There's never been a better time to get more out of clover

Producing more with less input is an efficiency that all businesses strive for, but few succeed with. In general small improvements in performance, linked to specific tweaks to management or process are all that can be achieved – and only achieved by the best at what they do.

Farming is no different, with the top 25% of producers in each segment regularly making a reasonable return on invested income, while those unable or unwilling to modify their ways struggling to make a profit.

The best farmers are already making changes to their farming policy to make their businesses less reliant on nitrogenous fertilisers. Arable farmers are working out the most suitable cropping plans as well as the most economic levels of nitrogen application to each crop and how bringing legumes or other break crops into their rotation can lead to a better balance on the farm.

In England 40,000 farmers are involved in the Countryside Stewardship Scheme (to be replaced by Environmental Land Management ELM in 2024). Their payment rates for the two year sown fallow option (AB15) is £569.00/ha for 2022 and for the Legume and Herb Rich sward (GS4) is £358.00/ha. These mixtures help bring huge improvements in soil organic matter, nectar and pollen production and wildlife habitat as well as being very attractive to the public. We can only hope that the Scottish Government has the foresight to introduce something similar to bolster both farm profitability and also all the environmental benefits of legumes and herbs in arable situations.

Livestock farmers are also considering the correct level of nitrogen fertiliser for their own situation – bearing in mind the potential that that their land may or may not have, due to aspect, elevation, fertility and soil type. Fortunately the inclusion of legumes in grass mixtures can help keep dry matter production up – but with less nitrogen applied as they can fix their own nitrogen with the help of soil bacteria. Very large leaf, long stem white clovers, such as Brianna, have been bred so that they grow up through ryegrass swards and can intercept sunlight, which is the energy source for plant growth, allowing white clovers to be successfully included in modern silage mixtures.

In high yielding silage mixtures that are for up to 3 years production, red clovers should be considered as they are very high yielding (Global from DLF yields 13.76 tonne DM/ha - SRUC 2022 list), have high protein and improve the soil physically, chemically and biologically. They prefer drier soils with a good pH, but have no nitrogen requirement after establishment. In grazing situations across most of Scotland, white clovers are included – but not grazed efficiently. Better rotational grazing allows the clovers to perform to their maximum, when grown alongside quality ryegrasses. Nitrogen is very useful to get spring grass growing in March and April, but can be reduced from May where a good sward of clover is rotationally grazed.

Scottish farmers need to get more out of clovers – there has never been a better time.

Article written by Paddy Jack - Buisness Manager DLF for Farm North East Magazine Feburary 2022 edition.