Clover in silage/grazing ground?

DairyGrazing

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
North West
Of the acres we have down to grass all but 10 acres is grazed but we do have dedicated silage fields that get grazed as the season goes. Some get grazed well into the new year depending on the year.

Some of the fields can be wet but not heavy soil types and docks are an issue.

I take it theres no point using red clover in fields that may be silaged a couple of times then grazed by cows/young stock repeatedly?

How would the small/large leaf clovers stand the system I describe?
 

Derrick Hughes

Member
Location
Ceredigion
Most dairy farms i suppy dont include clover in cutting mixes if they have a big dock problem, but if you are including clover then go for large leaf , if you are grazing tight then you could add some small leaf that is more persitent when grazing hard
 
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milkloss

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
East Sussex
Red clover is a catalyst for docks. Really don’t bother with rc if you have potential docks. It will put up with cut and graze as you describe but you can’t graze it hard or it dies off pretty quick.
 

Sid

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
South Molton
Of the acres we have down to grass all but 10 acres is grazed but we do have dedicated silage fields that get grazed as the season goes. Some get grazed well into the new year depending on the year.

Some of the fields can be wet but not heavy soil types and docks are an issue.

I take it theres no point using red clover in fields that may be silaged a couple of times then grazed by cows/young stock repeatedly?

How would the small/large leaf clovers stand the system I describe?
Depends on the nitrogen usage through the season to the success of clover as it can suppress its efficiency.

I personally would be wary of red in heavily grazed areas as it can damage the crown and has a higher bloat risk.

Mid and large leaf for cutting
Small and mid leaf for grazing

Get the sward dense and motoring and it can suppress docks
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Depends on the nitrogen usage through the season to the success of clover as it can suppress its efficiency.

I personally would be wary of red in heavily grazed areas as it can damage the crown and has a higher bloat risk.

Mid and large leaf for cutting
Small and mid leaf for grazing

Get the sward dense and motoring and it can suppress docksView attachment 986723View attachment 986724View attachment 986725
It won't suppress the docks. Your lovely paddock above is a clean paddock. Once they get hold nothing will suppress them.
 

Derrick Hughes

Member
Location
Ceredigion
I dont know
It won't suppress the docks. Your lovely paddock above is a clean paddock. Once they get hold nothing will suppress them.
Ive just sprayed 40 acres of silage ground off now , putting in a cutting ley , i susspect chickweed will take hold ,we are quite bad for that so will spray after seed as come ,then access it next year for docks ,if its clean i may stitch some clover in
 

Martyn

Member
Location
South west
Docks are pain, iv turned over clean feilds befor on rotation and then ended up with carpet of docks, only a few times have I turned over a dock feild and not seen clear evidence of regrowth!
 

Farmer Keith

Member
Location
North Cumbria
The problem with spraying docks then scratching in clover is yet more docks germinate, I have tried seeding red clover through the dribble bar and tanker this season but right now I can’t say I’ve seen a single plant. ☹️
 

Derrick Hughes

Member
Location
Ceredigion
States and Canada have a completely different growing season to us.
Have you seen their fall colors?
Spring from thaw to green is so fast.

But worth a try if you have access to discounted seed I guess 🤔
Im always happy to try somthing and pass on my findings ,i have 3 diferent veraties of annual clover growing in Brasicas atm ,


 
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