Productive grasslands in temperate regions have relied strongly on low plant diversity with
high management intensity and fertiliser inputs. Increasing plant diversity can provide high …

The ongoing simplification of agricultural production systems has resulted in several
negative consequences, ranging from losses in soil organic carbon and biodiversity to a …

Grazing multispecies swards can have multiple benefits for the productivity and
environmental sustainability of ruminant production systems. However, few studies have …

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of sward diversification combined with a
reduction of chemical nitrogen (N) fertilizer on the performance of spring-calving grazing …

Plant productivity, decomposition and nutrient cycling are controlled by plant-soil-biota
interactions. However, it remains poorly understood how plant species diversity impacts …

Global land resources are over-exploited and natural habitats are declining, often driven by
expanding livestock production. In Ireland, pastureland for grazing cattle and sheep account …

Reduced reliance on inputs such as fertilizer is fundamental to sustainable grazing systems.
This two‐year study compared four sward types, including multispecies swards (MSS), for …

This research investigated the effect of intensive grazing on the annual and seasonal yield
and botanical composition of three sward types:(1) Lolium perenne monoculture sward …

Multispecies swards, comprised of different plant functional groups have comparable
production potential to high N input L. perenne swards at reduced N when legumes are …

Background and aims Diversifying grassland sward composition and application of
microbial inoculants are potential alternative routes to facilitate enhanced nutrient …