Controlled traffic farming in grassland

Controlled traffic farming is now commonplace in arable farming, being implemented to maintain good soil structure and minimise any potential crop losses associated with soil compaction from machinery traffic. In contrast, research undertaken at Harper Adams University has shown that in a single grass silage operation, over 60% of the area of the field is covered by tractor wheelings. As part of the AHDB Dairy Grassland, Forage and Soils Research Partnership, researchers are investigating the potential of controlled traffic patterns (tramlines) in grass silage systems. Alongside this, the AHDB Dairy – British Grassland Society demonstration farm in Yorkshire has been finding out the practicalities of implementing a controlled traffic system in a grass silage operation. This video takes a brief look at controlled traffic systems for grassland and finds out how the team at Crathrone Farms are managing their system.