Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rcrh6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-27T17:27:36.835Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Nitrogen and white clover impacts on the management of perennial ryegrass–clover swards for grazing cattle

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 October 2017

J. McDONAGH ,
T. J. GILLILAND ,
M. McEVOY ,
L. DELABY  and
M. O'DONOVAN
J. McDONAGH
Affiliation:
Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Moorepark, Co Cork, Ireland Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University, Belfast, N. Ireland
T. J. GILLILAND
Affiliation:
Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University, Belfast, N. Ireland Agri-Food & Biosciences Institute, Hillsborough BT26 5DR, N. Ireland
M. McEVOY
Affiliation:
Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Moorepark, Co Cork, Ireland
L. DELABY
Affiliation:
Institut National de Recherche Agronomique, Agrocampus Ouest, UMR 1348, Physiologie, Environement et Génétique Pour l'Animal et les Systémes d'Elevage, F-35590 Saint Gilles, France
M. O'DONOVAN*
Affiliation:
Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Moorepark, Co Cork, Ireland
*
*To whom all correspondence should be addressed. Email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Perennial ryegrass and white clover (WC) have been shown to form compatible mixtures for pasture production under temperate climates. The inclusion of WC has the potential to enhance the performance of grass swards, but the extent of the improvement under contrasting grazing management strategies is unclear. Grazing rotation and fertilizer nitrogen (N) use have been identified as two major factors that can influence the performance of grass–clover swards. The objective of the current study was to examine the effect of differing grazing rotation lengths and the level of N application on the dry matter (DM) yield performance of grass–clover and grass-only swards as well as on WC productivity and persistency under animal grazing. Swards were managed by N application and grazing rotation length: High-N swards were managed on a 21-day grazing rotation (Man 1) and low-N swards were managed on a 30-day grazing rotation (Man 2). The four treatments were: 250 kg N/ha without WC (HN−C), 250 kg N/ha with WC (HN+C), 100 kg N/ha N without WC (LN−C) and 100 kg N/ha with WC (LN+C). There was a significant management × WC interaction over the 3 years for annual DM yield. The LN−C swards produced lower DM yield (−1917 kg DM/ha) than the swards of the other three treatments (11 167 kg DM/ha). Management had a significant effect on annual DM yield with Man 1 swards yielding 801 kg DM/ha more than Man 2 swards (10 288 kg DM/ha). The inclusion of WC yielded significantly more annual DM yield (+1009 kg DM/ha) than grass-only swards. Notably, LN+C produced the same annual total DM yield as swards under High N and a 21-day grazing rotation. Total WC DM yield and proportion across the year was altered significantly by management. Higher N fertilized swards at shorter grazing intervals had a lower WC DM yield (−1544 kg DM/ha) and proportion (−0·13). Dry matter yield of WC with low N application can be similar to that at high N levels if rotation length is used as a mechanism to determine grazing timing. Variations in WC productivity into the final year of the experiment indicate that persistence of significant contributions to DM yield by WC under low N at longer grazing intervals remains unclear after 3 years.

