Effects of legume establishment by slot-seeding on dry matter and protein yield

摘要

According to the demand of public for healthy food, farmers try to avoid genetically varied soya as feed for dairy cows. Increase of protein in roughage therefore should be obtained with higher percentages of legumes in grassland swards. But how can sustainable portions of alfalfa {Medicago sativa L.), red clover (Trifolium pretense L.) and white clover (Trifohum repens L.) be established in permanent grassland? In a field experiment in Oberschwaben (humid climate with best growing conditions for grassland, 5 cuts per year) these species were resceded in 2012 in two seed rates at two sowing times (early: June; late: August). After three experimental years the percentage of legumes in the sward varied widely and was highest for red clover. Dry matter(DM) yields were numerically highest for red clover in early resceded treatments. In average no significant effects on DM and protein yields could be reached by rcsccding the different legumes in comparison to the untreated control.