CSP6: Cattle grazing supplement (non-moorland)

This action is part of Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier ( CSHT ). You must read the CSHT guidance before you apply.

Duration

5 years

How much you’ll be paid

£59 per hectare ( ha ) per year

Action’s aim

The aim of this supplemental action is that there’s an annual average of at least 60% of the grazing livestock units ( GLU ) made up of either:

cattle

ponies (where agreed with your Natural England adviser)

a combination of both

The purpose of this is to:

create a more varied sward structure

control scrub, bracken and coarse vegetation

increase wildlife diversity

Where you can do this action

You can only do this supplemental action on eligible land below the moorland line and in combination with a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier base action approved by Natural England.

Your Natural England adviser will agree with you what other supplemental actions may be needed to meet the intended environmental outcomes. This could include:

CCT6: Coastal vegetation management supplement

CGS16: Rush control supplement

CGS23: Haymaking supplement

CGS24: Haymaking supplement (late cut)

CSP1: Difficult site supplement

CSP2: Rewetting supplement

CSP3: Bracken control supplement

CSP5: Shepherding supplement (non-moorland)

CSP11: Manage scrapes and gutters supplement

CSP12: Rhododendron control and management supplement

CSP16: Keep native breeds on grazed habitats supplement (50-80%)

CSP17: Keep native breeds on grazed habitats supplement (more than 80%)

CSP18: Keep native breeds on extensively managed habitats supplement (50-80%)

CSP19: Keep native breeds on extensively managed habitats supplement (more than 80%)

CSP9: Support for threatened species

CSW26: Enhanced floodplain storage supplement

CUP18: Manage features for wildfire management (fire and fuel breaks) supplement

CWS10: 2-zone rides supplement

CWS11: 3-zone rides supplement

CWS7: Manage historic features in woodlands supplement

CWS8: Manage native woodland including ancient semi-natural woodlands ( ASNW ) supplement

CWS9: Manage woodlands for flood and drought mitigation supplement

Eligible land

Same as base action.

Available area you can enter into this action

Same or less than the base action.

Rotational or static action

Same as base action.

What to do

Your Natural England adviser will assess your land. They’ll work with you to adapt and agree the activities you must do to achieve this action’s aim. All mandatory activities will be set out in your agreement document.

To get paid for this supplemental action, you must make sure that an average of at least 60% of the GLU on land entered into the relevant base action are cattle, ponies or a combination of both.

Cattle and ponies will only be allowed where they meet the aims of the base action and are agreed with your Natural England adviser.

When to do it

You must do this action each year of its duration.

Evidence to keep

You must keep evidence to show what you have done to complete this action.  If it’s not clear that you have done this action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve its aim, the Rural Payments Agency ( RPA ) may ask for this evidence.  You must supply the evidence if they ask for it.

You must supply a written stocking record for each land parcel entered into this action if the RPA ask for it. The record must include the:

land parcel reference number and its hectarage

dates when grazing has taken place during each calendar month

monthly numbers of livestock, including their type and age bracket

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

Lowland ewe and lamb, or ram – 0.12  GLU

Store lamb, hill ewe and lamb or hogg or teg – 0.08  GLU

Goat – 0.12  GLU

Pony or donkey – 0.8  GLU

Horse – 1.0  GLU

Consents, permissions and licensing requirements

To apply for this action, you’ll need:

Scheduled Monument Consent from Historic England for any work on scheduled monuments

consent from Natural England for any activity on land designated as a site of special scientific interest ( SSSI )

You may need to:

agree an implementation plan or feasibility study with your Natural England adviser

get a wildlife licence from Natural England if your activities affect a protected species or their habitat

get advice from your Forestry Commission woodland officer or Natural England adviser if you have other historic or archaeological features on your agreement land

All historic and archaeological features (including scheduled monuments) are identified in your Historic Environment Farm Environment Record ( HEFER ).

If you’re a tenant, it’s your responsibility to check whether your tenancy agreement allows you to complete what’s required in the actions you choose. You may need your landlord’s consent.

Capital grants to support this action

If you need to complete an implementation plan or a feasibility study before you apply, you can apply for capital grants plans funding .

You can also apply for capital items to help you achieve the action’s aims. Your Natural England adviser will discuss eligible capital items.

Advice to help you do this action

The following optional advice may help you to do this action. Your agreement document will set out all the activities you must do.

Choose a suitable breed

The base action may tell you what breed, type, age of cattle or stocking density you can use and when you can graze them.

If the base action does not specify, you can use any breed, type or age of cattle, but some may be more suitable for certain habitats. For example, for sites:

with fibrous herbage, use cattle with low nutritional requirements such as dry suckler cows

with extensive and poor nutritional quality habitats, use native breeds or their crosses, particularly those native to your area as they have been bred and are more adapted to thrive in those conditions

where there are ground-nesting birds to reduce the risk of trampling, use mature, placid cattle

When to graze

You can graze different habitat types at different times of the year, but it may be useful to consider:

low levels of grazing in the spring and early summer to allow plants to flower and set seed

low levels of grazing in the spring and early summer for sites where there are ground nesting birds to reduce the risk of trampling

the timing of cattle grazing where poaching may be damaging if conditions are wet

late summer and autumn cattle grazing to remove the year’s growth but still leave some vegetation structure for birds and invertebrates to shelter and feed

Eligible land

Same as base action.