Dairy management: clover content back

For May, the average clover content on the grass and clover treatment was 8.5% whereas for May 2016 it was 13%. While it’s too early to draw any conclusions, it was expected that clover content would decline. That said, there is already a milk solids production difference between the two groups, with the cows on the clover treatment producing 0.15kgMS/cow/day more than grass only. But this difference is only beginning to emerge, with no difference up to now. Now is the time to establish clover in existing swards. The Moorepark approach has been to use an Einboch (tine harrow and air seeder). Others use a Guttler machine. The cheaper approach is to spread clover seed with fertiliser. But this only really works for smaller volumes. The fertiliser spreader should be filled with fertiliser and seed in the field, to prevent the clover seed settling at the bottom of the spreader during transit. However, I’m told that clover seed will stick to moist urea granules. When oversowing, sow clover at a rate of 1.5 to 2kg/acre and spread watery slurry after sowing or sow in advance of rain. The optimum clover content in a sward is 20%.

Dairy management: weather

Grass+ dairy