Welcome to the first EVER Nickerson Seed Book!

Click to download your copy of the new guide!

For the very first time, you’ll find our entire range brought together in one place – Cereals, Pulses, Oilseed Rape, Maize, Circle Leys grass mixtures, plus our specialist Forage and Environmental seeds. A full catalogue designed to give you clarity, choice, and confidence when it comes to your seed decisions.

Nickerson are the Original Seed Specialists. For over 75 years, we’ve supplied seed and advice to British farmers – trusted by generations because we understand the job, the challenges, and what it takes to grow a successful crop. Our history gives us provenance. Our experience gives you peace of mind. When you choose Nickerson, you are not just buying seed – you are investing in a partnership.

That partnership is delivered through our nationwide team of Nickerson Seed Specialists. These are not simply salespeople – they are experts, practical thinkers, and trusted advisors. They know farming, they know seed, and they take the time to understand your business. Their role is simple: to help you make the best choice for every field, every season.

We are proud of our heritage, but we never stand still.

Farming is changing – new pressures, new opportunities, new demands on every hectare. Our job is to make sure you have the right seed, the right advice, and the right support to meet those challenges head-on.

This brochure is designed to help you do exactly that. It brings our portfolio together in one clear guide – from high-yielding cereals and resilient oilseed rape to productive maize, proven grass mixtures, and targeted environmental options. Every product has been selected, tested, and supported by Nickerson, so you can choose with confidence.

Quality seed. Trusted advice. Unmatched service. That has been our promise for over 75 years – and it remains our promise today.

Take a look at our 2026 Seed Book today.

Unprecedented dry conditions last spring meant that many farms across the UK are now faced with reduced winter feedstocks.

Silage has been used on many farms to buffer feed throughout the summer, to ensure welfare and productivity from livestock, which has eaten into already reduced feed levels. September 2025 saw much of the UK have reasonably good levels of rainfall, which then led to good growth rates from grass and forage crops. This will help to prolong grazing and could offer an opportunity for a later cut of silage.

Spring 2025 was the sixth driest on record, with the UK experiencing 40% less rainfall than average. Summer 2025 also became the warmest and sunniest on record, forcing many areas into drought.

Weather patterns are becoming increasingly erratic. How can the risks be mitigated through cropping rotations?

Humbolt Rye is a forage rye variety bred specifically for UK conditions. It can be drilled from September to mid-October, and grows quickly to cover the soil over winter, helping to prevent erosion and intake leftover nutrients from the previous crop. With strong early growth, it’s ideal for early cattle turnout or zero grazing, producing around 5 to 6 tonnes of dry matter per hectare, to support reduced silage stocks.

Catch Crop mixtures can be used to extend grazing in late autumn/ winter. The combination of stubble turnip, forage rape and kale, offer rapid growth, good protein and energy levels, as well as being winter hardy. It can be grazed 12-14 weeks after sowing, if sown ideally by the end of August. Mixtures such as ‘Meat Maker’, offer high yields and palatability at a good price point.

A robust reseeding programme will ensure that stocks of ensiled feed aren’t as relied upon during periods of dry weather. Grass mixtures which contain hybrid ryegrass fare better in drier periods, due to their deeper root systems. Grass mixtures that contain high yielding, intermediate varieties of ryegrass will also offer earlier growth, reducing the pressure in spring for prolonged feeding of silage.

The Nickerson Circle Ley grass range offers grass mixtures to suit a range of systems. Long term mixtures, to increase yield and quality, as well as shorter term leys, to follow crops of maize, with subsequent high yielding grass crops to increase silage stocks. Our unique GPA dressing will assist with increased germination rates and greater root mass, ensuring the ley gets off to the best start possible.

For more information about planning your rotation to cope with periods of challenging weather patterns, please don’t hesitate to contact your local Nickerson Seed Specialist.

The closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme may have taken the shine off growing herbal leys, but it does give us the opportunity to weigh up their value when it comes producing high yields of top quality forages.

The suspension of applications for the SFI in early March came as a blow for those farmers who hadn’t already applied or been accepted for the scheme.

“There’s no denying that the payments were appealing to livestock farmers, when input prices were, and continue to be, highly volatile, and weather patterns create more challenges and uncertainty in seasonal grass growing patterns,” says David Watson, North of England seed specialist for Nickerson.

“The certainty of £382 a hectare ‘in the bank’ for growing a herbal ley is attractive, and at the same time there are benefits from improved soil structure, reduced inputs and an extended grazing season in many cases.”

While the value of the herbal ley to soil health, and its reduced reliance on fertilisers are among the benefits of growing the crop, it doesn’t compete in yield or feed value with a quality perennial ryegrass sward.

