Look after your fields, and they will look after you
Just before winter begins is the time to think about your grazing...
Just before winter begins is the time to think about your grazing management for the next 12 months. Your fields are your farm's lifeblood – protecting them now means less work and healthier pastures come spring.
Why you should REALLY know your soil
Do you know exactly what lies beneath your feet, in each field of...
Do you know exactly what lies beneath your feet, in each field of your farm? Autumn is a good time to think about doing some soil sampling and using the results to prepare management plans accordingly.
It doesn’t stop with indexing
It’s important to treat indexing not as a one-off task, but as...
It’s important to treat indexing not as a one-off task, but as something you should do regularly through the year. What it does is to provide you with a data-driven decision-support system that will help you identify not just which of your fields needs attention, but also with what priority
Production goals underpin your grass strategy
What does ‘production’ mean for YOUR farm? According to Janet...
What does ‘production’ mean for YOUR farm? According to Janet Montgomery, Agriculture Product Manager at Barenbrug UK, defining this crucial concept is the first step in building a successful grass strategy.
Daughter tillers key to clover success
Maximising ‘daughter tillers’ gives grassland managers the best...
Maximising ‘daughter tillers’ gives grassland managers the best route to a resilient sward this summer, advises grass-seed experts Barenbrug UK – and will also provide the ideal sward in which to establish clover later in the season.
Grass for Tomorrow
Climate change, and its possible effects on British farming...
Climate change, and its possible effects on British farming, remains one of the big unknowns. We're unable to predict with certainty how the climate will change or the impact it might have on how we farm. But we do know agriculture must pursue a lower carbon future.
It's all in the bag!
What exactly IS in a bag of seed? It’s a good question, says...
What exactly IS in a bag of seed? It’s a good question, says Janet Montgomery, Agriculture Product Manager, because Barenbrug invests tremendous effort in ensuring that every one of our grass-seed mixtures is fit for its purpose.
Check 'Made for SFI' seed mixtures carefully
Growers who signed up for herbal leys as one of the 23 options...
Growers who signed up for herbal leys as one of the 23 options from the 2023 Sustainable Farming Initiative programme should seek competent advice on the suitability of mixtures being sold as ‘SAM3 compatible’, Barenbrug UK says, as seed decisions loom.
Killylea & Tollymore promise performance ‘above the standard’ for local farmers
UK grass and forage breeder Barenbrug has announced that...
UK grass and forage breeder Barenbrug has announced that perennial ryegrass varieties Killylea and Tollymore will be available in their Bar Forage mixture range from Spring 2024.
Barenbrug Grower Update
Harvest 2023 was a challenge for all involved. Thank you all for...
Harvest 2023 was a challenge for all involved. Thank you all for your hard work and perseverance in bringing in the harvest. Yields in the UK are down by 12% compared to budget, mainly down to the wet harvest conditions during July and August. In Europe, yields have also been affected by extremes of weather throughout the spring and summer.
Time to update your grass?
There should be no mystery in the value of well-managed grassland...
There should be no mystery in the value of well-managed grassland. But keeping it performing at its optimum level demands some big decisions from time to time, says Janet Montgomery, Barenbrug UK’s agriculture product manager.
Bartech Issue 28
Summer is a busy time with trials and shows, as well as offering...
Summer is a busy time with trials and shows, as well as offering support through challenging and variable seasons. The growing season is a very valuable opportunity for us to learn through our science program, through observation and on-farm experience, and through the invaluable conversations with farmers and folks in trade. Using all these interactions, we can continue to bring forward our best varieties, products, and technical knowledge to positively contribute to the agricultural sector in the UK.
Grassland establishment: variety choice
“Don’t just accept what your seed merchant has to sell – first...
“Don’t just accept what your seed merchant has to sell – first talk about your needs.”
That’s Janet Montgomery, agriculture product manager for Barenbrug UK, advising farmers planning new leys and swards.
Warmest June prompts pasture health warning
Livestock farmers must pay close attention to their grass and...
Livestock farmers must pay close attention to their grass and pasture utilisation for the rest of the year, following the Met Office’s confirmation that the month of June 2023 was the hottest on record.
Most prolific grass-breeding partnership continues
The UK’s most prolific grass-breeding programme has set its...
The UK’s most prolific grass-breeding programme has set its sights on developing new varieties for the 2040s and beyond, following a renewed agreement between Barenbrug UK and Northern Ireland’s Agri-Food and BioSciences Institute (AFBI).
Bartech Issue 27
As we approach another Christmas season, it is great to be able...
As we approach another Christmas season, it is great to be able to reflect on 2022 and share with you some of the highlights of the year, and what a year it has been. When we rang in the start of the New Year in January, we had no idea what lay ahead but I don’t think anyone could have prepared us for the roller coaster it has been.....
