HIGH CLOVER SWARDS

from Fane Valley Farmers' Agronomy & Forage Hanbook

HELPING TO KEEP YOUR POT ATOES P ROFI TABLE

With the increased cost of fertiliser and environmental considerations there is renewed interest in the many benefits of clover. White clover has the ability to fix 100150kg N/ha (80-120 units N/acre) annually and is particularly suited to grazing and silage swards. Red clover can fix up to 250kg N/ha (200 units N/acre) annually and is suited to silage making and finishing lambs. Clovers are high in protein and are very digestible which can improve animal performance and reduce reliance on purchased proteins.

Suitable soils and optimum pH

Clovers will grow in most soil types and can perform well on dry land prone to drought. Legumes such as clover require a higher pH than grass and the target should be a minimum pH of 6.5.

How to sow

For good establishment clover swards can be sown from late March to early September into a well cultivated, firm seed bed. Clover seed is small so should not be drilled deeper than 10mm alternatively broadcast the seed on the soil surface.

Management

The establishment of clover in swards can be slower than grass and its competitiveness against weeds can be lower in the early phases. There are limited herbicide options to control weeds in clover swards therefore it is important to control weeds prior to sowing. Topping and spot spraying can be a valuable tool in controlling weeds in the established sward. Early grazing will help promote tillering building a denser sward for the following season. Grazing should commence when the reseed is 6-7cm in height and not easily pulled from the ground. Graze the sward down to 3.5-4cm, which will encourage the sward to tiller. Thereafter grazing should start at 8-10cm in height and graze down to 3.5-4cm

Unfortunately there are no herbicide options for weed control in the multispecies mixture containing herbs. When grazing to encourage tillering and control weeds, to aid establishment it is important not to graze before the 7 leaf stage of the Chicory.

Grass Mixtures