Management of freshly reseeded grass - Clover swards in Ballyhaise

Establishing white clover on any commercial farm will take a number of years using a combination of reseeding and over-sowing. James Dunne, Dairy Specialist & researcher Donal Patton give information on the management of clover swards

The current research trial within Ballyhaise Agricultural College is looking at transitioning from high levels of Nitrogen (N) usage to low levels of imported N through the incorporation of white clover into both new and existing perennial ryegrass swards.

Establishing white clover on any commercial farm will take a number of years using a combination of reseeding and over-sowing. Incorporating white clover in a full reseed is the most reliable method of establishing white clover and provides the best opportunity for weed control.

In video we hear from Donal Patton on the management of reseeds post sowing in Ballyhaise over the last number of weeks:

Checklist for recently oversown and reseeded swards

• Graze as soon as the new plants are strong enough to withstand grazing.
• Prior to this reseeds should get an application of a clover safe post emergence spray as this is the best opportunity to manage weeds in a new reseed.
• Early grazing is important to allow light to the base of the plant to encourage stolon development.
• The first grazing of a new reseed can be completed at a pre-grazing yield of 700 to 1000 kg DM/ha.
• Graze swards tight for at least the first three grazings post sowing, keeping pre-grazing herbage mass <1,100 kg DM/ha and graze swards to ≤4 cm. This allows light to penetrate to the base of the sward, which is essential for white clover establishment.
• Freshly reseeded or over-sown swards should not be closed for silage in their first year of production as the shading effect of heavy covers results in poor white clover establishment and an open sward which is liable to weed ingress.
• If possible, reseeded or over-sown swards should be closed later in the autumn to avoid carrying heavy covers over the winter period.

Ballyhaise’22 Dairy Open Day

Find out more by attending the Ballyhaise’22 Dairy Open Day which is taking place on Wednesday 13 July from 10am - 5pm at Ballyhaise Agricultural College, Ballyhaise, Co. Cavan. Eircode: H12 E392 .

The theme of this year’s event is, ‘Futureproofing Irish Dairying’.

Get all the details you need about what you can expect to see on stands, technology villages, demonstrations, workshops and much more at Ballyhaise’22 Dairy Open Day

Find out more about Teagasc Ballyhaise College