White clover: the forgotten component of high-producing pastures?

2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (7) ◽  
pp. 1269 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. F. Chapman ◽  
J. M. Lee ◽  
L. Rossi ◽  
G. R. Edwards ◽  
J. B. Pinxterhuis ◽  
...  

The contribution of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) to nitrogen fixation and feed quality in mixed pastures is indisputable, but the benefits of clover inclusion to total herbage accumulation (HA) are less clear. Results from four experiments comparing mixed pastures of white clover–perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) with perennial ryegrass monocultures are presented. These experiments covered a range of environments (dryland northern New Zealand and irrigated southern New Zealand), management inputs (nitrogen (N) fertiliser rates and defoliation management), and genotypes of ryegrass and white clover. Mixtures resulted in a significantly greater HA than did monocultures in 7 of the 8 years for which data were available; the interaction between pasture type (monoculture or mixture) and N rate was significant in six of those years, with a greater advantage in HA for mixtures under low N rates (mean = 3.08 t DM/ha.year) than under high N rates (mean = 1.54 t DM/ha.year). Two-thirds to four-fifths of the yield advantage under grazing was due to the direct effect of clover contribution (which ranged between 10% and 30% of total annual yield) to HA, most of which accrued in summer. The remainder was due to the capture of additional clover-derived N by the grass component of the mixture, estimated to equate to 50–60 kg N/ha under low N-fertiliser rates and 15–35 kg N/ha under high N rates. The magnitude and consistency of the yield advantages observed here indicates that there are unrealised yield and other benefits not currently being captured in New Zealand dairy production systems, largely because they are negated by the use of high N-fertiliser rates. The agronomic practices required to support clover-rich mixed pastures receiving moderate rates of N fertiliser are well documented and can be applied to help deal with nutrient loss limits required by environmental regulations plus volatility in farm-gate milk prices.

1996 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 221-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. U. Sarathchandra ◽  
R. N. Watson ◽  
N. R. Cox ◽  
M. E. di Menna ◽  
J. A. Brown ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
D.A. Clark ◽  
M.P. Rolston ◽  
M.G. Lambert ◽  
P.J. Budding

Hill country pasture was grazed by the following ratios of goats and sheep from 1979-l 983: 100% goats (Goat 100). 66% goats and 34% sheep (Goat 66)) 33% goats and 67% sheep (doat 33), 100% set-stocked sheep (Sheep 100) and 100% mobstocked sheep. Changes in botanical composition, herbage mass and herbage accumulation rate were measured by sample dissection, visual estimation and trimmed exclosure cages respectively on three slope classes (banks, slopes and tracks). Pastures grazed by goats developed Yorkshire fog IHolcus lanatus)- white clover (Trifolium repens L.) associations with strong white clover growth on all slope classes unlike sheep-grazed pastures which contained little white clover and were dominated by perennial' ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and browntop (Agrostis tenuis Sibth.). The herbage mass of 3000, 1830, 1410 kg DM/ha on banks, slopes and tracks respectively for Sheep 100 pastures contrasted with that on the Goat 100 pastures of 2030, 3750 and 4300 kg DM/ha. White clover was enhanced on all slope classes in the Goat 100 treatment. Annual herbage accumulation was greater on the Goat 100 than Sheep 100 pastures, 13.9 and 11.2 t DM/ha respectively. There was a close association between increased annual white clover accumulation and tofal herbage accumulation. The complementary nature of sheepandgoatgrazing behavioursuggeststhe possibility of increased meat and fibre production from mixed grazing. The implications of these results for future research are discussed. Keywords: Sheep, goats, herbage mass, herbage accumulation rate, botanical composition, slope classes, white clover (Trifolium repens L.), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), Yorkshire fog (Holcus lanatusl, browntop (Agrostis tenuis Sibth.).


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