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ForaGin

The ForaGin Project: Experiences, Interest, Barriers and Opportunities for forage crops

Thank you for your interest in participating in the Defra Scoping Study on the Opportunities and Barriers of Improved Forages for Livestock Sustainability and Productivity (ForaGin). This study is being led by NIAB and SRUC in partnership.

Your experiences and thoughts are needed to help generate a short-list of forage crops with the most potential to increase sustainability and productivity of livestock farming.

This exercise is designed to be completed by farmers. If you have another role in the sector and would like to participate, or to discuss these topics further, please contact Ellie Sweetman, Forage Crop Specialist at NIAB, before the 3rd June 2021 at ellie.sweetman@niab.com or on 07734 567597.

The main outcomes of the project will be a set of recommendations for Defra on a range of research and development activity to increase the potential of specific forage crops and address the barriers that currently restrict their use and productivity.

1.Which livestock types do you have & how many?
2.How many forage hectares do you have?
3.How much grassland do you have and how often do you reseed?
4.Which forage grasses do you grow?
Currently grow
Previously grown
Would like to grow
Doesn't suit our system
Doesn't suit our conditions
Never grown
Perennial Ryegrass
Italian Ryegrass
Hybrid Ryegrass
Festulolium
Westerwolds
Timothy
Cocksfoot
Tall Fescue
Meadow Fescue
5.Which forage legumes do you grow?
Currently grow
Previously grown
Would like to grow
Doesn't suit our system
Doesn't suit our conditions
Never grown
Red clover
White clover
Lucerne
Sainfoin
Other clovers (e.g. Sweet/Alsike/Crimson)
Climbing (French) beans 
Vetch
Forage peas
Birdsfoot trefoil
Hairy vetch
6.Which forage brassicas do you grow?
Currently grow
Previously grown
Would like to grow
Doesn't suit our system
Doesn't suit our conditions
Never grown
Stubble turnips
Forage rape
Fodder kale
Rape/kale hybrids
Swede
Fodder radish
Fodder mustard
7.Which forage herbs do you grow?
Currently grow
Previously grown
Would like to grow
Doesn't suit our system
Doesn't suit our conditions
Never grown
Chicory
Ribwort plantain
Burnet
Yarrow
Sheep's parsley
8.Which whole-crop cereals do you grow?
Currently grow
Previously grown
Would like to grow
Doesn't suit our system
Doesn't suit our conditions
Never grown
Wheat
Barley
Triticale
Oats
Maize
9.Which other forage crops do you grow?
Currently grow
Previously grown
Would like to grow
Doesn't suit our system
Doesn't suit our conditions
Never grown
Fodder beet
Grazing rye
Canary grass
Buckwheat
Forage millet
10.What are your biggest challenges with forage production?
11.Tell us about any forage crops where concerns about feeding are holding you back from using them (e.g. pre-processing, anti-nutritional factors, storage issues)
12.Tell us about any forage crops with practical challenges of growing them which hold you back from using them (e.g. difficult establishment, rotational fit, yield reliability).
13.Which forage crops have potential but have supply chain practicalities? (e.g. seed/pesticide availability, need for specialist harvester)
14.Are there any other production, environmental or economic considerations to be taken into account when proposing the development and uptake of underused or new forage crops?
15.Which types of information would be of benefit to you?
16.If you would like to receive a summary of the outcomes of this project, please add your contact details here, or contact Ellie Sweetman, Forage Crops Specialist at NIAB, ellie.sweetman@niab.com 07734 567597).