Clovercheck 2010
Article produced by Scott Laidlaw (AFBI) and Manus McHenry (CAFRE)
From 12 to 25 October 2010
This is the last CloverCheck bulletin for the year.
However a summary of results from CloverCheck 2010 will be published later in October.
Sward Growth and Clover Content
Recent growth of grass/clover swards has been higher than the average for the corresponding period over the past two years.
A combination of recent mild weather and an apparent high availability of soil nitrogen probably explain the higher growth rates.
Clover content in the dry matter over the autumn has been lower than average.
However this has been due to more than average production of grass rather than due to poor clover growth.
Grass/clover growth in plots over the next two weeks is predicted to be 27 KG DM/ha/day and clover content of 15 percent.
Growth under field conditions will be less than 20 KG DM/ha/day and a clover content of about 10 percent.
Grass and Clover Focus
Stephen Clyde is Farm Manager at the Abbey Farm, Greenmount Campus, Co Antrim. Currently 170 cattle are finished off the farm each year with the emphasis on beef production from grass and clover swards. Grass covers are measured weekly using the plate meter and the grazing days ahead for each group of stock is estimated from this. The target is to achieve 200 days grazing with beef cattle averaging 1KG/day liveweight gain. |  |
Grass supply
| Average grazing cover | 2400 KG DM/ha |
| Target Pre-grazing cover | 3500 KG DM/ha |
| Target Post-grazing cover | 1800 KG DM/ha |
| Target grazing days ahead | 20 - 25 days |
Management Issues
Ground conditions have deteriorated over the last fortnight and to avoid poaching damage the stocking rate has been reduced on the paddocks.
The average stocking rate for the year was approximately 2100 KG liveweight/ha at a fertiliser level of 130 KG N/ha over the grazing area.
Clover levels ranged from 5 percent to 50 percent of the sward on a visual basis.
Those areas with no clover were reseeded in August and are currently being grazed lightly with store lambs before closing off for the winter.
A mid-season weighing was completed over the summer and cattle growth rates ranged from 0.7 KG/day - 0.9 KG/day, and they will be weighed again at housing.
Those areas to be grazed first in the spring will be closed off for the winter after being grazed down tight.
The grazing days ahead is estimated at 14 which is below the target for this time of year.
Some cattle may be housed over the next week as grass growth continues to fall.
