This option is intended for intensive grass farms that have limited scope to put land in other grass or arable stewardship options, but also where regular reseeding is a typical practice. It is designed to provide an abundance of seed as a food source for Yellowhammers, Bunting, Skylarks and Gamebirds from the autumn through to late winter.

This is a valid option for grassland that is in its final year and due to be reseeded but still has 50% Ryegrass content. Utilisation or incorporation of significant levels of biomass at the end of the winter is a key issue to consider. This option is appropriate on a low-input grass wintering system where standing hay on the GS3 area could be grazed with a suitable livestock class from 1st March onwards.

Grass Mixture Options: If adopting this management for the final year of a ley, any mixture which will have >50% Ryegrass in that specific year is appropriate. Your Field Options or Procam contact will be able to advise you on which is the best mixture to suit your field requirements. Or go to: https://www.field-options.co.uk/products/grass-clover If sowing a mixture with this option in mind, Avoid Italian or Westerwold Ryegrass. There is a risk shed seed from these species may become a pernicious weed that is difficult to control with herbicides in an arable rotation.