Reasons to be reseeding: 1, 2, 3
Reduced reliance on bought-in feed and improved input use-efficien...
Reduced reliance on bought-in feed and improved input use-efficiency will be valuable strategies to maintain ruminant production margins over the coming months, suggests Barenbrug UK, citing three compelling reasons for farmers to consider a reseed this autumn.
‘Wholesome’ pastures bring herd health benefits
A more holistic approach to pasture management – specifically...
A more holistic approach to pasture management – specifically, species composition and soil health – can pay dividends for flock health, grazing utilisation and overall enterprise economics.
Overseeding? Don’t be overoptimistic with clover, cautions Barenbrug
Livestock farmers who rightly postponed clover overseeding in...
Livestock farmers who rightly postponed clover overseeding in drought-stricken pastures have been advised to act cautiously if still planning to go ahead, despite recent rainfall and mild temperatures appearing to provide favourable opportunity.
First ever Grass Clinic at UK Dairy Day
Grass breeding specialist Barenbrug UK will be hosting the first...
Grass breeding specialist Barenbrug UK will be hosting the first ever Grass Clinic at UK Dairy Day, encouraging farmers to be more ambitious about getting more from their grass by visiting the drop in clinic.
Grow your future with grass
If you have livestock, what would you say is your farm’s most...
If you have livestock, what would you say is your farm’s most productive asset? You may say it’s your dairy cows, or your breeding ewes. We believe it’s your grassland; at least, it should be. Grass remains the most cost-effective livestock feed. It is the primary source of quality, nutrient-rich forage which, when managed well, will increase farm biodiversity and soil health while maximising farm productivity, resilience and sustainability. With the potential to reduce inputs, both in fertiliser and brought in feed, and produce a high-quality feed, this translates into increased grass yield and more litres of milk and animal weight from more nutritious forage, while supporting animal health and maintaining overall farm productivity.
Under-sowing maize: don’t ‘rob Peter to pay Paul’
Growers may be keener than ever this year to keep valuable...
Growers may be keener than ever this year to keep valuable nitrates in the soil by under-sowing maize with a grass or legume-rich cover crop, but caution is needed to receive the full benefit of the practice, advises grass breeder Barenbrug UK.
BarTech Issue 25
We hear from Piet Arts, Global Research Director of Barenbrug...
We hear from Piet Arts, Global Research Director of Barenbrug, about the latest research and breeding trials as he visits our trial sites in Ireland and the newest bred grass variety from Barenbrug, Barwave. Read our top tips on red clover and explore the different grazing options to understand which grazing method is right for your farm?
BarTech Issue 24
Welcome to our first BarTech of 2022 - In this BarTech we look...
Welcome to our first BarTech of 2022 - In this BarTech we look forward to what is coming as we discover the latest innovations in grass breeding from the research teams, our top tips on choosing and using clovers in your fields, while considering the impact of increased inputs and our consideration on how grass can play a role in delivering practical, agronomic, sustainable and environmental gains across your farm.
30 years of grass genetic partnership, breeding agriculture grasses for farmers
Barenbrug UK announced its hook-up with Northern Ireland’s Agri-Fo...
Barenbrug UK announced its hook-up with Northern Ireland’s Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) in 1991, with the objective of providing a steady flow of new varieties to meet the evolving demands of the UK’s grassland and livestock industries.
Kilrea YFC marks 75th anniversary with Barenbrug sponsorship extension
Plenty more to celebrate at the Kilrea Young Farmers’ Club’s 75th...
Plenty more to celebrate at the Kilrea Young Farmers’ Club’s 75th anniversary celebrations after agricultural and amenity seed producer Barenbrug UK announced it will continue as the club’s primary sponsor.
BarTech Winter
Welcome to final edition of BarTech 2021, our monthly newsletter...
Welcome to final edition of BarTech 2021, our monthly newsletter from the Agricultural Grass Experts at Barenbrug UK. With winter well and truly here, grass growth coming to an end and livestock either coming in or moving to winter ground, now is the time to think ahead. In the recent years, we have had more extremes, either excess rainfall, drought and heat and the resilience of agriculture has been tested.
BarTech November
As Winter takes hold, day length and light intensity reduces as...
As Winter takes hold, day length and light intensity reduces as does air and soil temperature, resulting in a steady reduction in grass growth rates. Find out more about managing your winter grassland and planning for next season.
Grassland Management Guide
Any farmer wanting to keep their grassland performing at an...
