Week 6 Legumes and MSS Flashcards

Question

Fertilizer N input to grass-only and grass- clover swards and pasture DM production and nutritive value Slide 19 Table

Answer 1

1* ***Clover maintains its digestibility throughout the season * OMD increases from 80 to 82% in PRG v PRG/WC * CP increases from 17 to 21% * @ 60 kg N/ha PRG/WC increased DM production 55% v PRG 2* Intakes are increased * PRG/WC swards vs PRG/high N fertiliser swards Mineral content is increased vs PRG/high N fertiliser swards 3* Reduced need for mineral supplementation

Answer 2

1* Potential to contribute 150kg N/ha year 2* Lower persistency than PRG 3* Needs to be continually replenished in the sward * Mix pelleted clover seed with P,K fertiliser * Spread after 1st cut silage * 1/5th is seeded every year 4* Herbicides and fertiliser N are detrimental to survival 5* Life expectancy of 5 years under good grazing practice

Answer 3

* Persistence * Seasonal supply * Silage quality – higher BC * Bloat * Poaching * Dock control * Herbicides and fertiliser N are detrimental to survival

Answer 4

1* Avoid switching between grass-only and grass-white clover swards. 2* Keep post-grazing sward height at 4 cm, not below. 3* When entering a grass-white clover paddock in risky conditions (high white clover content / hungry animals / wet morning/very lush pasture) provide a small area in the paddock for the first 2-3 hours after turn-out to prevent the initial gorging on white clover. 4* Provide anti-bloating agent in the water supply – starting the day prior to entering the risky paddock. 5* Check cows after initial turnout and regularly for first three hours of grazing during high-risk periods

Answer 5

(1) Direct reseeding (2) Over sowing (3) Promoting the existing sward * Cut out fertilizer N from mid-late April onwards * Tight grazing particularly in autumn, winter and spring * No herbicides

Answer 6

Clover blend : Long grazing season better suited to clover system Remember to look for inclusion level of WC 1.5kg WC/ 12 kg bag seed = 4.63 kg WC/ha

Answer 7

Oversowing: clover is introduced to an existing sward and conditions are then optimised for the establishment of clover in the sward

Answer 8

1* Reseed approx. 10% per year 2* Over sow approx. 15% per year 3* Year 1- reseed 10% & over sow 15% = 25% * Year 2- reseed 10% & over sow 15% = 25% (50%) * Year 3 – reseed 10% & over sow 15% = 25% (75%) * Year 4 - reseed 10% & over sow 15% = 25% (100%) * Year 5 + - on-going process 4* Commercial farm establishment: Clover 150 programme

Answer 9

1-* Ensure soil fertility is correct 2* Sow after silage or a tight grazing late May/early June 3* Spread 2kg/acre (5-6 kg/ha) with 1 bag 0:7:30 4* Mix seed and fertiliser in the field 5* Not advisable to carry >3 acres (1.2 ha) worth of mixture – separation

Answer 10

1* No fertilizer N 2* Graze first between 600-1000 kg DM/ha 3* Next 3 grazing's to low pre-grazing covers of <1100 kg DM/ha 4* Avoid shading of the clover plants - close off with a low cover 5* Only graze during the first full year of establishment

Answer 11

1* Clover safe post emergence sprays more expensive * E.g. Pro-Clova 2* Spray before weeds reach 10cm and after clover seedlings have reached the trifoliate leaf stage 3* Best to kill docks before 100 days of age 4* Dock germination is sporadic 5* Adult dock = 60,000 seeds/year! 6* 1 dock/m2 = 10,000 docks/ha

Answer 12

Favorable: Fertile soils High soil moisture during summer Warm soils High lime status Med – free draining soils (pore spaces)

Answer 13

Water-logged/ very wet Poaching Cold soils Acidic Peaty soils

Answer 14

Max. productivity on medium to free-draining loam soils = majority of soils in Ireland

Answer 15

* 5-year programme * 36 commercial farms * Objectives ➢ Maintain herbage production > 14 T DM/ha ➢ Reduce N fertiliser - < 150 kg N/ha ➢ Reduced N surplus - < 130 kg N/ha and NUE to >40% ➢ Increase clover content - >20% ➢ Maintain farm feed self-sufficiency

Answer 16

1* Ryegrass – preferred species from mid 20th Century 2* Coincided with the large scale development of the fertiliser industry

Answer 17

* Competitive asymmetry * Exclusion of slower growing less invasive species * Competition for light, nutrients etc.

Answer 18

* Hungry – high level of nutrient input required * Low levels of fibre * High levels of easily digestible sugars * Lowering of rumen pH (rumen acidosis) * Laminitis * Ability to provide macro and micro-nutrients is questionable

Answer 19

1. Desire for better seasonal distribution of herbage production 2. Better nutritive value/ grazing preference 3. Greater persistency/ wear tolerance 4. Improved pest and disease tolerance 5. Specialist pasture mixes 6. Opportunity provided by cultivation to remove unwanted species 7. POLICY 8. Costs of fuel, fertilizer and feed

Answer 20

Multispecies swards are swards with combinations of a high level of multi-functionality by the use of diverse plant communities * Increasing species richness has been shown to increase biomass production * N fixation by legumes in the mixture * Higher biomass yield from lower N input * Niche complementarity - Rooting depth - Enhanced usage of available nutrients - Timing of growth * Biodiversity * Sustainable

