There is now evidence that Irish dairy farmers have used both the Tillage Incentive Scheme and Protein Aid Scheme as means of boosting their overall feed self-sufficiency levels.
Both 2022 and 2023 saw a significant increase in the area of forage crops, including red clover and maize, grown on both owned and rented land.
It is an approach that is helping to reduce the quantities of bought-in compounds, from both an energy and protein perspective.
Red clover on Tipperary farm
Denis Bergin milks 170 spring cows with his wife Teresa and son David at Kilbragh, Cashel, Co Tipperary.
Last year the cows averaged 580kg of milk solids (ms) per cow.
12 months ago, the family committed to establishing a red clover / perennial ryegrass sward. The legume grows well under Irish conditions, producing large overall and bespoke protein yields.
“We used 15ac of ground for the project with the grass/clover crop sown out on 28 April, Denis explained.
“No bagged nitrogen was applied; cattle slurry was the only fertiliser source throughout the season.
“Red clover swards are capable of delivering four cuts in a full season. Last year, we managed to get three cuts ensiled,” he said.
The seed mix sown out comprised 7.5kg of perennial ryegrass; 4kg of red clover and 0.5kg of white clover per hectare.
Last year’s cutting dates were July 11, September 4 and October 16.
David Bergin further explained:
“We baled each of the three crops. Our plan was to give the cut forage as close to a 24-hour wilt as possible,” David Bergin added.
“That proved difficult enough, given last year’s weather conditions.
“We also took the decision to use an inoculant on each crop. To make that happen, we attached a sprayer to the back of a quad and, literally, went up and down the swathes of cut forage in the field. And we got tremendous results by taking this approach.”
According to Denis and David, the red clover swards yielded the equivalent of 18-20t of dry matter (DM) per hectare last year.
He commented: “Opting to make baled silage gave us the flexibility we needed when it came to feed out. It’s also an approach that offers a better fermentation process with a sensitive crop, such as red clover.
“Our plan was to buffer feed the silage to the cows in the late autumn and early spring. And we were truly delighted with the results.
“We opened up the bales at the beginning of October, feeding them at a rate of two per day to the milking group.”
Denis said the effect was immediate, finding that the cows retained a healthy milk output well into the autumn, despite the very wet weather and challenging conditions.
“We also buffer fed the red clover silage to the early spring calvers this year, again with equally encouraging results. We had no waste at all from any of the bales,” Denis explained.
Forage maize feed
Stephen Farrell milks 280 spring calving Holstein Friesian cows at Mount Congreve, near Kilmeaden in Co. Waterford. He farms with his wife Catherine. The herd was established in 2020.
Last year the Farrell herd produced 1.4 million litres of milk. Stephen’s plan is to produce more milk per cow using home-produced feed.
“With the farm being effectively landlocked, the decision was taken to grow forage maize for the first time last year,” he explained.
“Maize is a high energy feed source that can deliver improved dry matter intakes and milk out in early lactation.
“Ground used to grow maize is also a very effective sump for the slurry that we have on the farm.”
Following a late spring establishment, Stephen managed to harvest 32ac of forage maize, grown under plastic, at the beginning November last year.
The first of two silos was opened for the 2024 fresh calvers on January 24.
“We are already seeing a major difference in cow performance, possibly up by 2L per cow day, relative to 2023,” Stephen confirmed.
The fresh calvers at Mount Congreve are currently receiving a total mixed ration comprising equal parts grass and maize silage. Each component is fed at an equal rate of 20kg freshweight per head per day.
Straw is added to the mix at the rate of 1kg/head/day. The cows are also receiving 6kg/head of concentrates per day, fed in parlour.
“The current diet is delivering 21kg of dry matter per head per day. As grass becomes more available, the plan is to have it replace the concentrates fed on a progressive basis,” Stephen continued.
“There is enough forage maize ensiled to keep this feeding regime maintained until the beginning of May.”
Seed
Both the seed and agronomy required to progress both these forage crop options were provided by Clonmel-based Star Fuels.
The company’s Ray Connolly was a recent visitor to both the Bergin and Farrell farms.
“Red clover has tremendous potential in terms of its ability to increase home-produced protein supplies on dairy and livestock farms,” Ray Connolly said.
“It is also a legume, which means that it can fix nitrogen from the air and deliver it direct to a growing crop.
“However, making this work requires soil pH values to be on or above 6.5. Making red clover bales is the most effective way of producing silage from the crop. However, it is critically important to use an effective inoculant.”
The only fertiliser required by red clover swards is phosphate and potash, which can be delivered in the form of slurry.
“One downside to red clover is the fact that it will retain optimal output for four years. Following red clover with another crop of red clover is not recommended because of the associated disease risks,” Ray added.
“However forage maize represents a very effective follow-on crop after red clover within an overall rotation.”
(l-r): David Guiry, Star Fuels; Stephen Farrell, Mount Congreve Farm, Kilmeaden, Co Waterford; Ray Connolly, Star Fuels and Frank Foster, Bio-Sil
Turning to maize, the Star Fuels representative stressed the need to ensile crops properly. This includes the use of an oxygen barrier, a heavy gauge silage cover and a bird protection cover.
“Using an effective inoculant is also very important, from the perspective of both the initial fermentation secured and the need to prevent heating at the clamp face, once feed-out begins,” he stated.
Bio-Sil inoculant was used on both the red clover silages made by the Bergin family and the forage maize now available at Mount Congreve.
Frank Foster, from Bio-Sil, also took part in the recent farm visits.
“It is crucially important that an inoculant delivers an almost instant pH drop, as soon as forages have been ensiled,” he explained.
“And this is exactly what Bio-Sil has been developed to achieve. It promotes the rapid production of lactic acid in fresh forage to quickly produce a low pH and stable ensiled forage across a range of crops.
“This rapid pH drop is achieved quickly, thus eliminating the growth of yeasts and moulds – which lead to the wastage of silage.”