“The herbal ley can provide good grazing for young stock and dry cows in fields away from the dairy platform, and some will use it for cutting and making into silage, he adds.

“Given the difference in yield and feed value, it would be very difficult to get the energy out of a standard herbal ley to support cows yielding 8,000 plus litres of milk.

“Their suitability for high production and housed herds, or those running an intensive grazing management system, should be weighed up and compared to alternative grass seed mixtures.”

Energy price tag

He illustrates the importance of forage energy production – a crucial part of improving milk or meat from home grown forage – by comparing the productivity of new and old perennial ryegrass swards.

A new ryegrass sward in its first and second year should yield 13.5 tonnes of dry matter per hectare at 12.0 ME, producing 162,000 megajoules of energy.

The ME of a 10-year-old sward, with a much lower per cent of perennial ryegrass, is likely to produce only 7 tonnes of dry matter a hectare and 10.8ME, yielding 76,000 MJ of energy.

“The difference is 86,000 MJ. This shortfall in energy is equivalent to the energy from 7.3 tonnes of wheat. Taking a price of £200 a tonne, this would add £1460 a hectare to costs to gain the same energy in feed.”

“We need to consider the difference in production between swards of different qualities and potential.”

In the case of a herbal ley in the SFI scheme, the lower productivity should be offset against the £382 a hectare payment.

“We should also consider the shorter sward longevity of a herbal ley and the decline in species diversity when we consider costs verses benefits,” he adds.

Those who have not gone down the SFI route, or have missed out, can reap rewards. “Evaluating their grassland and estimating perennial ryegrass content – which should be above 70%, and making improvements to those swards needing some TLC will improve forage productivity on the farm.

“Trials continue to show that new leys will yield up to five tonnes of dry matter per hectare more in their first year than a four-year-old ley. This means reseeding typically pays for itself in yield value within the first two years.

A reseed also offers the opportunity to introduce clover. A typical grass ley with 30% white clover can fix 180kgN per hectare. Based on a urea cost of £748 per tonne, this is worth around £305 per hectare.

Clover-rich swards can remove the need for nitrogen applications throughout the ley’s lifespan, and there may even be residual nitrogen left for the following crop. And if a full reseed isn’t a suitable option, pelleted clover is a great way to overseed into an existing ley.

“A more intensive approach to grassland management could be more cost-effective. And maximising home-grown forage production has cost and environmental benefits over bought in feed products.”

Pick a mix

Choice of seed mixture will affect both yield and feed value, and when it comes to selecting perennial ryegrass mixtures, farmers can ‘cash in’ on well-designed, tried-and-tested mixtures shown to out-perform standard mixtures.

“It’s worth paying that small premium,” adds David. “The cost of preparing land and sowing the crop is the same, and the seed cost is only a small proportion of the total process, so the extra cost here will pay for itself in better yield and quality.”

“There’s a lot of knowledge and research that’s used in formulating grass seed mixtures, using recommended varieties that perform well in their own right and compliment other varieties in the mixture.

Extensive Limagrain field trials have shown that new, top-yielding varieties, will outyield mixtures with older varieties, even at lower nitrogen rates. So even if it is necessary to cut back on application rates, a new ley, with the latest varieties will yield better than older mixtures or varieties. Nickerson Circle Leys – with the Red, Gold and Green Circle mixtures ideal for dairy; the choice depending on the required duration of the ley.

“These field trial results also demonstrate a mixture’s suitability to different conditions and uses – cutting, grazing and dual purpose. We can use this information to advise the best choices for the system and the farm,” he says.

And although payments have also ceased for including legumes – typically clover in grass leys, there are still advantages of including it in the sward, either in the grass seed mixture or oversown once the grass is established.

“Clover will add feed value and promote intakes and fix nitrogen in the soil – it brings many benefits.”

The knowledge and choice of species and advancements in varieties available in perennial grass seed mixtures is limited in herbal seed mixtures.

“Although some companies now offer more specialist herbal seed mixtures, many just ‘tick the boxes’ with the required number of herbs in the mix and less productive grasses that don’t compete against the herbs and legumes within that mix. And there’s often limited knowledge on their performance and feed value,” says David

While herbal leys can be attractive – particularly if payments are available, the pros and cons need weighing up to make sure the right decisions are being made. And for those not involved in the SFI scheme, all is not lost. There are worthwhile rewards to be had in selecting high quality mixtures and in reseeding or oversowing with perennial ryegrass mixtures as part of the grassland rotation.

On 29th January, myself along with colleagues from the Northern Team, hosted an Alternative Forages Conference in and around Stocksfield and Ebchester, South Northumberland.

The event brought together industry experts, farmers, and stakeholders to discuss the benefits of home-grown forages in reducing costs, improving farm profitability, and minimising the environmental impact of livestock feeds, especially those that have been imported.