Type
Crops and Soils Research Papers
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 155 , Issue 9 , November 2017 , pp. 1381 - 1393
Check for updates
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Andrews, M., Scholefield, D., Abberton, M. T., McKenzie, B. A., Hodge, S. & Raven, J. A. (2007). Use of white clover as an alternative to nitrogen fertiliser for dairy pastures in nitrate vulnerable zones in the UK: productivity, environmental impact and economic considerations. Annals of Applied Biology 151, 11–23.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Black, A. D., Laidlaw, A. S., Moot, D. J. & O'Kiely, P. (2009). Comparative growth and management of white and red clovers. Irish Journal of Agricultural and Food Research 48, 149–166.Google Scholar
Brock, J. L. & Hay, M. J. M. (1996). A review of the role of grazing management on the growth and performance of white clover cultivars in lowland New Zealand pastures. In White Clover: New Zealand's Competitive Edge (Ed. Woodfield, D. R.), pp. 65–70. Agronomy Society of New Zealand Special Publication No. 11/Grassland Research and Practice Series No. 6. Palmerston North, New Zealand: New Zealand Grassland Association.Google Scholar
Camlin, M. S. (1981). Competitive effects between ten cultivars of perennial ryegrass and three cultivars of white clover grown in association. Grass & Forage Science 36, 169–178.Google Scholar
Clark, D. A. & Harris, S. L. (1996). White clover or nitrogen fertilizer for dairying? In White Clover: New Zealand's Competitive Edge (Ed. Woodfield, D. R.), pp. 107–114. Agronomy Society of New Zealand Special Publication No. 11/Grassland Research and Practice Series No. 6. Palmerston North, New Zealand: New Zealand Grassland Association.Google Scholar
Crush, J. R., Cosgrove, G. P. & Brougham, R. W. (1982). The effect of nitrogen fertiliser on clover nitrogen fixation in an intensively grazed Manawatu pasture. New Zealand Journal of Experimental Agriculture 10, 395–399.Google Scholar
Davies, A. (1992). White clover. Biologist 39, 129–133.Google Scholar
Davies, A. & Evans, M. E. (1990). Effects of spring defoliation and fertilizer nitrogen on the growth of white clover in ryegrass/clover swards. Grass and Forage Science 45, 345–356.Google Scholar
Edwards, G. R. & Chapman, D. F. (2011). Plant responses to defoliation and relationships with pasture persistence. In Pasture Persistence (Ed. Mercer, C. F.), pp. 39–46. Grassland Research and Practice Series 15. Dunedin, New Zealand: New Zealand Grassland Association.Google Scholar
Egan, M. J., Lynch, M. B. & Hennessy, D. (2015). Herbage and milk production from a grass-only sward and grass white clover swards in an intensive grass-based system. Grassland Science in Europe 20, 93–95.Google Scholar
Elgersma, A. & Hassink, J. (1997). Effects of white clover (Trifolium repens L.). on plant and soil nitrogen and soil organic matter in mixtures with perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). Plant & Soil 197, 177–186.Google Scholar
Elgersma, A., Schlepers, H. & Nassiri, M. (2000). Interactions between perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and white clover (Trifolium repens L.) under contrasting nitrogen availability: productivity, seasonal patterns of species composition, N2 fixation, N transfer and N recovery. Plant and Soil 221, 281–299.Google Scholar
Enriquez-Hidalgo, D. (2014). Strategies to optimise white clover (Trifolium repens L.) content in grass white clover swards to consistently replace inorganic nitrogen in grazing systems. PhD Thesis. Queens University, Belfast, UK.Google Scholar
Evans, D. R., Williams, T. A., Jones, S. & Evans, S. A. (1998). The effect of cutting and intensive grazing managements on sward components of contrasting ryegrass and white clover types when grown in mixtures. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 130, 317–322.Google Scholar
Frame, J. & Boyd, A. G. (1987). The effect of fertilizer nitrogen rate, white clover variety and closeness of cutting on herbage productivity from perennial ryegrass/white clover swards. Grass and Forage Science 42, 85–96.Google Scholar
Frame, J. & Newbould, P. (1986). Agronomy of white clover. Advances in Agronomy 40, 1–88.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gibb, M. (2007). Grassland management with emphasis on grazing behaviour. In Fresh Herbage for Dairy Cattle: the Key to a Sustainable Food Chain (Eds Elgersma, A., Dijkstra, J. & Tamminga, S.), pp. 141–157. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer.Google Scholar
