In our clover study we have 3 treatments, grass only treatment getting 250kg nitrogen per hectare per year, grass + clover getting 150 kg nitrogen per hectare per year and grass + clover getting 100kg nitrogen per hectare per year. They are all stocked a 2.74 cows per hectare.
Currently the cows are nearing the end of the sixth rotation and are going into pre grazing covers of 1300-1400 kg dry matter and are grazing down to 4.2 cm. Clover content is heading towards peak on the clover treatments. On the clover 150 treatment the clover content is 39.5% and on the clover 100 treatment is almost 28%. Year to date the grass 250 treatment has grown 8.3t DM/ha and both of the clover treatments have grown 8.4t DM/ha.
In terms of milk production, the clover 100 treatment group are currently milking 21.9kg of milk. This includes 1.95kg of milk solids with a fat percentage of 5.14% and a protein percentage of 3.84%. The clover 150 cows are currently milking 22.33 kg of milk. Their milk solids are 1.92kg with a fat percentage of 4.9% and protein percentage of 3.79%. The grass 250 cows are currently milking 21.24 kg of milk. This is based on 1.70kg milk solids with a fat percentage of 4.44% and protein 3.56%.
This week the measurements involved carrying out an individual dry matter intake estimation for each of the cows. This will give us an indication of dry matter intake between each of the different treatment groups.