Turtle doves are an endangered species; the UK population has declined by almost 90% during the last 30-40 years, and captive breeding will help to ensure that this beautiful species of dove does not face extinction, explains Trevor Lay of the East Anglia branch of the Turtle Dove Trust.

“A key part of the project is to feed the released doves until they migrate in the autumn. Ideally this will reduce the need for them to migrate to parts of Europe and North Africa, where they are still actively hunted.”

This is where Limagrain was able to help the Trust. Earlier this year, the company donated several tonnes of oilseed rape screenings, which has provided supplementary feeding for the released birds in gateways, tracks and headlands, as they adjust to foraging for their natural diet.

As a charity, the Trust has very limited funds Trevor explains, so we are always delighted when companies and individuals step up to the mark to help the project. Anyone wanting to find out more about the Trust, please contact him via email on: waveneywildlife@gmail.com

Henry Louth has joined Limagrain UK’s commercial team as key account manager for forage crops in the Midlands and northern England. He will also promote Limagrain’s environmental crops and advise on the options for cover crops and stewardship schemes.

From a Lincolnshire family farming business, Henry studied countryside management at Harper Adams University. He worked in the family’s fresh produce packaging business then, after graduating, he had a sales role with Boston Seeds, marketing grass seed, wildflower seeds and forage crops.

Henry is based in Lincolnshire. A country pursuits enthusiast, Henry also enjoys working Labradors and conservation.

“Wild bird seed mixtures such as Jack Russell is suitable for CSS options AB9 and OP2, attracts farmland birds and also offers game bird cover,” says Limagrain’s Martin Titley. “It comprises spring triticale, millets, oilseed radish, grain sorghum and sunflower and each species plays its part.”

Triticale and millet offer a seed source at variable heights, and the inclusion of grain sorghum gives structure and promotes the mixture’s winter hardiness, with millet seed shed from early autumn  and oilseed radish providing later feed.

The standing power of this grain sorghum provides cover for many birds and is particularly popular with shoots because of its ability to provide driving cover.

James Grantham, based in south Lincolnshire, agrees that the uncertainty surrounding shooting this year is putting some growers off relying too much on game maize, and many want a crop that is better for conservation and meets the specifications if they are on the Countryside Stewardship Scheme (CSS).

An Agrii agronomist, James also helps to run his family’s arable unit and small family shoot and grows Jack Russell in blocks on the farm.

“This crop isn’t used just for a cover crop for game birds, but also because it’s a useful crop for feeding game and wild birds. It also suits some of the environmental schemes that we’re in,” he explains.

“Jack Russell is suitable for the CSS option AB9 and, because it’s attracts and supports farmland birds and insects, it helps us to meet both Entry Level and Higher Level Scheme requirements. And my clients who also grow the mixture for game cover would agree that it also helps them to tick the environmental scheme boxes.

James has a client who switched from growing maize as a game cover crop to Jack Russell because he had a large population of deer on his farm. “In dry conditions, like those we’re experiencing at the moment, food can be scarce for deer and newly emerging maize shoots are very inviting. Deer love this crop and will graze it hard.

“But they don’t seem to like sorghum, which is a key component in this mixture. And I have a client who has grown it in place of maize for the past two years and it gives plenty of game cover, plus the other environment benefits of growing a more diverse crop.”

He adds that for commercial shoots – with or without a deer problem – Jack Russell is an attractive option for game cover, simply because it ticks more boxes.

“Around 75% of my clients would be growing Jack Russell as game cover and the remaining 25% to meet CSS requirements.”

James grows the crop in blocks, rather than field margins, sowing in May, once there’s been sufficient rain. “There has to be moisture in the light sandy Lincolnshire soils to ensure germination. And sorghum doesn’t like cold soil, so I’m looking for temperatures above 10OC.” 

Another attraction is the lack of kale in the mix. “Some game crop and environmental mixtures include kale. Jack Russell doesn’t,” he adds. “Growers like this – particularly in Lincolnshire – because kale can attract flea beetle which is a UK-wide problem and it’s certainly a serious issue for OSR growers in Lincolnshire.

