Smart Farming: Multispecies Swards

Multispecies swards are grass swards that contain a range of plant species including plantain, timothy, chicory, and clover. Multispecies swards have a higher protein and energy content than standard grass swards which can improve animal health and performance, while they have the potential to reduce nitrogen fertiliser requirements and increase carbon sequestration. 

Benefits

• Multi-species swards can produce similar yields to standard swards at lower rates of N fertiliser.
• White and red clover fix Nitrogen from the atmosphere. This means they absorb nitrogen from the atmosphere and convert it into protein providing protein-rich grass without the need for artificial fertilisers. 
• Multispecies offer a more balanced diet, improve animal performance and there is some evidence of parasite prevention in livestock. 
• Deeper root depths mean multispecies have a higher rate of carbon sequestration, higher drought resistance and increased aeration and drainage improving overall soil fertility.
• More species allows opportunities for biodiversity, attracting more insects and pollinators.

How to Establish Multispecies

• Similar to grassland reseeding, best conditions for multispecies is a warm, moist seedbed (~10°C) between April and August.   
• Having optimal soil fertility is important for multispecies swards.
• Choose grazing paddocks over silage fields.
• Lime should be applied, if necessary, as per a normal reseed. Aim for a pH of 6.2 – 6.5.
• Multispecies mixtures contain broadleaf species therefore post-emergence herbicides should not be applied.
• After sowing allow eight weeks before grazing.
• Persistence of some species can be an issue in some swards. Herbs like chicory and plantain can last 3 to 4 years after which they will need to be over sown. 

Smart Farming is a voluntary resource efficiency programme, run by the Irish Farmers’ Association in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency. 

For more information on the Smart Farming programme visit www.smartfarming.ie .