MENSCHEN TITLE THEME 1 2 prises undesirable grasses and dicotyledons. Just think of it: Fifty percent! Unthinkable in an arable crop. In grassland, more or less normal. Why in earth is cash invested in the crop in such a situation? Like other crops, economic viability for grass lies in best possible growth. This is the basis of success in cattle feeding. XtraBlatt: How has this situation occurred? Gerighausen: Over the past ten years, dairy cattle stocking has expanded enormously and outdoor grazing become increasingly seldom. Grazing ruminants, whether cattle or sheep, rip-out a proportion of the undesirable plants and consolidate the sward with their hooves. On fields that are only mown, the grass sole rises over the years just like yeast does in bread. Gaps appear in the sward and, because there’s no grazing, the undesirable plants spread out, the sward changes massively in a negative way. So what’s the solution? We must achieve mechanically what was achieved in the past by grazing. XtraBlatt: What do we need here? Gerighausen: Basically, the same procedure as with garden lawns: scarifying or, as I always tend to say, intensive grooming to get a thorough dethatching with dead vegetation and unwanted dicotyledons ripped-out, as well as the less productive grasses such as rough meadow grass, Yorkshire fog or soft brome. And let’s never forget that tillering and spread of useful feed grasses is enormously encouraged in this way. After all, the sward target is between 8,000 and 10,000 shoots per square meter. XtraBlatt: And that should do the trick? Gerighausen: Naturally, scarifying is not enough on its own. But we’ve carried out several trials with different techniques, in various intensities. We’ve compared the results with non-treatment. And these trials have demonstrated that, between scarifying in March and evaluating results in June, enormous differences are achieved: results that surprise even experienced farmers! In other words: through regular intensive scarifying alone, grass swards recover rapidly. XtraBlatt: What about the roles of levelling, rolling and reseeding? Gerighausen (laughing): That almost sounds like “Washing, layering and blow drying…..” But, in all seriousness: You are completely correct. Drag-levelling the pasture surface to flatten out molehills is important – and doesn’t take place everywhere. Rolling and reseeding are also very good measures and important – but not when carried out automatically after every scarifying. For instance, immediate rolling reconsolidates loosened surfaces and presses back the tornout plant material so that it could root again. Therefore, first scarifying and then reseeding. Then allow time for the scarified material to dry out, then roll. For a number of years now we have observed, at least here with us, increasing incidence of spring drought. In such a situation, reseeding won’t help much. My recommendation is therefore to scarifying first in early March and not be afraid to set the tines aggressively, even if there’s a danger of “blackening” the sward. This doesn’t matter. On the contrary, the sward then comes strongly through and growth really gets going. Then a second scarifying in late summer. And only then, depending on sward condition, sowing between 8
1 Grassland expert and tutor Heinz-Günter Gerighausen: “In my view there is no other production procedure that with grassland gives such good results from so little input.” 2 Levelling and scarifying grassland is the first husbandry input in spring. 3 Full cost calculations for levelling, scarifying, reseeding and rolling total only around 45 Euro/ha. The yield 3 effect, however, repays this input many times over. 5 – 10 kg grass/ha. In my experience, the rest can be left to rainfall. The young grass has then sufficient time to literally establish its footing before winter. XtraBlatt: What about fertiliser application? Gerighausen: Even when it sounds just like a text book, this should fit the site and expected uptake. This always applies. Yet, all too often in practice, the advice is still ignored. Again, we should remember my opening comments on pasture as dumping ground for slurry. On such land, enough phosphorus and potash can be expected. Usually, this is not the problem. With nitrogen, I recommend 20 – 25 kg N/t dry matter. XtraBlatt: And what about lime? Gerighausen: Here we address the next sore point in practice. Even arable cropping fields are in many cases limed too seldom. However, with grassland this neglect is sometimes dramatic. If the pH is not right, then the influence of all the other husbandry measures mentioned is markedly limited. Therefore, with grassland too, it is crucial to first of all take soil samples and thus determine the actual condition. And this means before cash is invested in any other action. After that, it’s plain that fertiliser application is not really the greatest cost factor, quite the opposite in fact. XtraBlatt: Keyword cost: Is this the main reason why farmers do not always devote the required care to pastures? i.e. with labour costs for levelling, scarifying and rolling, this works out at only 45 Euro/ha and year. So, cost cannot be a reason for neglect. And it is also fatal to simply buy the cheapest scarifying harrow. The design of this implement is just as important as the mower, turner and swather. For a 16 m working width forage turner that isn’t even working 30 hours a season, farmers shell out up to 35,000 Euro without even batting an eyelid. But a scarifying harrow with reseeding attachment isn’t even considered That’s unrealistic. What other implements can give such a beneficial effect? There’s not really an argument here. To return to costs: if grassland is correctly cared for, the costs involved mean a required increase in yield of around 300 to 350 kg DM/ha, or about 1 t silage. The real yield increase involved is many times more. In my view, there is no other production procedure with grassland that gives such good results from so little input, and releases such great reserves. XtraBlatt: Do you see Dutch farmers setting good examples in grassland husbandry? Gerighausen: Yes and no. Yes, in terms of systematic and regular sampling and evaluation and follow-through with required actions. Here, Germany’s western neighbours are absolutely professional and European leaders. However, I do not regard the practice of breaking-up of grassland every five or six years as necessary. This happens often there. After all, farmland is an even more scarce commodity there than it is with us, especially pastureland. Highest husbandry care is very important, however. Then the yields come automatically! Gerighausen: People who blame lack of action on cost are only kidding themselves! If I set up a full cost calculation, 9