Any farmer wanting to keep their grassland performing at an optimum level needs to know how to judge when it’s time to reseed? A new ‘Grassland Index’, developed by grass breeder Barenbrug, promises to help the decision-making process.
Grass seed commands a record price in Suffolk charity auction
What might just be the most expensive 20kg bag of grass seed ever...
What might just be the most expensive 20kg bag of grass seed ever sold in the UK was purchased by a Suffolk company director recently during an auction at the T20 charity cricket match between Bury St Edmunds Cricket Club and the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) England Legends team.
Livestock into Arable
Pondering the return of livestock into an arable rotation...
Pondering the return of livestock into an arable rotation? Whether faced with problem weeds, as a move towards improving soil health, or part of a regenerative agricultural strategy, it’s a move many farmers are considering.
BarTech September
Soaring fed prices are prompting increased interest from farmers...
Soaring fed prices are prompting increased interest from farmers in homegrown, with multispecies swards, forage brassica and other crop such as maize and lucerne taking the top spots. Plan ahead now for your autumn reseeding and post cereal crop harvests, not just for livestock feed but soil health, better harvest performance and improved soil drainage.
Clover surge after nitrogen soars
Soaring nitrogen prices are prompting increased interest from...
Soaring nitrogen prices are prompting increased interest from livestock producers in ‘alternative’ sources such as white clover, reports Barenbrug UK. With UK-produced ammonium nitrate nudging £297/tonne in AHDB’s fertiliser price series, clover’s in-built nitrogen-fixing ability has encouraged farmers to consider including the legume in late-summer overseeds, or autumn reseeds.
Farmers Weekly Transition Partner
As a key member of the The Farmers Weekly Transition Partner...
As a key member of the The Farmers Weekly Transition Partner Network, Barenbrug UK is part of a selected, UK-wide community of farmers, industry stakeholders and influencers working together to secure a sustainable future for your farm business.
Grass and herbal leys: a strategic, sustainable choice for UK farmers
At Barenbrug, we’ve one simple goal: to help all farmers make the...
At Barenbrug, we’ve one simple goal: to help all farmers make the most of grass, forage & herbal leys – and that applies across the board, whether you’re producing milk, raising livestock or growing essential crops.
Bartech - June 2021 - Brassicas
Brassica crops are a useful tool for reseeding, they are not a...
Brassica crops are a useful tool for reseeding, they are not a host crop for leatherjackets making them particularly beneficial between permanent grass leys where high burdens of the pest can be found. As well as helping combat pest issues, brassicas help to reduce weed and disease burdens, create better soil conditions and cleaner seedbeds for establishing new swards of grass.
Barenbrug focuses on herbal leys at Groundswell
A long-established practice of organic systems, the herbal ley...
A long-established practice of organic systems, the herbal ley – a complex seed mixture of grass, legumes and herbs – is now becoming increasingly popular in conventional circles, says agronomist and grass expert for Barenbrug UK, Roger Bacon.
BarTech - April 2021 - Spring grassland
With the recent spell of dry weather bringing some much-needed...
With the recent spell of dry weather bringing some much-needed heat during the day and the end of frost at night, swards of grass across the country are slowly starting grow but one of the driest Aprils on record means grass growth is well behind the average. In some areas, cattle are already out and content to be at grass but in others were sheep have been winter grazing or were soil temperatures are cooler, swards have been slow to react to fertiliser applications and it is tempting to keep stock housed for a few days yet. Spring grassland management is key.
New green cover option for under-sowing maize
Better harvest performance and improved soil drainage are just...
Better harvest performance and improved soil drainage are just two of the benefits promised from a new, crop-specific green cover option for under-sowing maize, developed by grass and soil sustainability experts Barenbrug UK.
Focus on ‘home-grown’ sparks surge in red clover
Buoyant soya prices, carbon reduction efforts and concerns about...
Buoyant soya prices, carbon reduction efforts and concerns about nitrogen management have caused interest in protein-rich forage, such as red clover, to surge, reports agricultural grass experts Barenbrug UK.
Barenbrug UK to release NEW AFBI ryegrass varieties for UK agriculture
The AFBI-Barenbrug partnership now has nineteen ryegrass...
The AFBI-Barenbrug partnership now has nineteen ryegrass varieties listed on the 2020/2021 Recommended Grass and Clover Lists (RGCL), with varieties such as Gracehill (a late heading tetraploid ryegrass) being one of the newest additions
Our new grass varieties star on 2018 Recommended Grass and Clover List for England and Wales
Once again varieties bred by Barenbrug UK and its partners...
Once again varieties bred by Barenbrug UK and its partners feature highly throughout. In total, 24 ryegrass varieties were either bred by Barenbrug or its partners, with four brand new varieties entering the list for the first time.
