Brown hare leverets are born above ground in grass forms and are highly vulnerable to agricultural machinery. Reducing leveret mortality is one of the most achievable wild animal welfare improvements in farming.
Silage cutting mortality represents one of the most preventable large-scale welfare harms in British agriculture. Leverets that do not flee from approaching machinery are cut or crushed, often causing severe traumatic injuries rather than instant death. Fitting flushing bars that disturb animals ahead of cutting blades, and cutting from the field centre outward to allow escape, can reduce leveret mortality by over 50%. These measures cost little and their adoption should be standard practice.