“You can spray for flea beetle but, again, spraying an environmental crop with an insecticide is as daft as it sounds. Growers don’t want to be doing that – it’s time consuming and expensive.”

He does think that some potential growers are also put off because the mix contains several species and is more difficult to ‘keep clean’ with a herbicide, but Stomp Aqua is an option if necessary.

“That’s why some prefer to stick with maize, despite it not helping with CSS or wild-bird and insect populations. They want a weed free crop with a clear ‘bottom’ to allow birds to move around more easily.

“But I have some clients who have switched to a multi-purpose mixture this year due to uncertainly around Covid-19 restrictions. They’re looking to tick other boxes this year, rather than simply focusing on game birds.

“They’re thinking in broader terms about the environment and looking improve biodiversity on their farms. Mixtures that are very good for the environment – that attract and support insects and wild birds – are great options.”

“Jack Russell is attracting a lot of interest this year,” says Limagrain’s Martin Titley.

“The uncertainty surrounding shooting this year is putting some growers off relying too much on game maize, and many want a crop that is better for conservation and meets the specifications if they are on the Countryside Stewardship Scheme (CSS).

“This wild bird seed mixture can offer it all. It is suitable for CSS options AB9 and OP2, attracts farmland birds and also offers game bird cover.”

James Grantham, based in south Lincolnshire, agrees. An Agrii agronomist, he also helps to run his family’s arable unit and small family shoot and grows
Jack Russell in blocks on the farm.

“This crop isn’t used just for a cover crop for game birds, but also because it’s a useful crop for feeding game and wild birds. It also suits some of the environmental schemes that we’re in,” he explains.

“Jack Russell is suitable for the CSS option AB9 and, because it’s attracts and supports farmland birds and insects, it helps us to meet both Entry Level and Higher Level Scheme requirements. And my clients who also grow the mixture for game cover would agree that it also helps them to tick the environmental scheme boxes.

“It’s a multi-tasker – that’s just one reason why it’s an attractive option for growers. It offers three things – game cover, wild-bird feed and CSS compliance.”

James has a client who switched from growing maize as a game cover crop to Jack Russell because he had a large population of deer on his farm. “In dry conditions, like those we’re experiencing at the moment, food can be scarce for deer and newly emerging maize shoots are very inviting. Deer love this crop and will graze it hard.

“But they don’t seem to like sorghum, which is a key component in this mixture. And I have a client who has grown it in place of maize for the past two years and it gives plenty of game cover, plus the other environment benefits of growing a more diverse crop.”

He adds that for commercial shoots – with or without a deer problem – Jack Russell is an attractive option for game cover, simply because it ticks more boxes.

“Around 75% of my clients would be growing Jack Russell as game cover and the remaining 25% to meet CSS requirements.”

James grows the crop in blocks, rather than field margins, sowing in May, once there’s been sufficient rain. “There has to be moisture in the light sandy Lincolnshire soils to ensure germination. And sorghum doesn’t like cold soil, so I’m looking for temperatures above 10OC.”

The mixture of species in Jack Russell brings multiple benefits. Sunflowers offer a very colourful crop, and the triticale and millet offer a seed source at variable heights.

The inclusion of grain sorghum gives structure and promotes the mixture’s winter hardiness, with millet seed shed from early autumn  and oilseed radish providing later feed.

The standing power of this grain sorghum provides cover for many birds and is particularly popular with shoots because of its ability to provide driving cover.

“Shoots can tick all the boxes without taking too much land out of commercial use – this is a multi-tasker,” adds James.

Another attraction is the lack of kale in the mix. “Some game crop and environmental mixtures include kale. Jack Russell doesn’t. Growers like this – particularly in Lincolnshire – because kale can attract flea beetle which is a UK-wide problem and it’s certainly a serious issue for OSR growers in Lincolnshire.

“You can spray for flea beetle but, again, spraying an environmental crop with an insecticide is as daft as it sounds. Growers don’t want to be doing that – it’s time consuming and expensive.”

He does think that some potential growers are also put off because the mix contains several species and is more difficult to ‘keep clean’ with a herbicide, but Stomp Aqua is an option if necessary.

