by Jonathan Holmes | Sep 2, 2020 | Grassland Management, Soil
Most cover crops these days are implemented for two reasons. To cope with an infestation of graminicide resistant black grass or ryegrass. Or, to restructure soil. Although they are usually recommended for these two different purposes, they can be interchangeable....
by Jonathan Holmes | Jun 29, 2020 | Grassland Management
Grass is the cheapest source of energy for deer. But managing the grassland to optimise nutritional content of the grazing land, or more crucially forage, takes time and effort. Asking the right questions is the key. Creating a plan to produce forage that has a high...
by Jonathan Holmes | May 7, 2020 | Grassland Management
Stock farmers should all be aware of the problems that staggers (hypomagnesaemia or grass tetany) causes in cows when cattle are turned out on fresh grass in the spring. In cattle, symptoms usually occur around calving. This usually coincides when the uptake of...
by Jonathan Holmes | Mar 12, 2020 | Grassland Management
Got waterlogged grassland? To function as a growing environment, the soil needs to contain 25 per cent air and 25 per cent water. The air is essential for microbial respiration and the water is essential to allow the dissolved nutrients to move from the soil into the...
by Jonathan Holmes | May 4, 2019 | Grassland Management
Nitrogen is required by grass to increase leaf development and growth rate. If the sward (upper layers of soil and grass) is interacting effectively with the environment, then little nitrogen will be required. After the stressful growing weather of 2018, many grazing...
by Jonathan Holmes | Feb 14, 2019 | Equine management, Grassland Management
Laminitis is a crippling disorder that causes the soft tissues within a horse’s hoof to swell and weaken. Dietary management is one of the best ways to prevent laminitis. So let’s take a look at horses and their diet… Horses are fundamentally...