How clover can add value to your business

Emily recently attended an event hosted by AHDB highlighting the benefits that including clover in your cropping can bring. Clover is a versatile and beneficial crop that plays a crucial role in sustainable agriculture. It improves soil health and fertility and reduces the need for inorganic fertilisers through its remarkable ability to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere, contributing to a more environmentally friendly farming system.

Key Benefits of Clover For Farms

• Nitrogen fixing – 150 – 250kg N/ha per year
• SFI payment of £102/ha under NUM2: Legumes on improved grassland
• Red clover/ryegrass swards are capable of producing 10–14 t DM/ha per year
• Break crop - Red clover has considerable benefits as a break crop in mixed farming situations, thanks to its ability to improve soil structure and soil nitrogen status.
• Improves soil structure
• Higher protein levels of grazing and conserved forage
• Increases of up to 300 litres/cow and rises in milk solids
• Drought resistant
• Reduced use of inorganic fertilisers

Source: Adapted from ADAS and IBERS

How to manage Clover

Clover does need to be managed differently to an all-grass ley: 

It’s best to have a stubble of 5 – 6cm going into the winter but be careful that stock does not bite out the crown of the plant.

A break of 5 – 7 years between growing in the same field.

Pre – grazing cover of 2,800 –2,900kg/DM/ha, be careful of bloat when turning out stock that are not use to clover leys. Early grazing will stimulate growth as clover will start growing at 10 degrees. Aim for a residual of 4cm as the light will promote stolon growth. Clover leys are generally very palatable to stock and have high D value.

Establishing clover top tips

• A clean, firm seedbed, ring-rolled prior to sowing
• Soil pH of 6.0–6.2. If ground conditions permit, apply lime 2–3 weeks before spring N application to fields destined for silage because it can take several months to increase pH throughout the topsoil
• Apply nitrogen fertiliser on soils with low nitrogen status, but only up to 50 kg N/ha
• Apply phosphate and potash if soil indices are below 2
• Optimum seed depth is 5–10 mm, sow into warm soil from April to late July
• For monoculture swards, use 15 kg/ha of seed (6 kg/acre)
• For mixed swards, use 7 kg/ha (3 kg/acre) of red clover and 22 kg/ha (9 kg/acre) of grass

If you would any advise or assistance on introducing Clover within your cropping rotation please contact our UK farm consultants here in Wiltshire at Douglas Green Consulting.

Call our farm consultants on 01666 817278