CloverCheck, prepared jointly by AFBI and the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE), provides actual and predicted information on growth and clover content of grass-white clover swards.
Sward growth and clover content up to 4 August and predictions to 18 August
Growth rate of grass/clover swards in the Clovercheck plots, as predicted two weeks ago, has recovered from the prolonged dry period in May and June. Average soil moisture content has returned to levels similar to that in late April.
Clover content has continued to follow the seasonal pattern and has now reached the plateau of its contribution to herbage dry matter. Both sward growth and clover content are expected to decline from now into the autumn. Clover content in the fields in which the plots are laid down is on average about half that in the plots so is about 25% of the dry matter in the herbage available for grazing.
Some areas have experienced quite heavy rainfall over the past week and heavy local showers are forecast. Care should be exercised in grazing grassclover swards on heavy ground as clover is more vulnerable than grass to poaching.
At six of the CloverCheck plot sites daily rainfall and soil moisture are recorded. Rainfall and soil moisture from 1 July are presented, respectively, in the table and charts below .
| 01-Jul |
11.0 |
11.0 |
4.6 |
13.0 |
10.4 |
17.2 |
| 02-Jul |
1.0 |
1.0 |
0.6 |
0.0 |
0.2 |
0.0 |
| 03-Jul |
1.2 |
1.6 |
4.8 |
1.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
| 04-Jul |
11. |
12.4 |
11.4 |
12.8 |
1.6 |
3.0 |
| 05-Jul |
1.8 |
4.8 |
0.6 |
0.2 |
2.4 |
0.4 |
| 06-Jul |
2.0 |
2.0 |
0.8 |
1.6 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
| 07-Jul |
0.2 |
3.6 |
1.2 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.0 |
| 08-Jul |
0.0 |
8.0 |
1.0 |
1.6 |
2.0 |
0.6 |
| 09-Jul |
9.0 |
8.2 |
2.0 |
6.2 |
10.0 |
5.6 |
| 10-Jul |
18.8 |
27.6 |
17.8 |
15.0 |
31.4 |
29.4 |
| 11-Jul |
3.6 |
5.0 |
3.4 |
4.6 |
1.0 |
0.8 |
| 12-Jul |
1.0 |
0.0 |
3.6 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
| 13-Jul |
0.4 |
0.4 |
0.2 |
0.0 |
3.8 |
4.4 |
| 14-Jul |
7.4 |
5.0 |
13.8 |
11.4 |
45.2 |
30.4 |
| 15-Jul |
31.2 |
37.0 |
8.4 |
15.4 |
2.0 |
0.4 |
| 16-Jul |
15.0 |
7.8 |
17.4 |
12.8 |
13.0 |
16.6 |
| 17-Jul |
0.6 |
1.6 |
0.4 |
2.8 |
1.8 |
3.2 |
| 18-Jul |
1.0 |
0.4 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
3.4 |
4.2 |
| 19-Jul |
4.4 |
9.8 |
1.8 |
3.6 |
5.8 |
7.0 |
| 20-Jul |
3.2 |
13.6 |
1.8 |
1.4 |
0.0 |
0.4 |
| 21-Jul |
1.6 |
12.6 |
22.8 |
7.8 |
0.6 |
3.2 |
| 22-Jul |
2.2 |
4.2 |
13.6 |
3.6 |
2.8 |
4.0 |
| 23-Jul |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
| 24-Jul |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.6 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
| 25-Jul |
0.0 |
0.2 |
3.0 |
0.6 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
| 26-Jul |
0.2 |
0.2 |
1.6 |
0.4 |
0.4 |
0.8 |
| 27-Jul |
0.6 |
1.0 |
0.2 |
0.4 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
| 28-Jul |
12.6 |
5.0 |
0.0 |
0.2 |
0.6 |
0.0 |
| 29-Jul |
0.2 |
0.0 |
0.2 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.2 |
The average rainfall from 1 to 27 July for the six sites was 139 mm, ranging from 117 mm at Portglenone to 174 mm at Seskinore.
There were 4 to 6 days in the period when daily rainfall was greater than 10mm, depending on site.
Note that the differences in actual moisture levels between sites may be due not only to physical condition of the soil but also position of the sensors. These data are presented to show the day-to-day trends. The chart below shows the trend in soil moisture from a common base at 1 July.
Towards the end of July the wet weather had least effect on the soil at Castlewellan and Portglenone and most effect on the Coleraine and Seskinore site.
Grass and Clover Focus
Bill Harpur farms 69ha of lowland at Ballymagarry Rd near Portrush in County Antrim.
60 suckler cows mainly Limousin cross are managed on a low input system with all calves finished through the Aberdeen Angus scheme.
Current stocking rate on the farm is 1.7 LU/ha with approximately 30% of the farm in clover swards.
40 units N/acre was applied to the grazing area up to the middle of June, a further bag of 27% N was applied to the grazing area in July.
Approximately 100 store lambs are purchased in early autumn and are finished off the grass. This has the added benefit of helping to manage covers at the end of the season.
Grass Supply
Management issues
Dry weather during May/June ensured suitable grazing conditions, areas with high grass covers were either big baled or mowed and fed behind an electric fence. Since the beginning of July, and the arrival of rain showers, grass growth has improved. Visual clover percentage in most fields is now between 50 – 60 %.
Silage regrowth after first cut was slow but swards have bulked up well this past week and although harvesting has been delayed by the rain, hopefully this week will see a good crop of second cut ensiled in reasonable condition.
It is planned to surface seed twelve acres of second cut aftermath with a red clover mix for finishing lambs and also to improve silage production and quality. Grazing days ahead is on target at 16-18 days.
