Sowing And Reseeding Grassland

Question 1

Reasons for reseeding

Answer 1

Weed infestation  
no ryegrass content/high content poor quality grasses 
addition of clover 
activity of animals 
poor soil fertility

Question 2

Weed infestation

Answer 2

• Weeds can take over pasture reducing overall productivity
• Receding helps remove weeds and improve pasture quality
• Example dock leaves since seeds can spread when slurry is applied

Question 3

Low ryegrass content/high content of poor quality grasses

Answer 3

Troublesome weed grasses such a scutch/bent grass can start to dominate a sward
compete with good quality grasses (perennial ryegrass) and they lower the productivity palatability and digestibility

Question 4

Addition of clover

Answer 4

Allow a farmer to increase the clover in the pasture

= it increases the protein content of pasture as well as fixing nitrogen in the soil

Question 5

Activity of animals

Answer 5

Livestock may have poached Land leading to poor quality pasture
=Overgrazed land can cause grass not to grow back, hinder ability to tinder, lower productivity
= Under-grazing land can cause poorer grasses to become more dominant due to animals being selective grazers.

Question 6

Benefits of reseeding

Answer 6

Improves grass and silage quality
Increased milk and production
Higher output allows increase stocking density on land
Better response to nitrogen fertilisers
Longer grazing season Reduces winter fodder which reduces cost
Excess grass could be cut for silage and sold

Question 7

How to create firm seedbed

Answer 7

Take soil samples in W pattern and check for compaction if soil compacted subsoiling might be necessary before reseeding
Test soil for N, P and K and PH = fertilise and lime where appropriate
In sure suitable drainage in place in wet soils
Plough and subsoil where necessary = create a fine seedbed by harrowing and rolling

Question 8

Methods of sowing and reseed and grassland

Answer 8

Direct sowing 
undersowing
direct drilling/direct seeding 
slurry seeding 
Slits seeding/stitching in

Question 9

Direct sewing

Answer 9

Land is ploughed and harrowed, seeds sown with seed drill
Nitrogen fertiliser applied in spring
Autumn sown leys are sown in September and spring sown leys before May
Advantages
= plough bury the weed seeds
= harrower create fine seedbed

Question 10

Under sowing

Answer 10

Particularly suitable for tillage and grassland rotations
= grass seed sown with tillage crop
= not suitable for winter cereals
Advantages
= nitrogen leaching reduced
= soil erosion prevented, grass established after cereal harvested
= grassland used for grazing after cereal harvested
= provide good ground cover, prevent weed infestation

Disadvantages
= two crops growing same time means competition for water, nutrients, space
= reduction of yield in cereal crop, competes with grass
= Not suited for intense cereal farming where higher crop yields are required