The establishment and management of white clover through over-sowing

Dairy farmer, Jim White, and grassland researcher, Mike Egan, join Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s episode of The Dairy Edge podcast to discuss the establishment and management of white clover through over-sowing.

Mike recommends that dairy farmers make a plan to establish white clover for the grazing platform and can target up to 25% of the platform with a combination of a full reseed with perennial ryegrass + white clover and over-sowing white clover in existing grass swards.

Jim established 16% (11 of 67 ha) of his milking platform with white clover through over-sowing in 2021.

He explains that key to the success of establishment was grassland management, measuring the milking platform every 5 days during the peak grazing season and grazing at a cover of 1,100-1,200 kg DM/ha.

Mike explains that there are 3 components that determine the success of over-sowing: nutrients (adequate soil fertiliser pre-sow), moisture (for up to 6 weeks post-sow) and light (to assist germination, establishment and persistence at the base of the sward).

For more information:
https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/publications/2021/Management-and-establishment-of-grass-white-clover-swards.pdf

For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/

The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com

What is The Dairy Edge?

The Dairy Edge is Teagasc’s dairy podcast for farmers with the latest information, insights and opinion to improve your dairy farm performance.

Visit the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/