Introduction to Herbal Leys in Agriculture
Herbal leys are a type of pastureland that is formed from a combination of grasses, herbs, and legumes. Mixing these plants has been proven to aid agriculture and the local environment in various ways, from improving the soil’s structure to healthier grazing stocks and biodiversity net gains across a range of climates and farming practices.
Increasing Adoption of Herbal Leys
In recent years, farmers have been deploying herbal leys at an increasing rate as the benefits of this system have been championed. When used for forage with grazing animals, such as cattle and sheep, leys have been proven to increase yields and reduce parasitic gut organisms. The mixed pasture ensures a varied diet for grazers; grass provides the required forage, while herb and legume species enable vital vitamins and minerals to be taken up.
Historical and Modern Use of Herbal Leys
Herbal leys can also be utilized when allowing a field to fallow, the roots improving soil structure and increasing soil nitrogen levels. Furthermore, the cover cropping effect of the plants can reduce soil erosion in light of our worsening winter storms and increasing rainy seasons in tropical zones due to the effects of climate changes. There is no doubt why this technique has been growing in popularity in recent years as an option to increase the range of indicators across the typical agricultural system.
Use and Benefits of Herbal Leys - The Important Role of Different Plant Species
Herbal leys have been practiced for over a century, typically using a mix of five grass species (such as ryegrass, meadow fescue, and cocksfoot), five herb species (such as ribgrass and yarrow), and five legume species (such as red clover and sainfoin). Recent government initiatives and farmer interest in cost-effective alternatives to synthetic fertilizers and animal feeds have increased their usage. Establishing herbal leys involves simple steps like harvesting, plowing, and sowing the seeds. Once sown, the herbal leys can be left to germinate before introducing any grazing animals.
There are multiple options for plant species that can be incorporated into an herbal ley seed mix, including those that boast deep roots, such as Lucerne or Sainfoin. As these plants grow, the roots move far deeper into the soil than standard crop species, especially in comparison to wheat and corn. For example, typical sainfoin roots are 150cm long, while modern wheat species only reach 50-75cm below the soil’s surface. Sainfoin roots spread through the soil and push their way down, increasing the macropore space and improving the soil's structure. This opening up of the macropore space is to be welcomed, especially in densely compacted fields that have endured years of increasingly heavy machinery. The increased macropore space enables a greater area for storing water, especially deeper in the soil. If water is held at a greater soil depth, it can reduce the amount of evaporation, which undoubtedly has the effect of supporting field margin trees, hedges, and deep-rooted flowering grasses. This re-entry of water deep into the soil structure can, therefore, alleviate drought pressure, which is vital in an ever-drying global environment.
Another benefit of the deeper roots of many herbal ley species is that they can access deep soil moisture during drier months, thus increasing the grazing stock’s resilience to drought as the food source remains more intact than produced by typical grass types. Farming in drying environments such as the Sahel Region can utilize these practices to ensure that vital animal products can survive the longer, hotter, and dryer months without the farmer needing to pay for increased animal feed or water rights.
Nutritional and Health Benefits of Herbal Leys for Livestock
The mix of plants that are included in herbal leys mimic that of the American prairie or African savannah, where they can be seen to work in unison with the local environment to provide a range of benefits. In a farmed setting, using specific plants in a ley mix provides grazing animals with carbohydrates, sugars, and base nutrients vital for muscle development. Additionally, where herbal leys further differ when compared to modern grazing fields is the inclusion of herbs and legumes, such as sainfoin, red clover, and chicory. These species of plants enable vital vitamins to be taken up by grazing sheep, which have been proven to significantly increase lamb yield (Cooledge, 2024).
Looking at specific plants that can be used in a ley pasture and their benefits, one begins to see how beneficial a ley planting scheme can be. For example, plant species such as clover are well known for the increase in nitrogen uptake by animals and within the soil itself, and this nitrogen increase in the soil is further improved if the field is left fallow for over a year. Sainfoin is rich in proteins that enable vast increases in animal weight while holding nutrients that can reduce infection. The use of species such as chicory has been shown to reduce internal worms and parasites in the grazing stock, which can reduce the farmer's cost base when considering increasingly expensive deworming treatments and vet callouts. This is a further benefit considering the rural nature of global agriculture; vets often must travel a great distance to visit farmers and their livestock.
Overcoming Challenges and Embracing Change
Adopting herbal leys may seem daunting for farmers used to traditional methods. However, the benefits of improved livestock health, increased yields, and enhanced soil quality make it a worthwhile investment. Whether for livestock farming or as part of an arable rotation, herbal leys offer a sustainable solution to rising veterinary costs, synthetic fertilizer dependency, and soil compaction.
Conclusion: Embracing Herbal Leys for a Sustainable Future
Herbal leys present a cost-effective and environmentally friendly option to boost agricultural productivity and sustainability. As global temperatures rise and severe weather events become more frequent, integrating regenerative practices like herbal leys will enhance farm resilience and profitability.
References
Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, n.d. The benefits of herbal leys. [Online]
Available at: https://ahdb.org.uk/knowledge-library/benefits-herbal-leys
[Accessed July 2024].
Cooledge, E., 2024. Exploring the agronomic and environmental effects of herbal leys on lowland sheep, Bangor: Bangor University.
Cooledge, E. C., 2024. Herbal leys increase forage macro- and micronutrient content, spring lamb nutrition, liveweight gain, and reduce gastrointestinal parasites compared to a grass-clover ley. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 367(1).
DEFRA, n.d. Create and maintain herbal leys. [Online]
Available at: https://defrafarming.blog.gov.uk/create-and-maintain-herbal-leys/
[Accessed 1 July 2024].
Grange, G., 2022. Legacy effects in a grassland-crop rotation enhanced by legume. Grassland Science in Europe, 27(1), pp. 593-595.
Jordan, M. W., 2022. Rotational grazing and multispecies herbal leys increase productivity in temperate pastoral systems – A meta-analysis. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 337(1).
Lorenz, H., 2020. Does the Admixture of Forage Herbs Affect the Yield Performance, Yield Stability and Forage Quality of a Grass Clover Ley?, Kiel: Kiel University.
Malisch, C. S., 2024. The importance of multi-species grassland leys to enhance ecosystem services in crop rotations. Grass and Forage Science, 79(2), pp. 120-134.
Smit, H. P. J., 2021. Very Low Nitrogen Leaching in Grazed Ley-Arable-Systems in Northwest Europe. Agronomy, Volume 11.
Taube, F., 2023. Eco-efficiency of leys—The trigger for sustainable integrated crop-dairy farming systems. Grass and Forage Science, 79(2), pp. 108-119.
Wortmann, C. S., 2021. SPECIAL SECTION: NEAR-TERM PROBLEMS IN MEETING WORLD FOOD DEMANDS AT REGIONAL LEVELS. Agronomy Journal, 113(6), pp. 4510-4526.
Further reading
AgTech innovations in Livestock Production
Insect Meal in Sustainable Animal Feed
Livestock AgTech to Improve Sustainability
Holistic Management: Sustainable Livestock Practices for Land Restoration
What is Animal Husbandry – Livestock Farming?
Farm Animal (Cattle) Nutrition
Livestock Feed selection – Evaluation of Feed Ingredients
Choosing the right species for mass production of insects as animal feed
How to reduce heat stress in dairy cattle
What is Rotational Grazing and what is Adaptive multi-paddock grazing ?
