The production of a ladino white clover-perennial ryegrass pasture and a Quiñekeli red clover-perennial ryegrass mixture was compared during the second and third year of production, under grazing with milking dairy cows. In the third year, the yield of both pastures was compared with a New Zealand white clover-perennial ryegrass mixture in its second year.
Considering the average of both periods, the 4% fat-corrected milk of the ladino clover was 12% greater than the red clover; likewise it was 29% higher in carrying capacity, which gave and advantage of 1.947 Kg. (41%) per hectare of 4% fatcorrected milk. On the other hand, the production per hectare of the ladino clover was 25% higher than the New Zealand white clover.
During the first year the red clover made up almost 100% of the mixture, but at the end of the third year of production only a small percentage of it was present, consisting the pasture mainly of ryegrass and native white clover. In contrast, the ladino clover-ryegrass mixture remained in good proportion to each other and was in excellent condition until the third year.
It is believed that ladino clover pasture use should be increased if irrigation conditions will allow it. This does not mean that the use of red clover should be completely avoided, since in many areas it is at present fulfilling an important function. |
ChileanJAR
