White clover incorporation at high nitrogen application levels: results from a 3-year study
C. Guy A B D , D. Hennessy A , T. J. Gilliland B C , F. Coughlan A , B. McClearn A B , M. Dineen A and B. McCarthy AA Teagasc, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, County Cork,P61 C996, Ireland.
B The Institute for Global Food Security, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5AG, Northern Ireland.
C Agri-food and Biosciences Institute, Large Park, Hillsborough, BT26 5DR, Northern Ireland.
D Corresponding author. Email: guysc@tcd.ie
Animal Production Science 60(1) 187-191 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN18540
Submitted: 31 August 2018 Accepted: 29 August 2019 Published: 29 November 2019
Abstract
Context: High nitrogen (N)-fertiliser application levels and high stocking rates have been shown to optimise herbage dry-matter (DM) production in grass-only systems. Conversely, swards including white clover (Trifolium repens L.) are commonly suited to production systems at low N-fertiliser application levels (<150 kg N/ha) and low stocking rates (fewer than two livestock units (LU) per hectare). Despite this, the use of N fertiliser on grass–clover swards has generally increased during the past few decades, particularly in more intensively managed swards under dairy farming. Increasing inorganic N decreases sward white clover content in grass–clover swards, and increasing stocking rate on grass–clover swards can result in damage to white clover plants. However, under high N-application levels, a high stocking rate can also potentially minimise the negative effects of increased grass growth on sward white clover content.
Aims: The objective of the present study was to investigate the persistency of white clover in an intensive animal-grazing system, under a high N-fertiliser application level (250 kg N/ha) and at a high stocking rate (2.75 LU per hectare) over a 3-year period (2014–2016).
Methods: The study was a 2 × 2 factorial design, consisting of two perennial ryegrass ploidies (diploid, tetraploid) and two white clover treatments (grass-only, grass–clover). Four sward treatments (diploid-only, tetraploid-only, diploid + clover, tetraploid + clover) were evaluated over a full grazing season at a system scale. Sward measurements were taken at each grazing occasion for 3 years.
Key results: Over the 3 years, grass–clover swards produced an additional 1468 kg DM/ha when compared with grass-only swards. Sward white clover content decreased by 17% over the three study years.
Conclusions: This decrease in sward white clover content led to a decrease in contribution to cumulative herbage DM production.
Implications: Although the present study showed that white clover inclusion can increase herbage DM production at high N-fertiliser application levels, in association with high stocking rates, the initial extra herbage DM production on grass–clover swards decreased each year. Further studies should be undertaken to investigate whether the decline in white clover persistence observed is progressive over a longer time period.
Additional keywords: herbage DM production, Trifolium repens L., white clover persistency.
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