Cotswold Grass Seeds - White Clover Grazing Leys

Use
White clover can be cut or grazed. It lasts longer than red clover although it is lower yielding. Its lower growth habit makes it suited to grazing and this is its main use. The aim is to produce a sward which contains 30-50% white clover and the right balance of clover to grass throughout the year. White clover leys are equally suitable for cows or sheep. Where possible allow an interval of about 35 days between defoliation. This gap allows this legume to perform. Most of its nitrogen is fixed during the later stages of growth and therefore early defoliation restricts nitrogen fixation. Also we have encountered less bloat on mature swards. Dry matter yields of white clover leys are in the range of 10-13 t/ha. Without using any applied nitrogen, high clover leys can achieve the same production as conventional systems.

Variety
There is a large range of white clovers available. White clovers are classified by leaf size. In general terms, the smaller the leaf, the more tolerant of close grazing. The medium leaved varieties are more productive especially when cut for silage or hay. Although large leaved strains give slightly higher yields they are less persistant when grazed and are therefore for specialist use only. We advise the use of the following varieties:

Variety	Leaf Size	Price/Kg
Barblanca	Large	£6.90
Aberpearl	Medium	£6.90
Crusader	Medium	£8.05
Aberherald	Medium	£6.90
S184	V. Small	£11.50

Sowing & Establishment
Sow between March and September. White clover seeds are small and will benefit from shallow sowing. A very firm seed bed is required and the clover must be sown on the surface. (You should be able to ride a bicycle across the field before sowing!) Rolling at least once after sowing is strongly recommended. If undersowing do not choose a thick crop. This will result in failure. A thinly sown spring cereal is ideal. The seeds are best sown by broadcasting using a spinner. If sowing in the autumn, aim to sow by mid September.

12.00 kg per acre £38.25 (30 kg/ha £95.63)

2.00 kg certified ABEREXCEL or similar tet.hybrid ryegrass
3.00 kg certified CALIBRA tet. perennial ryegrass
2.50 kg certified ABERSTAR perennial ryegrass
3.00 kg certified DUNLUCE tet. perennial ryegrass
0.60 kg certified ABERHERALD white clover
0.60 kg certified CRUSADER white clover
0.30 kg certified BARBLANCA white clover

Ref. MIXCGO2
Designed specifically for the dairy farmer wishing to produce silage and high quality grazing. This ley has an open growth habit allowing the white clover plenty of space to exploit. Including Aberystwyth ryegrass and white clovers this mixture is principally intended to be grazed by the dairy cow.
N.B. For sheep grazing use ’POCHON’ Persistent below.

‘POCHON’ Dairy
Two-Four Year Silage/Grazing Ley

12.00 kg per acre £39.51 (30 kg/ha £98.78)

2.50 kg certified TWYSTAR perennial ryegrass
2.50 kg certified PORTRUSH perennial ryegrass
3.00 kg certified ORION tetraploid perennial ryegrass
2.50 kg certified DUNLUCE tet. perennial ryegrass
0.60 kg certified ABERPEARL white clover
0.60 kg certified ABERHERALD white clover
0.30 kg certified S184 wild white clover

Ref. MIXCGO1
Now in its twenty first year, Pochon has proved very successful on a wide range of conventional and organic farms. Suitable for taking a cut of silage, but mainly for rotational grazing. The mixture includes the very best strains of high yielding white clovers from Aberystwyth. Excellent mid-summer production without artificial fertiliser. Based on the ideas of M Pochon.

‘POCHON’ Persistent
Long Term Grazing Ley