Grazing management for white clover swards

Best practice grazing management is similar for grass-white clover swards and grass-only swards. Flexibility and willingness to adapt to the conditions are important when managing grass- white clover swards. Good grazing management is also important for increased persistence and production of white clover in grazed swards.

Spring

• Target early spring grazing – this benefits white clover growth
• Avoid poaching/damaging swards – poaching reduces white clover content in the sward
• Be flexible – use on/off grazing, graze wetter paddocks in drier weather
• Target post-grazing sward height of 5 cm

Mid-season (April to July)

• Maintain pre-grazing herbage mass between 1,300 and 1,600 kg DM/ha (8 to 10 cm)
• Target post-grazing sward height of 4 cm
• Chemical N fertiliser may be reduced on swards with good white clover content (≥ 25%)

Autumn

• Build grass on the farm from early to mid-August by extending rotation length
• Close the farm in rotation from early October
• Target post-grazing sward height of 3.5 to 4.0 cm on the final rotation
• Avoid poaching/damaging swards
• Be flexible – use on/off grazing, graze wetter paddocks in drier weather
• Close paddocks with a high sward white clover content (i.e.> 30%) towards the end of the final rotation (end of October to start of November)

An average annual sward white clover content of approx. 20 – 25% is desirable for animal and sward production benefits. Sward white clover content increases through the spring, into summer and generally peaks in August/September. Good grazing management is key to maintaining sward white clover content.