Cool sub clovers and the low winter temperatures

Prepared by: Carmen Teixeira (PhD candidate) and edited by the Dryland Pastures Research Team (Prof. Derrick Moot, Mr Dick Lucas, Dr Sonya Olykan and Dr Annamaria Mills) Winter has arrived and this time is associated with Matariki (the Māori New Year), and also marks the shift of the sun’s journey in the sky (see the … Read more

More about sub clovers in autumn: it is not hard to understand hard seeds

Posted on behalf of Carmen Teixeira (PhD candidate with the Dryland Pasture Research Team) The longevity of sub clover in the swards is largely controlled by seed hardness. Seed hardness is common in legumes such as sub clover. It is a strategy to prevent germination during unsuitable ecological conditions, mainly when the probability of seedling … Read more

Sub clover germinating in Marlborough this season

Here are some photos of sub clover taken by Doug Avery on ‘Bonavaree’ Farm in Marlborough. Legume–dominant pasture in spring 2016 The photo below shows Fraser Avery standing in high quality legume dominant pasture last spring (1 October 2016). This is ‘Antas’ sub clover which has been allowed to set seed in its first year and … Read more

Planning for sub clover dominant spring pastures in autumn

Want sub clover for your lactating ewes in spring? Plan for it now. For those of you wanting to sow sub clover this autumn, here is some advice to get you started. Why sub clover? Sub clover seed costs about $120-$150/ha plus drilling costs. The sub clover may provide 2-4 t DM/ha in a mixed pasture during spring … Read more

What’s up with Subs 4 Spring?

An update of sub clover cultivars reproductive development – November 24, 2016.  Prepared by Carmen Teixeira, (PhD student Dryland Pastures Research Team) & Derrick Moot with the Dryland Pastures Research Team, Lincoln University It is late spring and the sub clovers plants have already flowered! This year, in Canterbury the late rains in mid-November have extended the … Read more

Field Day at Ashley Dene on Friday 30 October

The Lincoln University Dryland Pastures Research Team and Beef + Lamb New Zealand would like to invite you to attend the Pastoral 21 Dryland Pastures Spring Field Day. Where: Ashley Dene Research Farm When: Friday 30 October 2015 Time: 1–4 pm Meet at the Ashley Dene Research Farm woolshed, corner of Bethels & Ashley Dene … Read more

State of the cocksfoot pastures with annual clovers in early spring

Dick Lucas talks about the cocksfoot pasture established with sub and balansa clovers on 26th Aug (beginning of the third regrowth season) in this first video (approx. 1 min). In the second he discusses the change in the ratio of the ‘Denmark’ and ‘Rosabrook’ sub clover cultivars in the cocksfoot/sub clover pasture (approx. 1 min).In … Read more

Grazing begins in the ryegrass/annual clover mixes at Ashley Dene – 20 August

Dick Lucas discusses the initiation of grazing by ewes with twin lambs at foot in the ryegrass/subterranean clover and plantain mix at Ashley Dene on the 20th Aug in this first video post (approx. 3 mins). In the second we look at the ryegrass pasture established with both sub and balansa clovers (approx. 2 mins). … Read more

Late autumn annual clover pasture status – the hybrid ryegrass/sub clover mix

In this, the final video blog in the late autumn field walk series taken in early May, we look at the state of the fourth treatment in our ‘MaxAnnuals’ Experiment at Ashley Dene, Canterbury (approx. 4 mins). This pasture was established with the following dryland pasture mix in autumn 2013:10 kg/ha ‘Ultra Enhanced’ perennial ryegrass … Read more

Late autumn annual clover pasture status – the cocksfoot/sub clover mix

In this video we look at the third of the dryland pasture mixes which forms part of our grass/clover experiment at Ashley Dene, Canterbury. (approx. 6 mins)This pasture was established with:2 kg/ha ‘Greenly’ cocksfoot (orchardgrass; Dactylis glomerata)10 kg/ha subterranean clover (5 kg/ha ‘Denmark’ plus 5 kg/ha ‘Rosabrook’; Trifolium subterraneum)0.5 kg/ha ‘Tonic’ plantain (Plantago lanceolata)0.5 kg/ha … Read more