The day featured a number of insightful presentations from experts across the Industry:

• Lily Spencer Brown of Myton Foods emphasised the significance of home-grown forages for their operations, and the benefits they provide to producers. She also outlined Myton Foods’ producer schemes, specifically their beef production partnerships with multiple retailers, including Morrisons.
• Michael Carpenter, Technical Director of Kelvin Cave shared his extensive knowledge on conserving maize and grass silages. He also explored the inclusion of crimped and whole-cropped legumes in livestock diets and his involvement in the NCS research project, which investigates legumes as a source of home-grown protein.
• Tim Richmond, Maize Product Manager for LG Seeds highlighted the potential of Ultra Early maize varieties in the North, explaining how these varieties have revolutionized maize cultivation, by eliminating the need for plastic film.
• John Spence,  Forage Crops Product Manager for LG Seeds outlined the importance of grass in the diet and the need to ensure that swards were regularly re-seeded to prevent a deterioration in both quality and yield.
• 

Following the discussions, we then visited Broadoak Farm, where hosts Wayne and Geoff Bean demonstrated how they have successfully implemented the principles discussed during the conference. 

Myself and the Nickerson Northern team would like to thank all the guest speakers, and Geoff and Wayne Bean for their invaluable help with this event, and to Kelvin Cave Ltd for additional sponsorship.

We hope to see you at our next event!

More Information?
If you would like to know more about how these forages could help you on your farm please contact me on 07811 746804, david.watson@nickerson.co.uk

On October 29th and 30th, my Nickerson Seed Specialist colleagues and I had the privilege of attending an intensive training course at the LG Forage Crops Research Station in North Clifton, Lincolnshire. This event, led by John Spence, Limagrain Field Seed’s Forage Crops Product Manager, was an eye-opening experience into the world of alternative forage crops.

Hands-On Learning with Expert Guidance
Under John’s expert guidance, we explored a variety of forage crops including fodder beet, forage kale and rape, swedes and turnips, stubble turnips, lucerne, and forage rye. The hands-on nature of the training allowed us to inspect these crops in the field, providing a tangible understanding of their growth patterns and potential benefits.

Integrating Forage Crops into Farming Systems
A significant part of our discussions focused on how these crops could be effectively integrated into farming systems to enhance economic returns. We delved into the importance of not only selecting the right crop but also choosing the correct variety. This selection process is crucial for optimising livestock diets and reducing the reliance on bought-in concentrated feeds.

Economic and Nutritional Benefits
The course highlighted the substantial impact that alternative forage crops can have on modern farming systems. By improving livestock diets with these crops, farmers can achieve better health and productivity in their herds, ultimately leading to improved economic outcomes. The reduction in the need for external feed inputs also presents a cost-saving advantage.

A Fascinating and Informative Experience
Overall, the training was a fascinating journey into the potential of alternative forage crops. It emphasised how these crops can play a pivotal role in sustainable farming practices, offering both economic and nutritional benefits. The knowledge and insights gained from this course will undoubtedly influence our approach to forage crop selection and integration moving forward.

More Information?
If you would like to know more about how these forages could help you on your farm please contact me on 07811 746804, david.watson@nickerson.co.uk

As a new year starts thoughts of the coming season are not far away and the development of a grazing wedge or a good first cut of silage should be at the forefront of plans.

The key driver for all soil nutrition is pH and this ideally should be sitting around pH 6.5.  Regular soil testing must be carried out to manage this factor.  The type of fertiliser used makes a huge difference to the pH of the soil.  The use of Calcium Nitrate (CAN) fertilizer has a lesser effect on pH with 1Kg reducing soil pH by 0.4 points where 1 Kg of Ammonium Nitrate and Urea will reduce it by 1.2 points.

A grass ley overwintering with too much growth can cause problems with disease and winter kill.  Sheep winter grazing to reduce winter cover is a useful tool but if the goal is for an early grazing wedge or early first cut of silage sheep should be taken off the grass before the end of January.

Even with the best winter management there will always be an amount of winter kill to manage. In the resent years the introduction and development of the spring tine harrow has revolutionised the management of a grass ley. Running a grass harrow over a sward in early spring will remove any dead grass so creating space for new tillers it will also stimulate the first few centimetres of soil so absorbing atmospheric nitrogen.

The grass plant will “wake up” before visible signs show above ground.  Over winter a grass plant loses much of its root mass, and this is the first part of the plant to grow as it comes out winter.  The first 40 days of this process is key to provide the plant with the infrastructure to give the plant the nutrition it requires for the season    . 

