How do I avoid overgrazing or unsuitable supplementary feeding?
To avoid overgrazing on areas of natural or semi-natural vegetation the following guidelines should be used.
Only graze as many animals as the vegetation will support.
Reduce livestock numbers in autumn and winter, when productivity drops.
Don't use rough ground for wintering and supplementary feeding of stock.
Reduce stock numbers if there is frequent bare ground, suppressed heather or grass sward heights under 7 cms (2.75 inches) for bogs and wet heath, under 5 cm (2 inches) for rough grassland and 3 cm (1.5 inches) for 'better', more productive grassland.
Reduce stock numbers in woodlands if there is frequent bark-stripping and/or no young sapling trees.
Reduce stock numbers in early summer for habitats where wildflowers are important (e.g. coastal grassland) to allow flowering.
To avoid unsuitable supplementary feeding, the following guidelines should be used:
Do not feed stock on natural or semi-natural vegetation if it can be avoided.
Avoid using ring-feeders.
Regularly move feed sites.
Distribute feed over a wide area (eg by unrolling big-bale hay).
Avoid feeding after very wet weather (where this is a practical option).
Only feed on dry, free-draining ground.
Transport feed using light or low ground-pressure vehicles, and do not travel over wet ground or sensitive vegetation.
Only feed on areas where you are confident that the original vegetation will recover completely by the following summer.
Further information can be found in the publication Grazing your landscape
.
In exceptional circumstances, it is accepted that the maintenance of animal welfare may require some unsuitable supplementary feeding to take place.
