SPM4: Keep native breeds on extensively managed habitats supplement (50-80%)
Source: gov.uk (2025-01-08)

What you must do to get paid for this action and advice on how to do it.

This is an action in the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme: expanded offer for 2024. You must read the SFI scheme information (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sustainable-farming-incentive-scheme-expanded-offer-for-2024) to understand the scheme rules and how to apply.

Duration

3 years

How much you’ll be paid

£7 per hectare (ha) per year

Action’s aim

This supplemental action’s aim is that at least 50% of the grazing livestock units (GLU) on moorland or lowland heathland habitats are rare native breeds of livestock.

The purpose of this is to maintain or increase the number of rare native breed grazing livestock.

Where you can do this action

You can only do this supplemental action on eligible land that you’re grazing with livestock, which is entered into one of the following base actions:
- AGF1: Maintain very low density in-field agroforestry on less sensitive land
- AGF2: Maintain low density in-field agroforestry on less sensitive land
- UPL1: Moderate livestock grazing on moorland
- UPL2: Low livestock grazing on moorland
- UPL3: Limited livestock grazing on moorland
- UPL7: Shepherding livestock on moorland (no required stock removal period)
- UPL8: Shepherding livestock on moorland (remove stock for at least 4 months)
- UPL9: Shepherding livestock on moorland (remove stock for at least 6 months)
- UPL10: Shepherding livestock on moorland (remove stock for at least 8 months)
- SCR2: Manage scrub and open habitat mosaics
- OFM3: Organic land management – enclosed rough grazing
- GRH1: Manage rough grazing for birds
You cannot do this action on land that’s already entered into an equivalent base action in a Countryside Stewardship agreement. This includes:
- WD7: Management of successional areas and scrub
- WD8: Creation of successional areas and scrub
- OT6: Organic land management – enclosed rough grazing
- UP2: Management of rough grazing for birds
Eligibility of protected land

Available area you can enter into this action

Same as your selected base action.

Rotational or static action

Same as your selected base action.

What to do

Each grazing season, at least 50% of the total GLU on land entered into this action must be:
- pedigree rare native breeds – this means they’re registered in a recognised pedigree breeding book
- on the UK native animal breeds at risk (NBAR) list (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-native-animal-breeds-at-risk-list)
Where relevant, the stocking density (total GLU) on land entered into this action must be as required in the applicable base action.

To convert livestock numbers into GLU, you must use the following values:
- Cattle over 2 years old at the start of an agreement year – 1.0 GLU
- Cattle over 6 months to 2 years old at the start of an agreement year – 0.6 GLU
- Heavy sheep (for example, most lowland sheep, rams and larger hill sheep) – 0.12 GLU
- Light sheep (for example, store lambs and small hill sheep) – 0.08 GLU
- Goat – 0.12 GLU
- Pony or donkey – 0.8 GLU
- Horse – 1.0 GLU
Read the ‘advice to help you do this action’ to find out how to calculate the livestock density.

You must produce the following written records:
- a monthly record of grazing animals at the parcel level
- unique individual animal movement identification numbers for each eligible animal
- changes to the original documentation since the action’s start date, such as replacement animals
- the unique individual permanent NBAR breed identification numbers for each eligible animal - either the pedigree registration number or birth notification number
- breed registration records and proof of animal provenance, parentage and availability for each animal
When to do it

You must do this action each year of its duration.

How to do it

It’s up to you how you do this action, as long as you:
- follow this action’s requirements – these are identified by a ‘must’
- do the action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim
You may find it helpful to read the ‘advice to help you do this action’, but it’s not part of this action’s requirements.

Evidence to keep

You must keep the required written records and supply this evidence if we ask for it.

Other actions or options you can do on the same area as this action

You can do the following actions or options on the same area in a land parcel as this action. Some actions or options can only be done on the same area if they’re done at a different time of year to this action. For example, winter cover followed by a summer companion crop. Read ‘What to do’ and ‘When to do it’ to find out when this action must be done.

If an action or option cannot be located on the same area, you may be able to do it on a different area in the same land parcel. Read section 6. ‘Eligible land in other funding schemes’ (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sustainable-farming-incentive-scheme-expanded-offer-for-2024/sfi-scheme-information-expanded-offer-for-2024) in the SFI scheme information for more details.

Advice to help you do this action

The following advice may help you to do this action, but it’s not part of this action’s requirements.

How to calculate your native breed percentage

Once you’ve converted your livestock numbers into GLU using the values shown under ‘What to do’, you can use the native breeds grazing calculator (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66a8c22aab418ab055592f83/Native-breeds-calculator_updated_30Dec2024.xlsx) to calculate your native breed percentage.

Native breeds

This action explains which native breeds are eligible (under ‘What to do’).

If you’re sourcing native breed animals, try to choose animals which have been bred and reared on a similar habitat to where you’ll be grazing them.

If you have not used native rare breeds before you can get help from graziers or livestock conservation organisations like the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (https://www.rbst.org.uk/Pages/Category/getting-started).

You may find it helpful to read the Grazing Animals Project Breed Profiles Handbook (https://drive.google.com/file/d/13vQcYreLLqxXCJ5049K718lCdCJbJovz/view).

Grazing the habitat

Cattle, sheep, and ponies graze in different ways.

You can achieve greater environmental benefits if you graze with:
- a livestock species which has suitable grazing traits for the habitat type
- a suitable number of livestock for the habitat type
You can choose to mix livestock to create a more varied habitat.

Using an unsuitable livestock species or level of grazing (overgrazing or under grazing) can:
- damage the habitat
- increase surface water run-off
- damage historic or archaeological features, where present
Grazing traits: ponies

Ponies:
- can graze swards very tight, and at low stocking densities can create a good structural mosaic
- have a strong preference for grasses and will graze long coarse grass, such as purple moor-grass
- are very adaptable grazers, and can graze bracken (particularly in the autumn) and gorse
- are less likely to graze heather over the winter months compared with sheep
Grazing traits: cattle

Cattle:
- graze on longer swards, and graze less selectively than sheep and on coarser forage, creating a more varied sward structure
- will graze lower quality forage such as purple moor-grass, particularly in the spring and early summer
Cattle are more likely to cause poaching due to their size, particularly on wetter areas. You can remove them from the area over the winter months to reduce the risk of poaching.

Grazing traits: sheep

Sheep:
- can graze swards very tight
- are highly selective feeders at fine scale, often selecting young flowers and shoots
- are unlikely to eat long coarse grasses, such as purple moor-grass, if alternative food is available
Sheep can cause a decline in dwarf shrub cover due to selective browsing, particularly when out over the winter months. You can reduce the risk of this happening by:
- removing all the sheep for the entire winter or part of the winter (‘partial off-wintering’)
- reducing sheep numbers during the winter months
Neighbouring livestock

If the area of land you enter into this action is unfenced and adjacent land is grazed by other farmers or land managers, you may need to:
- consider the potential impact of neighbouring livestock straying on your ability to meet this action’s requirements
- talk to neighbouring farmers or land managers about removing stray livestock from your area of land