I’ve made some assumptions when looking at the nutritional requirement for first cut silage or the development of a grazing wedge.  I have assumed that the pH is 6.5, the soil indices are +2 and the expected yield of first cut silage is 25 tonnes per hectare @ 30% dry matter.  The plant will therefore require 120Kg nitrogen (if soil pH is less than 6.5 and calcium content is less than 2,000mg/L CAN should be considered as the source of nitrogen), 40Kg of phosphate as P2O5, 80Kg potassium as K2O and 30Kg of sulphur as SO3.

Grass Ley January

Grass Ley March

The two main factors to consider are your soil status and condition.

Ensure the area is tested for appropriate nutrient levels – pH, in particular, is vitally important.

Full Reseed

Full Reseed: soil needs to be consolidated, which starts early. Every pass should aim to further consolidate the seedbed. Do not wait and roll it twice afterwards – the area will be far more level and uniform if you start consolidation early. Ideally, roll prior to sowing as this also gives a more uniform sowing depth.

Longer term leys will achieve a greater ground cover if the seed is broadcast uniformly, as it attains a high percentage of yield from tiller density.

Short term leys tiller density and growth habit are different, so sowing in rowsq using a conventional drill can be an option.

A two-year break from long term grass is ideal to reduce the risk of pests. Failing this, reducing pest population and dense organic matter can often be achieved by using a grazing catch crop, such as stubble turnips.

Overseeding

Overseeding is simply a short-term fix and will not have a long-term benefit.

It will allow a yield increase in many situations but a field by field assessment is essential. Firstly, consider any pests and how to control them. Secondly, assess the level of undesirable plant species that are present.

More Information

To learn more about Circle Leys, download the Brochure here.

To view the Circle Leys range, click here

Or contact your local Seed Specialist.

While grass leys provide the backbone of all ruminant diets there are a plethora of other forages.

All these forages maximise their potential when matched with a quality Nickerson Circle Ley.

Maize

LG maize is a perfect complement to all Circle Leys, with excellent agronomic and feeding characteristics.

Fodder beet

LG fodder beet provides an excellent energy source combined with superb dietary fibre.

Lucerne

Lucerne offers a superb forage with the most rumen friendly protein source

Cereals

LG cereals offer many opportunities as a complementary feed in terms of wholecrop and grain using numerous different methods

More Information

Contact your local Seed Specialist.

To improve establishment, most Circle Leys are treated with a GPA and Seed Film Coating as standard.

Growth Promoting Agent

GPA (Growth Promoting Agent) is a researched blend of nutrients essential for plant growth. These stimulate seedling germination, particularly under stress conditions and also encourage larger root systems, enabling the plants to absorb soil nutrients more efficiently.

Seed Film Coating

Seed Film Coating is a technique that forms a polymer film around the seed in which a range of conventional and innovative seed treatments can be carried. Seed Film Coating offers a number of major benefits to the seed and its application.

• Accurate application of GPA seed treatment
• Increased efficacy of the GPA
• Less dust in the seed
• Improved establishment

More Information

To learn more about Circle Leys, download the Brochure here.

To view the Circle Leys range, click here

Or contact your local Seed Specialist.

The UK’s finest range of grass mixtures

Mixture trialling

Nickerson believe in the importance of mixture trialling. Recommended Lists from DARD, NIAB and SAC are used as a starting point, but these take little account of how individual varieties perform when grown together in a farmer’s grass ley. This is where Nickerson research begins.

Mixture trialling is the key to ensuring that only the very best grass mixtures find their way onto your farm.

Highest seed standards possible

Good establishment is essential to achieve full production potential. Poor establishment results in weed invasion, increased poaching and loss of yield. Seed of the highest quality is therefore critical to achieve good establishment.

Germination standards

Purity standards

More Information

To learn more about Circle Leys, download the Brochure here.

To view the Circle Leys range, click here

Or contact your local Seed Specialist.

Over the last 70 years farming has evolved significantly.

However, during that time the one aspect that hasn’t changed is the need for high quality forage as grazed grass or conserved forage to feed ruminant animals.

Almost 70 years ago Fred Craven created a group of leys for Sir Joseph Nickerson designed with a specific purpose in mind. In the subsequent years we have added to this mixture range as farming has changed and we have adapted the mixtures accordingly.

Core benefits such as yield, disease resistance and other agronomic characteristics are vital to production and are attained through use of unique and varied varieties from a range of plant breeders worldwide.

Unashamedly we have remained totally faithful to the original thought process based around high quality forage. Dry Matter Intake and overall D-value/ME are the main drivers throughout the range, allowing the ruminant to maximise intake and therefore maintenance and production from forage.

More Information

To learn more about Circle Leys, download the Brochure here.

To view the Circle Leys range, click here

Or contact your local Seed Specialist.