Game Cover

White Millet on Left
Red Millet on Right

White Millet

White Millet is best suited to more southerly regions of the UK as it is a sunshine loving plat and is not frost hardy, It provides warmth, shelter and feed for game birds and will attract wild seed-eating bird such as finches. Millet is particularly attractive to grey and red-legged partridges and if sown alone can be used for early holding cover. When required to last longer into the season it performs well if sown with maize but will combine well with a variety of other game cover crops. 

Sowing rate 5kg/acre (12kg/ha)
Pack size 10kg
Treatment: untreated

Red Millet

Red Millet is earlier maturing than white millet and does not stand well when sown alone. However it is a good partner to use with white millet as it extends the feeding period. As with other millets it is susceptible to frost. 

Sowing rate 5kg/acre (12kg/ha)
Pack size 10kg
Treatment: untreated

Japanese Reed Millet

Japanese Reed Millet is a strong plant that other members of the millet family and is more winter hardly. When mixed with white millet it provides an excellent cover and feed crop.

Sowing rate 5kg/acre (12kg/ha)
Pack size 10kg
Treatment: untreated

Ambush Millet Mix

Ambush Millet Mix is a combination of white millet, red millet and Japanese reed millet. The reed millet being a strong plant and more winter hardly provides cover while the white millet produces plentiful seed to hold the birds in the cover. It is an ideal mixture for use as a wind-proof belt on the outside of a block of maize or as a flushing point’s at the end of the maize.

40% White Millet
35% Red Millet
25% Japanese Reed Millet

Sowing rate 5kg/acre (12kg/ha)
Pack size 10kg
Treatment: untreated

Millgame Millet Mix

Millgame millet mix uses both red and white millet and is useful as the red matures earlier than the white, therefore extending the feeding period. This mixtures can produce huge amounts of high protein feed per acre and when combined with maize creates an excellent cover feed crop.

50% White Millet
50% Red Millet

Sowing rate 5kg/acre (12kg/ha)
Pack size 10kg
Treatment: untreated

Sunflowers are a colourful sight and are of huge benefit to wildlife. Sunflowers provide highly nutritious seed of a high oil content which is loved by all game and song birds and the nectar is of great importance to bees and other insects.

Standard Sunflower (Peredovick/Goldimi)

Variable height generally around 4 - 6ft. For best utilisation of this crop it should be “swiped down" to enable game birds to reach the nutritious seed. 

Sowing Rate 12 - 15kg/ha
Pack size 10kg or 15kg Untreated

Quinoa

Quinoa is capable of producing a plentiful amount of seed and therefore is a popular choice of crop for holding partridge and pheasants. Many Species of seed eating song birds are also attracted to the crop. Commonly grown with kale, Quinoa provides cover and feed until it begins to collapse in the first frost with kale providing more permanent cover. 

Sowing rate 2kg/Acre 
Pack size 2kg

Phacelia

A prolific seeder, very fast to establish and good weed suppressant. It produces a mass of sweet smelling purple flowers providing a good source of nectar and seeds beneficial to a large variety of insects. It is not winter hardy and therefore for game cover it is best sown as part of a mixture. Phacelia is likely to set seed and reseed itself for many years to come. 

Sowing Rate 3-4kg/Acre 
Pack size 1kg, 5kg or 10kg

Borage

Borage, also known as starflower, is an annual herb, growing to a height of 2-3ft with bright blue flowers; there is also a white flowered variation. The crop was traditionally grown for culinary and medicinal uses, although the crop is commercially grown to day for it oil content. 

Sowing rate 5kg/Acre 
Pack size 5kg

Buckwheat

A rapidly growing short term crop highly attractive to pheasants, partridge and deer both as cover and feed. The large amount of nectar produced attracts bees and other beneficial insects which in turn provide added interest for game birds. It is useful component to add to mixtures due to its bulkiness and its ability to continue to provide holding cover and feed after the first frost when the crop has fallen. Buckwheat thrives best in the sun rather than shaded areas. 

Sowing rate 20kg/Acre 
Pack size 10 - 20kg

Gold of Pleasure

Another crop well suited well suited to poorer and nutrient deficient soils. It is a fast maturing free-branching plant producing a seed very attractive to birds, especially partridge. A useful mixture for exposed areas is produced by combing Fold of Pleasure with Triticale, barley and linseed. 

Sowing rate 5kg/Acre 
Pack size 5kg

White Mustard

A relatively inexpensive and highly versatile cover crop either sown alone or as a companion to other species. It is ideal for early cover and although killed off by frost, the fallen woody stems will create shelter for the birds below. This is especially useful when sown with seed producing species which alone would provide no cover. Popular as a green manure crop. 

Sowing rate 5kg/Acre 
Pack size 10kg or 25kg bags

Linseed

Traditionally grown for its oil, Linseed had become very popular in recent years as game cover and is particularly attractive to partridge. It is an easy to grow crop and is tolerant of many soil types, performing well on thinner soils. Although not frost hardy it will continue to provide cover and interest well into the winter especially if sown as part of a mixture. It is also another option where Brassicas sickness has been a problem.

