Variability of herbage production in mixed leys as related to ley age and environmental factors: a farm survey

Abstract

Influences of ley age, soil properties, and geographical location on the herbage production of red clover-grass leys were determined under practical conditions on 27 organic farms located in the southern and in the northwestern coastal regions of Finland. Averaged over one-, two-, and three-year-old leys the accumulated first and second cuts produced 7.12 t dry matter herbage ha-1 year-1, with a clover proportion of 34.8%. Herbage production declined with increasing ley age. The average proportion of clover increased from 26.4% in the first to 43.7% in the second cut but decreased with ley age. Within- and between-field variations of clover proportions markedly decreased from the first to the second cut and strongly increased with ley age, while changes in the variations of herbage production were less pronounced. Within-field variations of clover proportions in the first and in the second cuts were higher at lower proportions of clover. Herbage production was positively related with clover proportion. Soil properties had a major impact on clover proportion and herbage production, largely explaining also regional differences in ley growth. Amelioration of fields and, not at least, of less fertile sites within the same field seems to be a crucial requirement for higher and more even clover proportions and herbage yields.;

Phytoestrogens and Their Metabolites in Bulk-Tank Milk: Effects of Farm Management and Season

“…Herbage botanical composition was estimated before first cut in 2007. In organic farming, red clover often makes up a higher proportion in the herbage yield of the second cut than of the first cut [ 33 ]. Therefore, red clover intake was most likely higher on ORG-farms than what could have been expected based on the botanical composition before the first cut.…”

Protein characteristics in grass–clover silages according to wilting rate and fermentation pattern

“…The herbage harvested in the two successive cuts of the grass–clover ley in the present study, regarding the disproportionate content of clover, CP and ME, was typical for organic or low N‐input forage production in temperate regions (Kunelius et al ., ; Riesinger and Herzon, ; Steinshamn and Thuen, ; Eriksen et al ., ). The results from the experiments are, therefore, relevant for silage production and feeding on these types of commercial farms.…”

Contribution of High Nature Value farming systems to sustainable livestock production: A case from Finland

“…To avoid double counting in the UAA, we included cover crops as a percentage of legumes and adapted the corresponding yield for the field. We assumed 34% of legumes in grass-clover silage fields and 21% of legumes in semi-natural grasslands (Riesinger and Herzon, 2008).…”