The importance of red clover in silage swards has been highlighted by AgriSearch general manager, Jason Rankin.
“Grassland farmers are under pressure to reduce fertiliser costs, while still maintaining optimal levels of output from forage,” he said.
“Red clover has the potential to meet both these requirements.”
According to the AgriSearch representative, red clover varieties have the potential to fix 200kg/ha of nitrogen (N) from the atmosphere on an annual basis.
Trial work carried out by Agri-Food and Bisosciences Institute (AFBI) scientists has confirmed that pure stands of red clover can produce up to 13t of dry matter (DM)/ha/annum.
“As a consequence, farmers growing silage swards containing significant quantities of red clover need only add the required levels of potash and phosphate to ensure that high levels of productivity are secured,” Rankin continued.
“In addition, the protein in red clover is of an exceptionally high quality. This then allows livestock farmers to reduce the levels of additional protein they offer stock in concentrate feeds.”
However AgrSearch has acknowledged that red clover is a complicated crop to grow.
“Soil pH, phosphate and potash levels must be correct in order to optimise crop growth,” Rankin explained.
“Red clover grows from a single point within the plant. If this crown is damaged, issues relating to persistency within a silage sward will arise.”
Red clover in silage
As a general rule of thumb, it is now envisaged that red clover will persist within silage swards for a maximum of four years.
“It is generally recommended that a mix of red clover, white clover and perennial ryegrass should form the main constituents of a 10-year silage sward,” Rankin continued.
“The red clover will generate its impact during the first four years, post-establishment. Thereafter, the ryegrass and white clover can maintain the high levels of output and forage quality until such times as the ground is re-seeded again.”
AgriSearch will be holding a webinar on Wednesday, February 28 at 8:00p.m on how to successfully establish red clover silage swards.
Dr. David Patterson, a grassland agronomist from AFBI, will outline the key steps needed to successfully establish red clover swards.
Issues include include soil fertility, nutrient management, seed selection and reseeding methods.
Two farmers from the ZeroNsile project – Stephen Maguire, a beef farmer from Co. Fermanagh and David Clarke, a dairy farmer from Co. Tyrone – will discuss their experiences of establishing red clover silage swards on their farms as part of the ZeroNsile Project.
The ZeroNsile project was established in 2023 to examine the feasibility and practicalities of producing silage without the use of manufactured N fertiliser, focusing primarily on red clover swards.
