RESEEDING worn out grassland provides yields of higher quality fodder and significantly reduces the need to use brought-in concentrate.

The view was outlined at a meeting for farmers organised by farm equipment dealer RBM Agricultural Ltd, grass harrow and seeder specialist OPICO Ltd and Monarch seeds.

A progressively smaller proportion of UK grass is under five years old, though this is the age when grass gives the best yields and returns. As grass swards grow older, poorer quality meadow grasses, with just 50pc of the yield potential of ryegrass, tend to take over. Reseeding puts vitality back into old pastures, just as overseeding into existing leys boosts yields and prolongs the useful life of swards.

Trials at the Welsh Agricultural College which involved a complete reseeding of old grass leys showed a 41pc increase in yield, along with higher grass sugars, giving improved palatability and nutrition.

Reseeding costs around £125 an acre, according to a consensus of farmer views around the UK, but the extra value of the grass value yield is about £410 worth of milk.

If complete reseeding is not possible, overseeding costs around £38 per acre and works out to about £160 of extra milk value with the extra grass production.

Updated: 12:01 Thursday, March 21, 2002