Farmers needed to take part in new weed initiative in UK

Dow AgroSciences is searching for farmers with grass fields containing a high proportion of docks to take part in a new initiative being launched next year in UK.

The aim of the initiative is to show farmers that by selecting the right herbicide and applying it correctly, even the most weed-infested pastures can be rejuvenated, without the need to establish a new-sown ley.

On selected farms, weed experts from the company will assess the extent of the problem, recommend a solution for a nominal area, and supply herbicide products as required. In many cases an area will be left unsprayed, to highlight the efficacy of the treatment.

"Docks out-compete grass for nutrients and moisture and have just 65% of the feed value of grass," says Dow's grassland agronomist David Roberts.

"A 20% dock population leads to a 20% loss in grass dry matter (DM). This could mean losing 2.2t of grass (DM/ha) capable of producing more than 4,500 litres of milk a hectare a year, or 660kg of liveweight gain a hectare a year in beef and lamb production. So it is definitely worth getting on top of the problem.
 
"However, weed control has to be done correctly and at the right time and stage of growth to achieve long-term control. We hope these demo sites will show farmers how this can be done successfully."