Assessing farmers’ attitudes towards including a multi-species sward on their farm
Farmers’ motivations for sowing a multi-species sward and insights on their management experiences were gathered through a survey. In this article, Kate Purcell shares the key results of this work undertaken as part of her Masters in Agricultural Extension and Innovation Project.
The purpose of this study was to explore farmers' motivations for sowing a multi-species sward and to gather insights on their management experiences through a survey. Additionally, the study highlights the key benefits, limitations, and best practices for establishing and maintaining a multi-species sward, based on interviews with experts in the Irish agricultural sector.
Influences and motivation
When looking at the main influences to sowing a multi-species sward (MSS), discussion groups emerged as the most significant influence at 27%, followed by the media at 23%. Advisors accounted for 20%, while schemes such as the Multi Species Sward Measure influenced 15% of respondents. Peer influence was noted at 7%, and family influence at 5%. Co-ops had the lowest impact at 3%.
The primary motivation or deciding factor for sowing MSS was the financial savings from reduced chemical nitrogen use, reported by 63% of current MSS farmers and 44% of those planning to plant. Other factors influencing adoption included the sward's drought resistance and biodiversity benefits.
Obstacles and benefits
Weeds were cited by 25% of respondents as the biggest obstacle to keeping multi-species sward on their farm. Other obstacles mentioned were persistency (19%) and lack of knowledge (19%).
The biggest benefit sighted was a reduction in fertiliser use (60%), followed by its drought resistance, and the increased soil and animal health all at 13.3%.
The biggest drawbacks mentioned was, again, weed control and the management of the sward during the fast-growing season. The appearance and the persistency of a multi-species sward were also cited as drawbacks and reasons for not retaining the sward on farms.
Challenges and limitations
The interviews highlighted the benefits and challenges of adopting multi-species swards in farming. Interviewees noted MSS's drought tolerance, improved soil quality, and reduced reliance on chemical nitrogen due to the presence of legumes like clover. However, barriers to adoption include the perception of MSS as a new technology, scepticism among farmers on the appearance of the sward, and a need for more research on their management.
Limitations identified were issues with weed control, persistency, and field suitability, as not all fields are ideal for MSS. Interviewees emphasised the importance of proper grassland management skills and suggested farmers should first gain experience with clover before transitioning to MSS.
Preparing the field correctly and timing of sowing were also critical for success. Lastly, the right motivation and mind-set are essential; farmers should be committed to ongoing learning and adaptable to the evolving nature of MSS, recognising that they may differ from traditional monoculture swards.
Encouraging results
Overall, the study showed an encouraging attitude towards incorporating a multi-species sward on farm. When asked to rate their success of managing a MSS on a scale of 1-5, one being very unsuccessful and five being very successful, 56% rated their experience a success. No person surveyed gave their experience a 1 or very unsuccessful. This positive outlook was further reinforced when 94% of respondents said they would be retaining the sward within their farm in the future.
Kate Purcell completed her project titled: ‘Assessing farmers attitudes towards including a multi-species sward on their farm’ under the supervision of Edward Egan and John Pettit, Teagasc, and Dr Tomás Russell, University College Dublin.
This work was highlighted at the Agricultural Knowledge Exchange in a Changing World – Knowledge Transfer Conference 2024.