Common plant species include heather, bracken, Molinia and Nardus . Sheep are usually the main livestock. Permanent grassland is typically in fields, with adequate control of grazing and usually with better soil and climatic conditions than rough grazing. The botanical quality of permanent grassland for agricultural production can be judged on the proportion of preferred species, particularly perennial ryegrass and white clover. Permanent grassland may be used for grazing by dairy cattle, other cattle and sheep and for silage and hay.
Uses are as for permanent grassland, but probably with more emphasis on silage and dairy cattle.
Temporary vs permanent grassland Temporary grassland provides opportunities to sow preferred species and to keep up to date with the latest varieties. As a result, the nutritive value of the herbage may be higher than that on permanent grassland and the yield of herbage may be higher, at least in the first full harvest year and perhaps the year after. Species, varieties and seeds mixtures Species, varieties and seeds mixtures should clearly be chosen to suit the purposes for which the sward is to be used and the environment. Seeds mixtures were often complex in the 19 th Century. They are now usually simpler, but may contain several varieties of perennial ryegrass.