Home Forage Reduce the cost of milk by 1 eurocent with clover

Reduce the cost of milk by 1 eurocent with clover

The cost of producing milk can be reduced by using clover in a meadow. Clover is an excellent alternative to administering expensive nitrogen. This is because of the clover plant’s nitrogen fixation properties and its ability, in conjunction with Rhizobium bacteria, to convert this into nitrogen that benefits grass. In turn, the grass provides extra protein.

 

According to a calculation in the article 'Nitrogen source with bonus for the cut and cow’ (Stikstofbron met plus voor knip en koe) published in the ‘Boerderij’ magazine on 11 August 2015, clover reduces the price of producing milk by 1 cent per litre.

Tips for a successful grass-clover meadow

For the best results, the proportion of clover in a meadow should be between 30% and 50%. 50% Alice white clover in a meadow fixes 150 kilos of nitrogen from the air. You can change the percentage of clover share in a meadow. Cut the grass shorter (4 cm) if you want more clover, or set the mower higher (7 cm) to decrease the percentage of clover.

 

Read more tips about successfully creating and maintaining a clover meadow here.

 

Klaver verlaagt de kostprijs van de melk

Sow right now

The best time to sow clover in existing meadows is until 15 September. The soil temperature is now excellent, and there’s enough moisture for seeds to germinate well. A weeding harrow or Vredo are excellent for sowing clover. Cut the meadow short first, and do not sow the clover seed too deeply (3 mm). If there are lots of bare patches in the meadow, you can add 10 kg of grass seed.

Advice & Purchasing

Barenbrug’s products & advice are available at our specialist dealers. To contact Barenbrug, please fill in the contact form.

back