Curious about how clover could transform your farm?

Our Curious about Clover events held in April 2024 looked at the value of clover and ways it can benefit your farm. One of the events in Cumbria featured enlightening sessions, expert speakers, and insightful research.

The event covered topics such as:

• Establishment
• Soil type
• Seed selection
• Grazing
• Silage management
• Feed value

Attendees heard from a range of speakers and a panel of farmers sharing their successes and challenges in integrating clover into their farming systems.

Among the farmer panellists was Richard Henderson from The Gill Farm in Cumbria, who has extensive experience with clover.

Richard's journey began 10 years ago when his farm operated a year-round milking system with predominantly Holstein cows.

Over the past decade, his farm has transitioned to a 12-week spring block system and, since 2019, an autumn block system after acquiring a second unit.

Richard has focused on crossbreeding and maximising forage production and grazing. His goal is for his cows to weigh between 500–550 kg, producing 5,000 L in the spring herd and up to 6,600 L in the autumn herd, all while reducing reliance on artificial fertilisers and eliminating sprays.

'We are moving towards multi-species swards to maintain forage quality during drier periods,' Richard explains.

He has reduced fertiliser usage to 110 kg per hectare, aiming for 60 kg.

'The further we've gone on this journey, the easier the farm has become to manage.'

Despite the challenges posed by Cumbria's heavy clay soils and weather, Richard has adapted many lessons from trailblazers like fellow panellist Andre Van Barneveld.

'You're not in New Zealand; you're in Cumbria.'

Richard acknowledges that he needs to improve soil sampling to identify available nutrients and monitor worm counts and dung beetle activity.

Richard's success is rooted in meticulous measurement and record-keeping, from weekly plate metering of grass growth to tracking fertiliser use.

He is also a member of AHDB's Forage for Knowledge, benchmarking his data against others in discussion groups.

Richard Henderson's journey exemplifies what the Curious about Clover event aims to highlight. Learning from each other, incorporating homegrown proteins like clover, and building resilience against climate change are key themes.