project - EIP-AGRI Operational Group
The Impact of herbal leys on the health and performance of grazing lambs
The Impact of herbal leys on the health and performance of grazing lambs
Objectives
Herbal leys, also known as multi-species pastures, are characterised by a combination of grasses, legumes and herbs. In grazing systems, increasing the biodiversity of the sward is one possible strategy that could reduce the reliance on chemical anthelmintics, with legumes and herbs being rich in compounds with potential anthelmintic properties.
This project, involving three farmers from Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire, aims to assess the effect of using a herbal ley in comparison to a more conventional ryegrass and clover ley, in its effect on both daily liveweight gain and worm burdens of growing lambs.
Objectives
Mae gwyndonnydd llysieuol, a elwir hefyd yn borfeydd aml-rywogaeth, yn cynnwys cyfuniad o laswelltau, codlysiau a pherlysiau. Mewn systemau pori, mae cynyddu bioamrywiaeth y borfa yn un strategaeth bosibl a allai leihau dibyniaeth ar anthelminitigau cemegol, gan fod codlysiau a pherlysiau’n llawn cyfansoddion gyda rhinweddau anthelminitig posib. Nod y prosiect hwn, sy’n cynnwys tri ffermwr o Geredigion a Sir Gâr, yw asesu effaith defnyddio gwyndwn llysieuol o’i gymharu â gwyndwn rhygwellt a meillion mwy confensiynol, a’i effaith ar gynnydd pwysau byw dyddiol a baich llyngyr ŵyn sy’n tyfu.
Activities
1) On each of the three farms one field will be split into 2 plots of equal size. One plot will then be sown with a conventional ryegrass based ley and the other will be sown with a herbal ley. All the plots will then be subdivided into quarters to be rotationally grazed.
2) Lambs will be rotationally grazing the plots from weaning to the end of October
3) The lambs will be weighed and faecal sampled every two weeks throughout the period. Two larval counts will also be taken to measure worm burden on the pasture.
4) The plots will be measured for dry matter yield throughout the growing season and fresh grass samples will also be taken to assess the nutritional value of the two different leys.
Activities
1) Bydd un cae ar y tair fferm yn cael ei rannu’n ddwy lain cyfartal. Bydd un llain yn cael ei hau gyda gwyndwn confensiynol yn seiliedig ar rygwellt, a'r ail yn cael ei hau gyda gwyndwn llysieuol.
2) Bydd ŵyn yn pori’r lleiniau ar system bori cylchdro o ddiddyfnu hyd at ddiwedd Hydref.
3) Bydd yr ŵyn yn cael eu pwyso a bydd samplau ysgarthion yn cael eu casglu bob pythefnos. Bydd prawf cyfri larfau yn cael ei gynnal ddwywaith i fesur baich llyngyr ar y borfa.
4) Bydd y lleiniau’n cael eu mesur ar gyfer cynnyrch deunydd sych trwy gydol y tymor tyfu a bydd samplau o laswellt ffres hefyd yn cael eu casglu i asesu gwerth maethol y ddau fath o wyndwn.
Project details
- Main funding source
- Rural development 2014-2020 for Operational Groups
- Rural Development Programme
- 2014UK06RDRP004 United Kingdom - Rural Development Programme (Regional) - Wales
Ort
- Main geographical location
- South West Wales
EUR 4 698.00
Total budget
Total contributions from EAFRD, national co-financing, additional national financing and other financing.
Project keyword
1 Practice Abstracts
Herbal leys, also known as multi-species pastures, are characterised by a combination of grasses, legumes and herbs. In grazing systems, increasing the biodiversity of the sward is one possible strategy that could reduce the reliance on chemical anthelmintics, with legumes and herbs being rich in compounds with potential anthelmintic properties. It is believed that herbal leys could help to:
1) reduce worm burdens in grazing lambs
2) maintain/improve liveweight gain
3) reduce the need for fertiliser input
This project, involving three farmers from Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire, aims to assess the effect of using a herbal ley in comparison to a more conventional ryegrass and clover ley, in its effect on both daily liveweight gain and worm burdens of growing lambs.
There is a lot of discussion on the use of herbal leys in both livestock performance and anthelmintic properties and there has been some work done on herbal leys, but not on a commercial field scale basis. This project will investigate what effects the use of a herbal ley pasture could have on lamb production in a commercial setting in Wales.
Mae gwyndonnydd llysieuol, a elwir hefyd yn borfeydd aml-rywogaeth, yn cynnwys cyfuniad o laswelltau, codlysiau a pherlysiau. Mewn systemau pori, mae cynyddu bioamrywiaeth y borfa yn un strategaeth bosibl a allai leihau dibyniaeth ar anthelminitigau cemegol, gan fod codlysiau a pherlysiau’n llawn cyfansoddion gyda rhinweddau anthelminitig posib. Credir y gallai gwyndonnydd llysieuol gynorthwyo i:
1) leihau baich llyngyr mewn ŵyn sy’n pori
2) cynnal/gwella cynnydd pwysau byw
3) lleihau’r angen ar gyfer gwrtaith
Nod y prosiect hwn, sy’n cynnwys tri ffermwr o Geredigion a Sir Gâr, yw asesu effaith defnyddio gwyndwn llysieuol o’i gymharu â gwyndwn rhygwellt a meillion mwy confensiynol, a’i effaith ar gynnydd pwysau byw dyddiol a baich llyngyr ŵyn sy’n tyfu.
Mae llawer o drafodaeth yn digwydd ynglŷn â defnyddio gwyndwn llysieuol o ran perfformiad da byw a nodweddion anthelminitig, ac mae rhywfaint o waith wedi cael ei wneud yn edrych ar wyndonnydd llysieuol, ond nid ar raddfa cae masnachol. Bydd y prosiect hwn yn edrych ar effeithiau posibl defnyddio porfa lysieuol ar gynhyrchiant ŵyn ar sail fasnachol yng Nghymru.
Contacts
Project coordinator
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Nigel Howells
Project coordinator