White clover will become an important environmental mitigation tool for farmers as they respond to Government-imposed nitrogen caps, predicts seed company Germinal New Zealand.
“White clover, a natural nitrogen fixer, is a low cost and practical resource for farmers. It can reduce the cost and environmental impact of artificial fertiliser,” says Germinal New Zealand General Manager Sarah Gard.
“We expect white clover will play an increasingly important role in New Zealand’s pastoral system as farmers seek to comply with the current regulatory landscape.”
Since July 2021, all pastoral farmers are now required to reduce their synthetic nitrogen fertiliser use to come within a cap of 190kg per hectare, per year. The policy is part of the Government’s Action for Healthy Waterways package. Dairy farmers will also need to report annually to regional councils details of the weight of nitrogen they applied per hectare.
Sarah says lately white clover has been overlooked by farmers in favour of high ryegrass levels to increase dry matter.
“A combination of lighter sowing rates for clover, increased use of nitrogen fertiliser, and soil nutrient deficiency means the majority of New Zealand farms have a clover percentage well below the optimum level of 30 percent,” says Sarah, who also manages two North Canterbury dairy farms with her husband.
Germinal, the largest forage seed company in Ireland and Great Britain, has supplied the New Zealand market with innovative clovers and grasses for more than 15 years. A recent cost analysis by the company suggests that New Zealand farmers can economically reduce their synthetic nitrogen use by switching to a high clover sowing rate.
“Our calculations show that the nitrogen inputs into a system with a nitrogen fertiliser application rate of 250kg per hectare per year, combined with a low clover sowing rate, would cost approximately $1580 per hectare during a five year period,” says Sarah.
“By comparison, a system with a nitrogen application rate that meets the new 190kg cap and which has a higher clover sowing rate would have nitrogen costs closer to $1250 per hectare during the same five year period.
“Clover will also have the ability to fix more nitrogen if there is less fertiliser applied, as it won’t be suppressed by increased grass growth and subsequent competition for nutrients, light and water.”
According to the Agronomy Society of New Zealand, nitrogen losses are lower from farm systems that are more reliant on clover than applied fertiliser – reducing a farm’s environmental impact.
A high clover sowing rate is not without risk, cautions Sarah.
“If the sowing rate is too high cattle can suffer from bloat. It can be mitigated, but it is something that farmers need to be mindful of. White clover also requires adequate attention – sowing rates, establishment periods and soil nutrient profiles all need to be considered.”
Germinal New Zealand has a strong focus on innovation and new product development. Its research partner is the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) in Wales. This exclusive collaboration allows Germinal to draw on world-leading research and apply it to New Zealand’s unique conditions.
The company’s research has already been recognised in the United Kingdom, where livestock farmers involved in the ASDA, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose supply chains are encouraged to used Germinal’s high sugar grasses to improve production efficiencies, animal performance and reduce their carbon footprint.
“The world is changing, with ever-increasing demands on New Zealand farmers,” says Sarah.
“It is important that we engage with farmers at the ground level to support a thriving and environmentally-aware rural sector.”