Answer 21

e.g., grasses, legumes, and forage forbs Characterized by functionally different, but compatible species Range of 3-12 species

Answer 22

High digestibility High yield Positive response to defoliation High in CHO Carry high SR

Answer 23

1-Biological Nitrogen Fixation 2-Improved seasonal distribution of herbage 3-Reduction in fertiliser N 4-High OMD 5-Intakes are increased 6-Biodiversity is enhanced

Answer 24

Improve resource utilization Deep rooting Rich in minerals Reduce parasitic burden Reduce N losses Diet variety Soil structure and composition

Answer 25

* Seasonality * Persistency * Nutritive value * Weed control * Establishment * Grazing management

Answer 26

Dense tussocks up to 1m high Broad flat leaf with smooth surface, Duller green than PRG Deep root system Drought tolerant Inflorescence is a panicle Lower nutrient value Palatable High yielding Responds well to fertiliser Intolerant of wet conditions

Answer 27

* Greater summer and autumn production vs PRG * Inferior nutritive value vs PRG * More widely used as a component of a pasture * Tight grazing important * Deep roots make it suitable for dry land, hill, light soils * Sown with lucerne – improve dryland production * 22t DM/ha with irrigation and high N * 2-3kg/ha mixtures * 6-10kg/ha as sole grass + clover

Answer 28

Found in seed mixtures for heavier more challenging soil types (e.g. peat). Horse mixtures Deep root system Winter hardy Early season growth High yield

Answer 29

* High nutritive value – retains feed quality even when in the seedhead stage * Late to start spring growth but much later flowering than PRG * Traditionally used for haymaking in NA and Northern Europe * Grows best in heavy, highly fertile soils in colder, summer-moist areas * Poor tolerance of dry conditions

Answer 30

* Productive perennial grass suited to fertile, deep, heavy or wetter soils * Extensive root system – tolerant to drought and periodical waterlogging * Summer active group (continental types) cultivars that can grow vigorously in summer, moderately in winter * Summer dormant group (Mediterranean types) little summer growth but strong winter growth * Grazing control in spring should be frequent – prevent excessive seedhead development * Stemmy pastures = poor quality feed * Seedheads difficult to remove by grazing * 15-30kg/ha + clover

Answer 31

Not very common Does not respond well to chemical N Wide leaves produce high quality hay

Answer 32

* Fescue x Perennial Ryegrass * Hybrid performs better than individual components * Versus PRG – winter frost, drought and disease tolerance * Versus Fescue – feed value improvement

Answer 33

* Chicory (Cichorum intybus L.) * Ribgrass/ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.) * Yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.) * Burnet (Sanguisorba minor Scop.) * Sheep’s parsley [Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Fuss] * Cat’s ear dandelion (Hypochoeris radicata L.)

Answer 34

The plants which are normally referred to as herbs are the non-gramineous and non-leguminous plant in a sward mixture. Certain herbs, in particular chicory (Cichorium intybus), plantain/ribgrass (Plantago lanceolata), salad burnet (Poterium sanguisorba), sheep’s parsley (Petro crispum) and yarrow (Achillea millefolium) are regarded as being mineral rich and deep rooting, thereby adding essential variety to the animals diet and improving soil structure and composition.

Answer 35

* Narrow leaf plantain is a perennial herb * Deep tap root * Rosette of broad leaves produced from crown * Seedheads produced in summer – low palatability * Good establishment – 1-2kg/ha in pasture mix * Similar yield to PRG – winter activity * Possible anthelmintic properties * High mineral content * Reduce N excretion

Answer 36

* Short lived perennial herb * Tap root * Large leaves * Flowering stem is 1.5 – 2m tall

Answer 37

* Early Spring/summer growth and activity and dormant in winter * 10 t/ha leaf mass * High energy crop (high feeding value) * Leaf 85% DMD * Stem 50-64% DMD * Pasture mix 1kg/ha * Requires high fertility soils (N) * Grows well with white clover and red clover * Persists best in light free draining soils * Drought resistant and can tolerate higher temperatures * Associated with reducing faecal egg counts * Mineral rich * Persists for 2–4 years

Answer 38

* Produce similar or greater herbage DM yields at reduced N * Greater resource use efficiencies * Varies depending on species mixture * Inclusion of herbs e.g. Chicory * Increasing the number of species ≠ increased herbage accumulation

Answer 39

"PRGWC, 6S and 9S swards produced similar annual herbage DM from lower N inputs to PRG swards"

Answer 40

(min spent over 1 hour)

Answer 41

* Milk production was significantly increased +1.20 kg/d * Milk solids yield increase from between +11-24 kg MS/cow with inclusion of clover and herbs * Lambs suckling ewes (grazed 6 species sward) + 18% higher GR AND 2.4kg higher liveweight at weaning * Lambs slaughtered 2 weeks earlier * Lower parasitic loads in lambs and reduced dosing requirements * Cattle grazing had increased ADG and finished 4-5 weeks earlier * Reduced carbon footprint by 15%

Answer 42

1-* Weed management ➢ No available herbicide for MSS ➢ Pre sowing control, dense swards 2-* Forage conservation and quality ➢ Herbs have low DM concentration ➢ Poorer fermentation and nutritive value when analysed* 3-* Plant animal interactions ➢ Animal species preference (over/under grazing) ➢ Grazing management practices ➢ Bloat 4-* Forb persistence ➢ 3 years ➢ Re-establishment options ➢ Development of grazing tolerant herb species