Grassland Roadshow Ayr: Building Resilient Pastures

Practical ideas for building resilient grassland systems and getting more value from pasture

With input costs remaining high and weather patterns becoming increasingly unpredictable, making the most of the grass you grow has never been more important.

Join us at Sorbie Farm, Ardrossan, by kind permission of Alan Hogarth and family, for a practical Grassland Roadshow event exploring how better grassland management can help livestock farms reduce reliance on bought-in inputs, improve soil health and make more efficient use of home-grown forage.

Why attend?

This event will cover practical ways to get more from the grass you already grow.

By attending, you will gain ideas and insights to help you:

• Reduce feed costs by making better use of home-grown forage
• Make better use of autumn grass and potentially extend the grazing season
• Improve grassland resilience in the face of increasingly variable weather
• Reduce reliance on bought-in fertiliser and feed where the system allows
• Improve soil health and nutrient cycling through more diverse swards
• Make more informed decisions about whether multispecies grasslands could work on your farm
• Take practical ideas home and apply them to your own grazing system

What will be covered?

Making multispecies grasslands work in Scotland

Senior consultant and grassland specialist Lorna Galloway will explore the opportunities and practical challenges of introducing multispecies swards into Scottish livestock systems.

Multispecies grasslands can combine grasses, legumes and herbs with different rooting depths and growth characteristics. When well established and managed, they have the potential to:

• Improve soil structure and nutrient cycling
• Build resilience during periods of drought and challenging weather
• Improve forage quality and diversity
• Reduce reliance on artificial nitrogen
• Make better use of nutrients and resources already available on farm

Lorna will look at what works, what doesn’t, and what farmers need to consider before introducing multispecies swards — from establishment and management through to fitting them into a productive livestock system.

How to get the most out of your autumn pasture

Michael Blanche will focus on autumn grass and how better grazing management can help farmers capture more value from this often-underused resource.

The session will explore how decisions around:

• Grazing rotations
• Residuals
• Stock demand
• Pasture recovery
• Preparing swards for winter and spring

Whether you are already experimenting with multispecies swards and regenerative grazing, considering making changes to your grassland system, or simply want to get more from your existing pasture, this event will offer practical, farm-focused advice.

Come along, see what is working in practice, ask questions and take away ideas that could help your farm make better use of its grass.

Attendee Information

• Lunch will be provided so booking is essential for catering purposes.
• Much of the event will involve walking over uneven farm ground, if you have any accessibility concerns, please let us know at the point of booking.
• Please wear weather appropriate footwear and outerwear.

FAS Related Resources

https://www.fas.scot/downloads/grassland-and-herbal-leys-species-guide/

https://www.fas.scot/downloads/the-role-of-major-nutrients-in-grass-plants/

https://www.fas.scot/downloads/technical-note-tn656-soils-information-texture-liming/

https://www.fas.scot/downloads/technical-note-tn736-optimising-application-livestock-farmyard-manures-slurries/

Booking is essential for catering purposes!

https://what3words.com/nobody.overgrown.safely