The case for reseeding or renovating grassland routinely is indisputable, according to Germinal’s Daniel Loe, who adds that selecting the best varieties from the Recommended Grass and Clover List (RGCL) is the way to maximise the benefit.

He said: “Reseeds are significantly more productive than old pastures, averaging an extra two tonnes of dry matter per hectare per year over their lifetime.

"Leys containing modern varieties also offer significantly better quality and can help extend the grazing season.”

Turning to forage conservation, Daniel points out that producers need to maximise use of home-grown forage throughout the year to reduce reliance on bought-in feeds.

The costs of making silage will remain the same per hectare, so it makes sense to improve dry matter yields and quality from conservation grassland.

One of the main arguments for reseeding is to replace the undesirable species with modern ryegrasses, adds Daniel Loe.

“A long-term grazing ley can be expected to last seven to 10 years. Over that time the sward gradually becomes more open, allowing weeds to establish.

"Studies have shown that when a ley is about eight years old, more than 40 per cent of the sward is likely to be made up of weed grasses and broad-leaved weeds.

"These species are not only lower yielding, they are also far less palatable to livestock, lower in nutritional quality and less responsive to nitrogen fertiliser.”

Daniel says producers should take full advantage of the award winning grass breeding programme that has developed the innovative Aber High Sugar Grasses.

Bred at IBERS Aberystwyth University specifically for elevated levels of water soluble carbohydrate, the Aber HSG varieties offer huge potential for improving livestock performance from grass.

In addition to accessing the best modern grass breeding, reseeding offers wider advantages too.

“Whenever grassland is reseeded, farmers have a good opportunity to get rid of pernicious weeds and really clean up the sward. Land can also be levelled and remedial work can be carried out to offset the problems of soil compaction.

“Provided leys are established correctly and care is taken to avoid under or over grazing following reseeding or renovation, there should be a return on investment from reseeding in the first year,” concludes Daniel.