²ÝÁñÉçÇø

Managing clover in grazing swards

Reduced fertiliser costs and more milk solids means including clover in the sward could bring a benefit worth £215 per hectare, according to Irish research.

clock • 2 min read
Managing clover in grazing swards

Reduced fertiliser costs and more milk solids means including clover in the sward could bring a benefit worth £215 per hectare, according to Irish research.

Grazing perennial ryegrass and white clover swards creates the potential to not only improve milk solids production per cow, but also reduce fertiliser costs.

A four-year trial carried out at Teagasc Moorpark in Ireland compared performance on perennial ryegrass-only leys receiving 250kg N/ha, with perennial ryegrass leys including clover.

The clover leys received either 250kg N/ha or 150kg N/ha.

Nitrogen was applied at the same rate and timings up until May on all treatments.

It was after May that the fertiliser was reduced for the remainder of the year on the clover 150kg N/ha treatment.

Results showed that herbage production remained the same (14.5t DM/ha) on clover leys receiving less N, while there was an increase in milk solids, leading to improved profit/ha (see panel).

Improving nitrogen efficiency is central to Yara's agronomic advice, which stems around producing more from less.

Teagasc grassland research officer Michael Egan says these benefits will only be seen in swards where clover contents average 20-25% through the year.

"If you have sufficient clover in the sward, there is scope to reduce nitrogen application by up to 100kg N/ha in the later part of the season, June onwards," he explains.

alt=''

Reduced fertiliser rates on clover swards - the benefits

Maintained herbage production: The clover leys receiving 150kgN/ha produced the same amount of herbage versus perennial ryegrass leys getting 250kg N/ha (14.5t DM/ha/year)

+4% increase in clover: On the leys getting the lower rate of fertiliser versus those getting the higher rate (27% vs 23%)

+33kg milk solids/cow/year: Cows grazed on clover swards produced more milk solids compared to those grazed on perennial ryegrass-only leys

+€252/ha/year (£215): The benefit of having clover swards with 150kg N/ha applied versus perennial ryegrass-only with 250kg N/ha applied - as a result of increased milk solids and reduced fertiliser

+19% improvement in nitrogen efficiency: The nitrogen efficiency on clover leys receiving 150kg N/ha was 59% versus 40% on perennial ryegrass-only leys receiving 250kg N/ha

Case 9564wd Tractor pick up hitch.

£±Ê°¿´¡

2023 Case CVX175

£±Ê°¿´¡

John Deere 6130M TLS

£±Ê°¿´¡

More on Dairy

Watch out for scour this Winter

Watch out for scour this Winter

Variable silage quality and nutrition challenges could be a driver of scour among milking herds this winter

clock 27 November 2024 • 4 min read
Comte cheese production supports French farmers

Comte cheese production supports French farmers

France has more Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) cheeses than any other European country and these products play an increasingly important role in the country's dairy industry

clock 24 November 2024 • 9 min read
Roger Evans: "That is one of farmer's weaknesses, their inquisitive nature"

Roger Evans: "That is one of farmer's weaknesses, their inquisitive nature"

This month, Roger Evans discusses who is buying farms in his area, food security and the use of metric measurements for length and area

Roger Evans
clock 22 November 2024 • 4 min read