Subterranean clover comes into its own in spring and Beef + Lamb New Zealand has a number of resources to help farmers make the most of this powerhouse legume.
At this time of year, subterranean (sub) clover will be apparent in many dryland pastures, particularly on east coast hill country, and can be used to drive ewe lactation and pre-weaning lamb growth rates.
As an annual legume, sub clover produces significantly more dry matter in early spring than perennial legumes such as white clover or lucerne and if managed correctly, sub clover can make up 50 percent of a dryland pasture in September and October.
This means more lambs can be finished earlier, freeing up feed resources for when pasture growth slows in summer.
But to build plant populations, sub clover does have specific management requirements, and as outlined in B+LNZ’s Using Subterranean Clover Fact Sheet, this includes spelling pastures for two to three weeks or longer (up to six weeks) in late spring to allow the sub clover plants to set seed.
To determine resident clover populations, counting the number of plants on a walk through a paddock will indicate whether the correct management will help increase the population or the paddock will need oversowing in autumn.
If there is more than one clover plant every second step when walking uphill, then spelling and careful grazing management will be sufficient to increase the population. If there is less than this, then over-sowing will be necessary.
After spelling in late spring, cattle should be used to limit grass seed production. It is important not to let sheep back into spelled paddocks as they will target the sub clover runners and reduce clover seed production.
The blocks can be grazed as normal over summer, with the aim of reducing the pasture mass to 700kg DM/ha by the end of February. This open pasture will aid sub clover germination after autumn rain.
More information
- Using Subterranean Clover (PDF, 350KB).
- Grazing management to encourage sub clover in dryland pastures (PDF, 397KB).
And ask your sub clover questions of Bella, B+LNZ’s digital assistant powered by AI, at www.AskBella.co.nz