Gilliland, T. J. & Meehan, E. J. (2014). Grass and Clover: Recommended Varieties for Northern Ireland 2014/15 . Belfast, UK: Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland.Google Scholar
Goulas, E., Le Dily, F., Teissedre, L., Corbel, G., Robin, C. & Ourry, A. (2001). Vegetative storage proteins in white clover (Trifolium repens L.): quantitative and qualitative features. Annals of Botany 88, 789–795.Google Scholar
Gowen, N., O'Donovan, M., Casey, I., Rath, M., Delaby, L. & Stakelum, G. (2003). The effect of grass cultivars differing in heading date and ploidy on the performance and dry matter intake of spring calving dairy cows at pasture. Animal Research 52, 321–336.Google Scholar
Harris, D. (1987). Population dynamics and competition. In White Clover (Eds Baker, M. J. & Williams, W. M.), pp. 203–298. Wallingford, UK: CAB International.Google Scholar
Harris, W. (1973). Competition among pasture plants: IV. Cutting frequency, nitrogen and phosphorus interactions, and competition between two ryegrass cultivars. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 16, 399–413.Google Scholar
Harris, S. L. & Clark, D. A. (1996). Effect of high rates of nitrogen fertiliser on white clover growth, morphology, and nitrogen fixation activity in grazed dairy pasture in northern New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 39, 149–158.Google Scholar
Harris, W. & Thomas, V. J. (1973). Competition among pasture plants. 3. Effects of frequency and height of cutting on competition between white clover and two ryegrass cultivars. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 16, 49–59.Google Scholar
Haystead, A. (1993). Nitrogen fixation and transfer. In Sward Measurement Handbook, 2nd edn. (Eds Davies, A., Baker, R. D., Grant, S. A. & Laidlaw, A. S.), pp. 245–264. Reading: British Grassland Society.Google Scholar
Hennessy, D., O'Donovan, M., French, P. & Laidlaw, A. S. (2008). Manipulation of herbage production by altering the pattern of applying nitrogen fertilizer. Grass and Forage Science 63, 152–166.Google Scholar
Hennessy, D., Enriquez-Hidalgo, D., O'Donovan, M. & Gilliland, T. J. (2012). Effect of N fertilizer application rate on herbage production and sward clover proportions in grazed grass clover plots. In Grassland – a European Resource? (Eds Goliński, P., Warda, M. & Stypiński, P.), pp. 124–127. Grassland Science in Europe 17. Poznań, Poland: Polish Grassland Society.Google Scholar
Hoglind, M. & Frankow-Lindberg, B. (1998). Growing point dynamics and spring growth of white clover in a mixed sward and the effects of nitrogen application. Grass and Forage Science 53, 338–345.Google Scholar
Kirwan, L., Luscher, A., Sebastia, M. T., Finn, J. A., Collins, R. P., Porqueddu, C., Helgadottir, A., Baadshaug, O. H., Brophy, C., Coran, C., Dalmannsdóttir, S., Delgado, I., Elgersma, A., Fothergill, M., Frankow-Lindberg, B. E., Golinski, P., Grieu, P., Gustavsson, A. M., Höglind, M., Huguenin-Elie, O., Iliadis, C., Jørgensen, M., Kadziuliene, Z., Karyotis, T., Lunnan, T., Malengier, M., Maltoni, S., Meyer, V., Nyfeler, D., Nykanen-Kurki, P., Parente, J., Smit, H. J., Thumm, U. & Connolly, J. (2007). Evenness drives consistent diversity effects in intensive grassland systems across 28 European sites. Journal of Ecology 95, 530–539.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kleen, J., Taube, F. & Gierus, M. (2011). Agronomic performance and nutritive value of forage legumes in binary mixtures with perennial ryegrass under different defoliation systems. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 149, 73–84.Google Scholar
Kristensen, E. S., Høgh-Jensen, H. & Kristensen, I. S. (1995). A simple model for estimation of atmospherically derived nitrogen in grass-clover systems. Biological Agriculture and Horticulture 12, 263–276.Google Scholar
Laidlaw, A. (1984). Quantifying the effect of nitrogen fertilizer applications in spring on white clover content in perennial ryegrass-white clover swards. Grass and Forage Science 39, 317–321.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ledgard, S. F. & Steele, K. W. (1992). Biological nitrogen fixation in mixed legume/grass pastures. Plant and Soil 141, 137–153.Google Scholar
Ledgard, S. F., Sprosen, M. S., Steele, K. W. & West, C. P. (1995). Productivity of white clover cultivars under intensive grazing, as affected by high nitrogen fertiliser application. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 38, 473–482.Google Scholar
