20 November 2024

Early positives from Derrypatrick’s clover systems study

Research ongoing in the Derrypatrick herd located at Teagasc Grange is examining the role clover – both red and white – can play in efficient suckler calf-to-beef production systems.

As part of the Teagasc National Beef Conference, held on Tuesday, November 19, Research Officer in the Teagasc Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Grange, Dr Peter Doyle provided an overview of the work underway and shared insights into the performance achieved in the first cycle of a multi-year study.

Exploring the topic of ‘the impact of red and white clover on animal performance in suckler calf-to-beef production systems’, Dr Doyle said: “We know that by incorporating red and white clover onto the farm, we can certainly reduce our dependence on fertiliser nitrogen. From a suckler calf-to-beef context, however, we are not quite sure of the effect of clover inclusion on cattle performance, liveweight gain and reductions to the age of finish.”

To provide clarity on these aspects and as a follow on from a trial in Teagasc Grange which examined the impact of grazing yearling cattle on either grass-only or grass-white clover swards through to finish, a systems study got underway in Teagasc Grange in the spring of 2023.

“The objectives of this experiment,” Dr Doyle explained, “are to evaluate the performance of suckler cattle on a grass-only compared to a grass-clover based production system from birth-to-finish.

“The experiment’s main objectives are to develop a low nitrogen input, high clover system, achieve a young age of finish from low concentrate input, and to see what’s possible to achieve and to provide guidance to farmers.”

Early results

The study underway in the Derrypatrick herd – a suckler herd consisting of 80 suckler cows and stocked under 170kg of organic N per hectare – will entail three production cycles in all. The first cycle’s data were shared with attendees of the Teagasc National Beef Conference.

Angus and Charolais sires were selected on the basis of carcass weight, slaughter age, carcass fatness and calving ease. At birth, the Angus and Charolais calves were assigned to one of two treatments; grass-only or grass-clover, with animals remaining under either system for life.

Calves assigned to the grass-only group were grazed on a grass-only sward for the first grazing season, along with their dam, to the point of weaning. At housing, these animals were offered grass silage and 1.5kg of concentrate per day, before being returned to grass-only swards and finished off grass at 19-20 months of age with no concentrates at finishing.

On the other hand, calves assigned to the grass-clover treatment were grazed on grass-white clover swards until weaning before moving onto a diet of grass-red clover silage and 1.5kg of concentrates over the winter months, and returning to graze grass-white clover swards over the second grazing season.

Although only presenting one cycle’s data from animals commencing the study in the spring of 2023 and admitting that further verification will be required through replication of the trial over two more cycles, Dr Doyle noted that the early initial results are positive.

In 2023, both systems produced similar quantities of herbage dry matter. The clover farmlet (grass-white clover grazing ground and grass-red clover silage swards combined) grew 12.1t of DM/ha from a chemical nitrogen input of 67kg N/ha, whereas the grass-only farmlet grew the same herbage with a higher chemical nitrogen input of 134kg N/ha.

Of note were the improvements in weight gain witnessed from the beef cattle in the grass-clover treatment, being 10kg heavier at weaning, 13kg at the start of the winter housing period, and 27kg heavier than their counterparts at the start of the second grazing season. This increase in weight gain was maintained throughout the second grazing season, resulting in the animals on the grass-clover treatment producing an 18kg heavier carcasses at the point of sale, equating to an extra €113 in carcass value per animal.

Table 1: Effect of grass-only or grass-clover production system on growth and carcass traits of heifers and steers during the 2023/24 production cycle.

Apart from weight gain, carcass fatness at the point of sale was also examined, with Dr Doyle commenting: “The steers under the grass-clover treatment produced 630kg live weight, 340kg carcass and a fat score 3- at 19.5 months. What’s interesting is this level of performance was achieved from no meal input during the finishing phase. Only 265kg concentrates was fed per head from pre-weaning to the end of the first winter. All of the Angus and Charolais heifers and Angus steers were finished off grass with no meal. 70% of the Charolais steers under the grass-clover treatment hit the spec for carcass fatness at 19.5 months.

“By using a good functional cow and selecting for specific genetic traits that complement the system with the inclusion of clovers and very good grazing management, we can get very good animal performance and we can finish those animals at a young age.”

 “Incorporating white clover and red clover into a suckler calf-to-beef system increases liveweight gain by a considerable amount and it also reduced our fertiliser nitrogen costs. It is very much a positive and a win-win situation.”

Although the above are only from one cycle in the system Dr Doyle noted that further results will be shared as they become available in future years. Data on cow milk production, methane and nitrate leaching will also be examined as part of this study.

For farmers who were unable to attend the Teagasc National Beef Conference, a recording of Dr Doyle’s presentation is available to view below, where he also provides management tips for red clover, bloat control and strategies to establish clover:

Dr Doyle’s full paper to the Teagasc National Beef Conference is available to read here.