Appendix 9
Copies of popular press articles
Project BD 1216 and BD0107
September 2002
Rumevite Blocks Help Manage Environmental Schemes
24 hour Rumevite blocks are a highly convenient and versatile feeding option for
sheep producers aiming to take advantage of the various environmental conservation
schemes run in England, Wales and Scotland.
Black faced hill ewes
That’s the view of ADAS researcher Owen Davies who says block feeding offers
farmers one way of overcoming some of the restrictions inherent in ESA and other
conservation schemes.
"Environmental scheme restrictions generally close off the normal grazing
management regimes available to other livestock producers. Fertiliser and fencing
restrictions are too good examples," he says.
"With fertiliser restrictions in particular, farmers lose the flexibility to apply fertiliser
strategically when they need extra grass. For example, having to wait for clover to fix
nitrogen rather than applying nitrogen yourself means early bite will be delayed. Or if
you get a prolonged drought and you’re short of grass for winter conservation, you
can’t apply fertiliser when you ideally want to. This means you need other ways of
reducing grazing pressure and supplementary feed options. Feed blocks offer an ideal
solution and help you bring flexibility back into your production system."
Owen says environmental scheme fencing restrictions can also pose grazing pressure
challenges. "Where scheme restrictions are designed to produce visually-appealing,
wilderness areas with minimal fencing, sheep producers need to find other ways of
managing grazing areas. Rotating feed block sites offers you another way of
shepherding to better manage your grazing areas," he says.
Rumevite Proven in trials - Again!
Introduction
ADAS trials are demonstrating the benefits of Rumevite for upland and lowland sheep
systems. From satellite tracking data illustrating the ability of blocks to costeffectively manage upland grazing, to studies showing a feed block system offers
lowland producers a viable but simpler pre-lambing feeding alternative to
concentrates - Rumevite offers outstanding value.
Upland Success
Owen Davies and Dr Sarah Hetherington moving Rumevite Original feed blocks
Satellite-tracking of sheep grazing behaviour has demonstrated the value of Rumevite
feed blocks in drawing upland ewes to less attractive vegetation in Environmentally
Sensitive Areas (ESA).
A four-year MAFF-funded study at ADAS Pwllpeiran in Wales has examined sheep
ranging behaviour after Rumevite feed blocks were strategically placed in underutilised areas of a heather-dominant mountain pasture. Visual observations of grazing
behaviour were supported by data from satellite global positioning technology (GPS).
According to ADAS researcher Owen Davies, grazing time spent in heatherdominant areas was increased by 14% when feed blocks were present and there was a
significant rise in sheep density within 25 metres of a feed block site. As a result,
heather utilisation was increased significantly.
"In the first year, grazing of the surrounding heather increased by 15% when feed
blocks were sited in an area, but interestingly feed block consumption was relatively
small (140g-200g per ewe per day)," he points out.
"This increase in heather grazing will not only prevent heather becoming rank and
unpalatable, but will also help prevent over-grazing of the preferred grassy banks."
Owen Davies says the study has demonstrated a relatively inexpensive but effective,
practical alternative to traditional shepherding of semi-natural rough grazing.
"Even the lower stocking rates associated with environmental prescriptions for seminatural rough grazing are not enough to prevent over-grazing of favoured areas," he
stresses. "With no supplementary feeding, ewes will range in search of palatable
grasses at the expense of less attractive heather. But by using self-help blocks (even at
low stocking rates) flock managers can achieve a significant increase in rough grazing
utilisation within a 25 metre radius of the blocks."