar beet.

• The roots are very palatable to stock and contain a very high energy content.

• Can either be harvested by lifting the roots or livestock can graze in situ.

• A high yielding crop of top quality fodder which can be fed as an supplement to grass silage

• A brassica that is grown for grazing livestock in either the autumn or winter

• Can be used to extend the grazing season

• The most efficient way to utilise the crop is for the animals to strip graze the crop, so that wastage is minimised

• The highest yielding leafy brassica

• An excellent high energy winter feed

• Mainly grazed in situ but can be lifted and clamped

• Can be grown in a wide range of soil types but tend to perform better in areas of the country with higher rainfall

• Swedes are sensitive to compaction so prefer free draining soils with a pH of around 6.5

• A very fast growing brassica species • Suitable for grazing by sheep or

cattle

• Excellent for boosting mid-summer forage or extending the autumn grazing season

• Can be mixed with stubble turnips and kale to combine the benefits of all three forage crops

• Two types of stubble turnip, a bulbing type and a non bulbing type

• Can either be sown after first cut silage for summer utilisation or after the cereal harvest for utilisation in the autumn • Generally produces higher fresh

weight yields when compared to forage rape

• Good for breaking in hill ground

Fodder Beet

Kale

Forage Rape

Swedes

Stubble Turnips

Downland

Root & Fodder Crops

In addition to grass seed mixtures for forage production, Downland also offers a comprehensive range of root seed and fodder crops to meet the needs of livestock farmers.

If you require further information or specialist help, speak to your local Downland retailer

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Pack Size - 1Kg Pack Size - 10Kg & 20Kg Pack Size - 5Kg, 10Kg And 25Kg

MERIBEL

Italian Ryegrass

EMERALD

Forage Rape

• Specifically designed to produce autumn grazing for sheep and fattening lambs

• Will provide both autumn grazing from the combination of species and winter and early spring grazing from the Italian Ryegrass

Sow from 9kg/acre 22 kg/hectare Sow from 9kg/acre 22 kg/hectare

The forage rape element of this mixture ensures quick establishment and high protein yields, whilst the stubble turnips provide energy and stockholding capacity. The mixture is ideal for fattening stock and will provide grazing from July through to December.

Sow mid April - mid September

RAPID ROOT

(pre December use)

60% Forage Rape

35% Stubble Turnip

5% Kale

100%

Sowing Rate 6 - 8.5kg/ha

Pack size 5kg

Treatment Untreated

A mixture of palatable, proven varieties ideal for sowing after winter cereals. The mixture is suitable for post Christmas grazing as it exhibits very good winter hardiness, which is improved by the addition of the kale. Sow mid July - mid September

WINTER GRAZE

(post Christmas use)

60% Stubble Turnip

35% Forage Rape

5% Kale

100%

Sowing Rate 6 - 8.5kg/ha

Pack size 5kg

Treatment Untreated

Downland Root Mixtures

MERIBEL Italian Ryegrass EMERALD Forage Rape GREEN GLOBE White Turnip

Downland CC

A fast growing and very productive catch crop mix

21

Downland CD

Similar to Downland CC but without the white turnips

• Provides autumn grazing for sheep and finishing lambs as well as winter and early spring grazing from the Italian Ryegrass where needed

• Fast growing and highly productive catch crop mix

Downland Countryside

Farm diversification, environmental schemes and an ever increasing emphasis on wildlife and conservation has created a vast array of seed mixtures and single crops for different uses on farm.

The 2021 Downland Countryside catalogue is available from your local Downland retailer. It is a practical guide to Game Cover, Environmental, Green Manure and Forage Crop Seeds and contains detailed information on crop choices for different uses. It also provides clear advice on both species and mixture selection and the appropriate husbandry to help you ensure your needs are met.

Downland Marketing Limited

Telephone: 01228 564 498 Email: bestadvice@downland.co.uk

Website: www.downland.co.uk Your Local Downland Retailer: