Clover and herbs in permanent pasture

Cowherder

Member
Livestock Farmer
Hi there,
Wondering if anyone has experience of stitching in clover to permanent pasture to boost nitrogen?
Also can herbs be added in? Will be grazing sticklers.
 

primmiemoo

Member
Location
Devon
Clover is more likely to take after a cut of hay or silage (or once the sward has been eaten down especially tight), a good scratch to the ground, and a few weeks of lovely soft, warm, damp weather. August is best, we've found ~ but you'll know your particular weather patterns.

Carefully allow stock in for light grazings if the established sward takes off too strongly once the clover is on. We don't roll after the seeds are broadcast, but do let sheep tread it in.

We put on plantain, yarrow, and chicory as well, for an experiment. The chicory failed (it was an experiment, so not a disaster), but the others took.
 

JSmith

Member
Livestock Farmer
Other than man power, the only two pieces of equipment we have are one tractor and an aitchison direct drill!!! We stitch all sorts in, you think of it an we’ve probably done it!! Weather condition’s would play the biggest role in establishment, warm an wet and a short sward to stitch into an most things will take!! Done a lot of herbs this last two years and had good results but having our own drill means we can plant when the opportunity arises
 

Derrick Hughes

Member
Location
Ceredigion
Other than man power, the only two pieces of equipment we have are one tractor and an aitchison direct drill!!! We stitch all sorts in, you think of it an we’ve probably done it!! Weather condition’s would play the biggest role in establishment, warm an wet and a short sward to stitch into an most things will take!! Done a lot of herbs this last two years and had good results but having our own drill means we can plant when the opportunity arises
Those drills are better at stitching in as they bring more soil but we have a lot of stone here so can't really use one , I run a tine Harrow over a few times if it's a bit thatchy , then run the disc drill over
 

pgk

Member
We have had tremendous success with feeding clover seed to cattle in the autumn. The clover seed germinates in the cow pat which serves to feed the growing seedling and suppress the grass.
 
We have successfully direct drilled clover with a MF 30 disc drill but also had complete failures.
Weather conditions and management have more impact than method. Plenty of good advice above. My advice would to use half seed rate or less, if it works it will be enough and if it doesn't you have seed to try again.
 
can you explain Frost Seeded
What do we do, and when and how do we manage after, seed now?
basically you air seed (vicron /handspin/throw) clover seed onto frozen/snow ground... the seed then is carried down to the soil surface with good contact via the melting water.
Americans do it a lot. I use it in combo with a overseeding mix for areas which get high traffic - mobile water troughs and mobile mineral feeders which can get pugged if wet... easy way of getting diversity into areas where you cant/wont take a tractor.
 

Ffermer Bach

Member
Livestock Farmer
basically you air seed (vicron /handspin/throw) clover seed onto frozen/snow ground... the seed then is carried down to the soil surface with good contact via the melting water.
Americans do it a lot. I use it in combo with a overseeding mix for areas which get high traffic - mobile water troughs and mobile mineral feeders which can get pugged if wet... easy way of getting diversity into areas where you cant/wont take a tractor.
so, I better wait for some freezing weather then!
 

Davy_g

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Co Down
No, we have a derogation to give a small quantity of hard feed in the autumn in order to be able to round up the cattle from their summer grazing. Mix the seed in with the nuts and pour in feed troughs.
I have been putting a small amount of white clover in the calves creep that is fed via the creep feeder as it moves around the farm in rotational grazing. I dont add any when they are on aftermath grass off silage ground as i dont want clover on it.
Works well and a nice bit of clover on all the grazing fields. The problem is how to deal with dandylions etc on pp. Sprays wipe out the clover too. I use the knapsack for docs etc.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
I have been putting a small amount of white clover in the calves creep that is fed via the creep feeder as it moves around the farm in rotational grazing. I dont add any when they are on aftermath grass off silage ground as i dont want clover on it.
Works well and a nice bit of clover on all the grazing fields. The problem is how to deal with dandylions etc on pp. Sprays wipe out the clover too. I use the knapsack for docs etc.

Do a few dandelions hurt? Herbal leys are all the rage these days.👍😂
 

Davy_g

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Co Down
or ask, how is my management of the ley encouraging dandelions instead of the grasses I want?
Interesting you frame it that way. I think by not cutting my grazing fields fields they tend to be grazed just when the dandilions going to sead and the cows spread them. They are pretty invasive when they get a start in a field. I sort of see the clover doing the same.
 

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