Clarence Bridge trial - visit 3/4/2017

Adult beef cattle were grazing the trial on this visit.
Available pasture would be described as very good, compared to the 2 previous dry autumns.

Clovers

Nomad white clover, invaded by white clover and suckling clover.
Relish clover, very few plants survived the dry years.
Rubitas red clover, a remarkable turnaround, good plant numbers.
Runner II Lucerne, Plant numbers stable under insect attack.
Caucasian, Gland, Arrotas, Cefalu, Lusa all annuals, plants not evident.
Strawberry clover, very strong, excellent plant numbers.
Sub clovers, plants not evident.

Annual clovers may well grow and show in spring. Spring is their time of production, a cool moist summer has created a lot of competition for young seedlings to develop in.

Grasses

Aberdart and Samson ryegrass, now invaded by browntop.
Savvy cocksfoot, strong and palatable the sowing rate of 8 kg/ha now driven all clovers from the plot.
Megatas and Uplands cocksfoot, sown 3 kg/ha good levels of legumes present.
Kahu timothy, take a bow, well grazed clover friendly.
Maru phalaris, clover friendly improved from previous visit.
Easton tall fescue, well grazed, good clover base.
Prosper tall fescue, not as well grazed as Easton, good clover base.
Gala grazing brome, mostly disappeared, browntop invading.
Exceltas coloured brome, not as palatable as timothy, well grown yet clover levels reasonable.

What have we learned, high sowing rates on any single species within a pasture mix impedes the survival of the other species namely clover, in this trial Exceltas and Savvy show us this.
Hard grazing of the above species is best management once established.

Bruce