“That’s why some prefer to stick with maize, despite it not helping with CSS or wild-bird and insect populations. They want a weed free crop with a clear ‘bottom’ to allow birds to move around more easily.

“But I have some clients who have switched to Jack Russell this year due to uncertainly around Covid-19 restrictions. They’re looking to tick other boxes this year, rather than simply focusing on game birds.

“They’re thinking in broader terms about the environment and looking improve biodiversity on their farms. Mixtures that are very good for the environment – that attract and support insects and wild birds – are great options.”

WILD BIRD SEED MIXTURE ADDS VALUE AT RSPB FRAMPTON

The value of growing Jack Russell as an environmental crop for attracting wild birds was demonstrated at the RSPB reserve at Frampton Marsh, near Boston in Lincolnshire, where three acres were grown in 2019, supplied by Limagrain UK.

“We were pleased with how the mixture performed,” says RSPB Frampton’s warden Toby Collett. “The sunflowers are the obvious feature and attract bees and other pollinators, including hoverflies and butterflies, during the summer.”

As the heads mature and produce seed the insects are replaced by seed-eating birds. “At Frampton this means particularly large flocks of declining house sparrows, but also good numbers of greenfinches.”

He adds that the other species in the mixture provide feed for pheasants, partridges, finches and buntings.

“The plants seed at different heights to suit different species and they shed seed from early autumn and through until Christmas,” he says, confirming that, due to its success, Jack Russell is being used again in 2020.

Available online or in print, the LG Conservation and Gamecover Crops brochure assigns each of its 17 sowing options – from beetle banks to wild bird food and crops for pollinators – to the particular Countryside Stewardship options that it is suited to, and lists its particular environmental benefits. All options, apart from the EFA fallow land options, meet the higher and mid-tier schemes.

One of its most popular wild bird mixtures suitable for AB9 is Jack Russell mixture; a herbicide tolerant mixture of spring triticale, millet, oilseed radish, grain sorghum and sunflower. “This gives fantastic colour and feed for a year,” says Limagrain’s Martin Titley. “It is typically sown in May or June and sheds seed from early autumn with the grain sorghum giving structure and winter hardiness.”

A crop pollinator option, in the HiBird portfolio, is the Multispecies Ley mixture, which is a combination of grass, legume and wildflower varieties. “This meets a range of Countryside Stewardship options and also creates legume and herb-rich swards that is productive for sheep and cattle and will also improve soil structure” he adds.

“And if farmers are looking grass buffer strips that will produce new wildlife habitats and, if used near watercourses, help prevent pollutants form surface run-off, the CFE Field Margin Mix is well-suited and includes low growing grasses, legumes and wildflowers.

“Conservation and environmental cropping schemes will play a larger part in our future land management,” says Mr Titley. “We’ve made the latest HiBird portfolio as comprehensive as possible to guide growers on the most suitable conservation and gamecover crops. The range includes seed mixtures for all UK farmland sites and environmental schemes.

“We encourage growers to be discerning with their choices and select those seeds mixtures that best suits their own situation so they can maximise the benefits.”

Download the LG Conservation and Gamecover Crops brochure here

You can take full benefit of an ‘added value’ cover crop after cereal or maize harvest, which will maximise your soils’ potential. Soil is one of your most valued natural resources, so it’s important to make good cropping choices that will help improve its properties.

There are many species of cover crop to choose from. Oilseed radishes (such as Edwin) have beet cyst nematode (BCN) resistance, as well as a very deep rooting system that will help compacted soils. White mustard is another useful cover crop; it is fast growing and if sown early, has bags of biomass. Varieties such as Vitaro are a non-host to both potato cyst nematode and cereal cyst nematodes.

Mixtures are also useful, especially if you are on EFA land. Sprinter is a mixture of black oat silke, and vetch. It is ideal for later sowing and acts as a good weed suppressant. The vetch is a legume species, so will produce free Nitrogen too. Lift N Fix also contains vetch, along with winter forage rye variety; Humbolt. This mixture is a highly effective Nitrogen lifter and can be grazed in early spring after the EFA period.