Questions for Multi-species week
- Can I ensile Multi-species?
- Yes, Multi-species can make quality silage once the crop is cut in dry conditions and given a good wilt.
- This is important as it has a about 3-5% lower DM than ryegrass. A wet crop will not preserve.
- Multi-species might not be a specialist silage crop, but it is possible to cut surplus paddocks etc… as bales if needed.
- If ensiling, at what DM should the crop be?
- Typically, a multi-species sward has a DM content 3-5% lower than ryegrass.
- A target DM of 25-35% when cutting should mean successful preservation.
- If you are unsure, a short wilt will do no harm.
- How long can I expect my Multi-species to persist?
- Grasses and white clover can persist for 7 – 10 years if managed correctly but the likes of red clover and herbs have shorter persistence of 3-4 years.
- These species can easily be oversown if their numbers drop significantly.
- The savings on fertiliser alone with a multi-species sward will far outweigh the cost of oversowing twice in 10 years for example.
- What can I do if the herbs bolt?
- It is unlikely that herbs will bolt in a rotational grazing system, but chicory might, and this can be fixed by topping.
- Can I oversow herbs into a grass-clover sward?
- Yes.
- Our partner farmer Kevin O’Hanlon had great success oversowing clover and herbs this year.
- Check out Day 2 of our Multispecies Focus Week. We also have a special series on oversowing plantain.
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- How much less N will I use?
- It is possible to reduce fertiliser use by 150-200kg N/ha per year without losing yield compared to ryegrass sward.
- Some N is required in spring to feed the grasses which will be dominating the sward at this time.
- Around 50 units of N can be spread throughout the spring – divide this up little and often applications.
- Do Multi-species benefit pollinators?
- Yes. Pollinators are known to love clover which flowers throughout summer and autumn in grassland.
- Is plantain not a weed?
- There is no such thing as a weed – just a plant growing in the wrong place.
- It is not a weed in a mixed sward because it has number of benefits like high mineral content and drought tolerance.
- The varieties sown in mixtures have been bred for grazing and are very palatable.
- What pH do Multi-species prefer?
- pH for any pasture should be between 6 and 6.5 for maximum production. They will grow outside this range, but this will affect production and nutrient-use efficiency of the sward. (This is for all swards not just multi-species).
- Is there a yield penalty in the spring? / Will I be down on spring grass?
- On highly stocked farms, multi-species alone may not meet your grass demand as it will not have reached its maximum growth rates yet.
- A good balanced grazing platform might have a mixture of MSS and Perennial Ryegrass paddocks with the PRG for use in the first part of the year and the MSS for the latter.
- MSS should form part of a diverse/resilient grazing system with different forages utilised at different times for maximum effect e.g., grass-multispecies-kale for example.
- Can I sow plantain on its own?
- Yes. Plantain can be sown on its own and is very popular in New Zealand as a short-term forage crop. It is especially good for finishing lambs.
- Could be used as a specialist crop sown for grazing in summer and autumn for lambs.
- Chicory is the same.
- How do I manage my spray program if I have docks or chickweed present?
- Any weeds should be sprayed off before MSS is sown as there are no safe herbicides for this type of sward.
- Chickweed in the sward after establishment should not cause many problems and will die out after a couple of grazing’s.
- If establishment of the grass, legume and herbs is good there should be little chance for docks to establish. But any outbreaks can be spot-sprayed.
- If the field is known to have a weed problem, it might be best to sow MSS in a different field.
- Do animals like Multi-species?
- Yes, animals seem to really like eating MSS. Sometimes they look hesitant when they first go into the field but then it is hard to get them out!

For more information on selecting the right mixture for your farm, call Thomas Moloney, DLF 087 396 1265
DLF are the leading Multispecies supplier in Ireland