Ledgard, S. F., Sprosen, M. S., Penno, J. W. & Rajendram, G. S. (2001). Nitrogen fixation by white clover in pastures grazed by dairy cows: temporal variation and effects of nitrogen fertilization. Plant and Soil 229, 177–187.Google Scholar
Luscher, A., Mueller-Harvery, I., Soussana, J. F., Rees, R. M. & Peyraud, J. L. (2014). Potential of legume-based grassland–livestock systems in Europe: a review. Grass and Forage Science 69, 206–228.Google Scholar
McCarthy, B., Dineen, M., Guy, C., Coughlan, F. & Gilliland, T. J. (2015). The effect of tetraploid and diploid perennial ryegrass swards sown with and without clover on milk and herbage production. Grassland Science in Europe 20, 259–261.Google Scholar
McEvoy, M., O'Donovan, M. & Shalloo, L. (2011). Development and application of an economic ranking index for perennial ryegrass cultivars. Journal of Dairy Science 94, 1627–1639.Google Scholar
McKenzie, F. R., Jacobs, J. L., Riffkin, P., Kearney, G. & McCaskill, M. (2003). Long-term effects of multiple applications of nitrogen fertilizer on grazed dryland perennial ryegrass/white clover dairy pastures in south-west Victoria. 1. Nitrogen fixation by white clover. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 54, 461–469.Google Scholar
Nolan, T. & Grennan, E. J. (1998). Effect of Grazing Management on the Maintenance of White Clover. End of Project Report; Sheep Series. Oak Park, Carlow, Ireland: Teagasc.Google Scholar
O'Donovan, M., Delaby, L., Stakelum, G. & Dillon, P. (2004). Effect of autumn/spring nitrogen application date and level on dry matter production and nitrogen efficiency in perennial ryegrass swards. Irish Journal of Agricultural and Food Research 43, 31–41.Google Scholar
Parsons, A. J., Edwards, G. R., Newton, P. C. D., Chapman, D. F., Caradus, J. R., Rasmussen, S. & Rowarth, J. S. (2011). Past lessons and future prospects: plant breeding for yield and persistence in cool-temperate pastures. Grass and Forage Science 66, 153–172.Google Scholar
Phelan, P., Casey, I. A. & Humphreys, J. (2013). The effect of target postgrazing height on sward clover content, herbage yield, and dairy production from grass-white clover pasture. Journal of Dairy Science 96, 1598–1611.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
SAS (2011). SAS User's Guide: Statistics. Cary, NC: SAS Inst. Inc.Google Scholar
Schwinning, S. & Parsons, A. J. (1996). A spatially explicit population model of stoloniferous N-fixing legumes in mixed pastures with grass. Journal of Ecology 84, 815–826.Google Scholar
Svenning, M. M., Røsnes, K. & Junttila, O. (1997). Frost tolerance and biochemical changes during hardening and dehardening in contrasting white clover populations. Physiologia Plantarum 101, 31–37.Google Scholar
Thompson, L. (1995). Sites of photoperception in white clover. Grass and Forage Science 50, 259–262.Google Scholar
Tow, P. G. & Lazenby, A. (2001). Competition and Succession in Pastures. Wallingford, Oxon, UK: CAB International.Google Scholar
Ulyatt, M. J. (1985). Pasture composition and animal production. In Ruminant Physiology: Concepts and Consequences (Eds Baker, S. K., Gawthorne, J. M., Mackintosh, J. B. & Purser, D. B.), pp. 195–203. Perth, Australia: University of Western Australia.Google Scholar
Whitehead, D. C. (1995). Grassland Nitrogen. Wallingford, UK: CAB International.Google Scholar
Wilkins, P. W. & Humphreys, M. O. (2003). Progress in breeding perennial forage grasses for temperate agriculture. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 140, 129–150.Google Scholar
Williams, T. A., Evans, D. R., Rhodes, I. & Abberton, M. T. (2003). Long-term performance of white clover varieties grown with perennial ryegrass under rotational grazing by sheep with different nitrogen applications. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 140, 151–159.Google Scholar
Wilman, D. & Hollington, P. (1985). Effects of white clover and fertilizer nitrogen on herbage production and chemical composition and soil water. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 104, 453–467.Google Scholar
Woodfield, D. R. & Clark, D. A. (2009). Do forage legumes have a role in modern dairy farming systems? Irish Journal of Agricultural and Food Research 48, 137–147.Google Scholar
Yu, Y. W., Nan, Z. B. & Matthew, C. (2008). Population relationships of perennial ryegrass and white clover mixtures under differing grazing intensities. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 124, 40–50.Google Scholar