SPM5: Keep native breeds on extensively managed habitats supplement (more than 80%) (updated for SFI26)
What you must do to get paid for this SFI26 supplemental action and advice on how to do it.
This is a Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 (SFI26) supplemental action. Read the SFI26 scheme information to understand what you’re required to do under an SFI26 agreement and how to apply.
Select ‘See all updates’ at the start of this page to find out how this supplemental action has changed for SFI26 compared with SFI24.
For SFI24 actions, read the SFI24 agreement holder’s information.
Duration
3 years
How much you’ll be paid
£11 per hectare (ha) per year
Action’s aim
This supplemental action’s aim is that more than 80% of grazing livestock units (GLU) on moorland or lowland heathland habitats are either:
-
pedigree rare native breeds
-
heritage semi-feral breeds
The purpose of this is to maintain or increase the number of rare native breed or heritage semi-feral breed grazing livestock.
Where you can do this action
You can do this supplemental action on eligible land that you’re grazing with livestock, which you enter into one of the following SFI26 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
-
UPL8: Shepherding livestock on moorland (remove stock for at least 4 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
You can only apply for this supplemental action in the same SFI26 application as your selected SFI base action.
Eligibility of protected land
Sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs): Same as your selected base action.
Historic and archaeological features: Same as your selected base action.
Available area you can enter into this action
Same as your selected base action.
Rotational or static action
This is the same as your selected base action.
What to do
During each grazing season, more than 80% of total GLU on land entered into the relevant base action must be in the ‘at risk’ category on the UK native breeds support (NBS) list. The livestock must also be either:
-
pedigree rare native breeds – this means they’re registered in a recognised pedigree breeding book
-
heritage semi-feral breeds – this means they’re registered in a recognised breeding book
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
-
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
Lambs at foot do not have a separate GLU allocation. They are included in the figures shown for ‘ewe and lamb’.
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 (which can be paper-based or electronic):
-
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 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.
| Scheme | Action or option codes | |
|---|---|---|
| SFI 2026 actions | Same as your selected SFI26 base action | |
| SFI 2024 actions | Same as your selected SFI26 base action | |
| SFI 2023 actions | Same as your selected SFI26 base action | |
| CSHT actions from 2025 | Same as your selected SFI26 base action | |
| CS options | Same as your selected SFI26 base action | |
| ES options | Same as your selected SFI26 base action |
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 5.6 ‘Land that’s already in other funding schemes or grants’ in the SFI26 scheme information for more details.
Other supplemental actions you can apply for with this supplemental action
You can apply for one of the following other supplemental actions in the same SFI26 application as this supplemental action:
- UPL5: Keep cattle and ponies on moorland supplement (minimum 70% GLU)
- UPL6: Keep cattle and ponies on moorland supplement (100% GLU)
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 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.
You may find it helpful to read the Grazing Animals Project Breed Profiles Handbook.
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
- can lead to a decline in dwarf shrub cover due to their selective browsing of these, particularly if they’re grazing over the winter months
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
Updates to this page
-
Added 'Advice to help you do this action' section. Correction: you cannot apply for this SFI26 supplemental action with SFI26 base action GRH12: Manage rough grassland for upland breeding waders. Removed the acronym “NBAR” where we ask for written records of the unique individual permanent breed identification numbers under ‘What to do’.
-
The following changes have been made to this action for SFI26 (compared with the SFI24 version): • you can only apply for this supplemental action in the same SFI26 application as your selected SFI26 base action • GRH12: Manage rough grassland for upland breeding waders has been added as a compatible SFI26 base action – see ‘Where you can do this action’ • the UK native animal breeds at risk list has been replaced by the UK native breeds support (NBS) list – see ‘What to do’ • heritage semi-feral breeds have been added to eligible livestock – see ‘What to do’ • some of the values for converting livestock into GLU have been updated – see ‘What to do’ • ‘What to do’ has been updated • minor updates to standard wording which appears in all area-based SFI actions – see ‘Eligibility of protected land’ and ‘Available area you can enter into this action’
-
Updated the native breeds grazing calculator to show the GLU value for rams and lowland ewes as 0.12.
-
Duration - 3 years instead of ‘same as base action’. Where you can do this action - deleted SCR1. You cannot do this supplemental action on land that’s already in an equivalent base action in a CS agreement. This includes WD7, WD8, OT6 and UP2. Eligibility of protected land - added ‘your selected’ in relation to the base action. Available area - added ‘your selected’ in relation to the base action. Rotational or static action - added ‘your selected’ in relation to the base action. What to do - replaced ‘Lowland ewe and lamb, or ram’ with ‘Heavy sheep (for example, most lowland sheep, rams and larger hill sheep)’. Replaced ‘Store lamb, hill ewe and lamb or hogg or teg’ with ‘Light sheep (for example, store lambs and small hill sheep)’. Other actions or options you can do on the same area - added ‘your selected’ in relation to the base action. Published voluntary advice to help you do this action, but it's not part of this action’s requirements.
-
First published.