Farmers in clover with nitrogen breakthrough

A FORMULA to reduce fertiliser nitrogen bills by up to 50% on grassland farms has been developed by researchers on a Co Tipperary farm.

On the Teagasc Research Farm at Solohead, an 1,100 gallons per acre dairy herd, stocked at 0.8 cows per acre, can be successfully managed on a grass clover sward, with a major reduction in nitrogen applications.

Researcher James Humphreys claims that increasing clover in the sward can reduce Nitrogen requirements by up to 50% without loss of production, and could enable more dairy farmers to qualify for a further income bonus through REPS payments.