Update on the Teagasc Moorepark Grass-Clover Research Programme

Deirdre Hennessy and Ellen Fitzpatrick give an update on Teagasc Moorepark Grass-Clover Research Programme.

The grass-white clover research programme at Teagasc Moorepark is comparing herbage and milk production from three pasture-based systems, all stocked at a whole farm stocking rate of 2.74 cows/ha.The three experimental treatments are grass-white clover receiving 150 kg N/ha, grass-white clover receiving 100 kg N/ha and grass-only receiving 250 kg N/ha. Current farm cover on the two clover treatments is 206 kg DM/ha and it is 170 on the grass-only treatment.

To date the grass-only treatment has grown 4.7 t DM/ha and the grass-white clover 150 kg N and the grass-white clover 100 kg N have both grown 5 t DM/ha. Current sward clover content for both treatments is 20%. Cows on the grass-only treatment are producing 27 kg milk and 2.15 kg milk solids, while the cows on the grass-white clover 150 kg N/ha treatment are producing 29 kg milk and 2.46 kg milk solids and the cows on the grass-white clover 100 kg N/ha treatment are producing 27.5 kg milk and 2.29 kg milk solids.