Latest Recommended List delivers boost to grass and clover performance

Eleven new grass and clover varieties have been added to the latest Recommended Grass and Clover Lists (RGCL), offering dairy, beef and sheep farmers improved options for productive, resilient forage.

This year’s additions include Italian hybrid and perennial ryegrasses and a new diploid red clover. A further three lucerne varieties have also been added to the descriptive list.

To make the list, varieties must deliver a clear improvement on key traits such as yield, quality and disease resistance.

Only a small proportion meet the standard each year, underlining the strength of the latest additions.

The RGCL is the only fully independent source of UK trial data for farmers in England and Wales, helping underpin confident seed choices.

Trials are overseen by the British Society of Plant Breeders with final selections made by the NIAB Herbage Recommended List Crop Committee, an expert panel representing farmers, merchants and the wider industry.

Plant breeders continue to make steady gains in forage performance, particularly in resilience.

Recent improvements include better winter hardiness, higher ground cover and enhanced disease resistance in both ryegrass and clover varieties.

Protein content in red clover has also increased, supporting higher-quality forage for livestock systems.

Varieties not on the Recommended List may be older, outperformed options or may lack the robust trial data needed for fair comparison.

Cheshire dairy farmer John Hocknell welcomed the updated lists:

“I refer to the Recommended Lists every year when making choices for my seed mixtures and work with my merchant to select the best varieties for my dairy system.

"I particularly value the fact that the data comes from robust independent trials that compare varieties from all breeders in traits that are vital to my business.

"I especially look for yield and digestibility to maximise performance from forage, both grazed and ensiled.”

Heather McCalman, AHDB’s Lead Grassland, Forage and Crop Nutrition Specialist, added:

“In the light of rising input costs and volatile markets, the continual development of forage varieties in yield, quality and resilience traits has never been more important to dairy, beef and sheep farmers.

"There are varieties to suit all systems of cattle and sheep, and all have been scrutinised independently to meet exacting and increasing standards of performance.”