An adjusted blend of productive forage species historically used in the far west of the UK to produce good grass yields on cold, often wet clay soils where ryegrass based mixtures can sometimes struggle to perform or even properly establish, particularly on low or no input farms. Meadow Fescue, Timothy and Clover to this day still produce higher yields than ryegrass only mixtures receiving the same, minimal or no fertiliser management on similar soil types.
Sow into a warm, well prepared seedbed. If the ground often leys wet with surface water through the winter months, spring sowing is highly recommended.
Do not shut off for hay production in the first year of establisment but simply occasionally top (or ideally, graze with sheep).
Once established, it is important to regularly graze the resulting pasture to keep the sward leafy however, continuous or hard grazing is not recommended as these species benefit from occasional rest to allow time for unrestricted re-growth. This pasture is therefore ideally suited to periodical or rotational grazing particularly with higher stock numbers but may also be used to produce an occasional Meadow Fescue, Timothy hay crop.
For a similar low input pasture but for very light, free draining soil please refer to Meadow Fescue & Cocksfoot in Long Term Grazing