Sowing rate 25kg/acre 
Pack size 25kg untreated

Triticale

A wheat/rye hybrid cereal providing good cover and feed in marginal low fertility areas where it will thrive with little input. Useful in situations where maize and millets are not options and where brassica sickness is a problem. Further important advantages are its ability to withstand rabbit attack, its winter hardiness and good disease resistance. 

Sowing 50kg/Acre 
Pack size 25kg

Canary Grass (PHALARIS AQUATICA)

Canary Grass provides excellent medium to long term nesting cover for pheasant and partridge can be used to both hold and drive birds. It is useful in area where annual planting is not an option, either because it is uneconomic or too difficult and is a good choice to use between tree rows in newly established woods. Care must be taken to drill in wide enough rows to prevent the canary grass becoming too dense and therefore impassable for the birds. Annual management should be undertaken to keep the rows clear and topping is beneficial if the grass becomes too tall, with the debris being removed. 

Sowing rate 2.5kg/acre 
Pack size 1 acre untreated

Reed Canary Grass (PHALARIS ARUNDINACEA)

Reed Canary Grass is similar to Phalaris Aquatica but it is more suitable for use in exposed northern regions as it is a much hardier plant and will tolerate a wide range of soil types. It not only offers nesting and cover to pheasants but also provides wild birds with nesting sites. The crop is purely for cover and does not provide feed so bare patches may be left unplanted or later cut out to provide areas for artificial feeding. As with phalaris aquatica drilling in wide rows in necessary rather than broadcasting or the crop will become too dense and annual management should be undertaken to keep the rows clear. Topping is beneficial if it becomes too tall, with the debris removed. 

Sowing rate 2.5kg/acre 
Pack size 1 acre untreated

Perennial Chicory

Creates tall, dense cover, bolting in its second year to create a 6-7ft flowering hedge, useful where a perimeter barrier is required. It has good tolerance to drought, acid soils and major pests (does not like wet ground) and has a high mineral content including Zinc, Potassium and Copper. 

Sowing rate 2kg/Acre 
Pack size 2kg

Yellow Blossom Clover

A biennial plant which can persist for several years due to its self-regenerating properties. Owing to it sweet smell and copious production of nectar it is highly attractive to insects, which in turn attract game birds and wildlife. Sowing with kale will help to provide cover in the first year, with tall woody-stemmed taking over in the second year. Yellow Blossom Sweet Clover can thrive in the poorest of soils and being leguminous and deep rooting it is invaluable for improving soil structure and fertility. 

Sowing rate 2.5kg / Acre 
Pack size 1kg

Traditional Game Cover Mixture

Traditional mixture of species specially selected for their feed and cover qualities. This mixture is designed for a full season of cover for all game birds. The sunflowers ass an attractive splash of colour. Due to the variance in seed size, broadcast to achieve optimum establishment and ensure that treated seed is covered by harrowing and rolling. 

Game Maize 
White Millet 
Red Millet 
Buckwheat 
Kale 
Sunflower 
White Millet 
Forage Rape 

Sowing rate 10kg/Acre 
Pack Size 10kg Various Seed Treatments

General Purpose Rearing Pen

Mix a mixture of species which provides a perfect rearing / Release pen mixture. This Mixture establishes rapidly and forms a hardwearing sward which will withstand intensive stocking. The legumes included will fix nitrogen and attract insects. 

Amenity perennial Ryegrass 
Late Perennial Ryegrass 
Timothy 
Meadow Fescue 
Creeping Red Fescue 
Birdsfoot Trefoil 
White Clover 

Sowing rate 15kg/Acre 
Pack Size 15kg

Decoy Game Mixture

A combination of six small seed producing species which will provide excellent cover and feed and will last throughout the season. It is easy to sow and establish as all the seeds are are of similar size and offers an excellent alternative to our traditional game cover mixture. 

Linseed 
Buckwheat 
Red Millet 
White Millet 
Fodder Radish 
Mustard 

Sowing rate 8kg/acre 
Pack size 8kg

Overdrive

A superb combination of winter hardy cover provided by the kale and high quality feed provided by the Quinoa. This mixture is excellent for holding birds.

50% Quinoa 
50% Goldeneye Kale 

Sowing rate 2.5kg/acre 
Pack Size 2.5kg

Late Cover Mix

A rapidly establishing and maturing mixture proving winter cover to the height of 2 – 3 feet. It is often used as a patching crop where spring crops have failed. This mixture will tolerate drought conditions.

Forage Rape
Stubble Turnip
Mustard
Fodder Radish 

Sowing Rate 5kg/Acre 
Pack size 5kg

Kwik Fix

This is a flexible cover crop which can be used to patch failed spring game cover. Mustard increases the cover element and fodder radish prolongs the cover period. This mixture will not provide full season cover, but it is more winter hardy than straight mustard.

Fodder Radish
White Mustard

Sowing Rate 5kg/Acre 
Pack size 5kg