Clover has a major role to play in the agriculture sector’s efforts to achieve its emission reduction targets, while also maintaining herbage production.
The weather over the last few weeks has been nothing short of challenging, with wet weather playing havoc with grazing and reseeding plans.
But for those that did manage to get reseeding done, or have oversown clover into paddocks in recent weeks, proper management of these paddocks is now vital.
The clover plant can fix nitrogen (N) from the atmosphere and reduce the requirement for chemical N.
In turn, this reduces the costs associated with growing grass and emissions from spreading chemical N.
Clover management
To ensure that the clover you have oversown is successful, there are a number of management practices that are required.
Ideally, you will have only oversown about 15% of the farm, as this area requires preferential management.
For the first four to five grazings, the paddocks should be grazed when the covers are between 1,000kg of dry matter (DM)/ha and 1,100kg of DM/ha.
This to allow light down to the base of the sward and prevent the clover from being blocked out by the grass.
Having more than 15% of your farm like this makes it extremely difficult to manage.
Chemical N application should remain the same for the first eight to 12 months as the clover will not be taking in N until then.
You should also avoid the harvesting of silage from these swards during the first 12 months.
Covers
Once you get into late-summer the clover should be well established in the sward, but careful management is still required over the winter months.
Over the winter you want to carry a low cover in these paddocks. This should result in these paddocks having a low pre-grazing yield in the spring.
You want to graze these paddocks early in the spring, but avoid causing damage as the clover will not yet be fully established.