Obiettivo To increase the uptake and utilisation of white clover in European grassland farming by (1) demonstrating new technology to improve the performance and reliability of grass/white clover swards on commercial farms and (2) organising a programme of publicity to highlight benefits of the new technology demonstrated. THE PROBLEM The use of legumes such as white clover as a source of biological nitrogen and improved animal nutrition in grass based livestock systems is recognised as the way forward for the less intensive, more environmentally friendly and sustainable farming systems of the future. Organic systems depend almost entirely on legumes as their nitrogen source. Uptake of clover based systems by farmers has been slow because of perceived fears concerning their reliability and the persistency of the clover component. PROPOSED PROGRAMME To overcome these problems and to achieve the stated project objectives, it is proposed to establish a total of 30 demonstration sites on farms in 6 European countries. The sites will be distributed as follows UK 9, Ireland 3, Netherlands 6, Germany 4, Spain 4, France 4 The farms will encompass a range of farming systems and situations from organic to conventional and from dairying to dry stock farming. Each farm will demonstrate the same core package of new clover technology designed to improve the reliability and performance of grass/white clover pastures. TECHNOLOGY TO BE DEMONSTRATED The clover technology package will consist of introducing new improved white clover varieties into existing pastures using oversowing techniques, inoculation of clover seed and the persuance of a pasture management strategy designed to optimise clover content and persistence. PUBLICISING OUTCOME The participating farms will be used as focal points for a series of public events designed to demonstrate the benefits of the proposed technology package to local farmers and policy influencers from Government bodies and farming organisations. These events will receive wide coverage in the local farming press. A video will be made during the course of the project for use at farmers meetings and discussion groups. Advisory literature based on the outcome of the project will be published in English and the participating county's own language while more formal presentations on the project will be made at appropriate national and International conferences. A formal report on the outcome of the project will be published and widely circulated to interested organisations.1. A total of 25 demonstration farms were established rather than the 24 planned. The extra farm was located in Ireland to give a better spread of participating farms in that country.2. A total of 74 sites were oversown in the first 2 years of the project on the 25 participating farms. A total of 167 hectares was oversown with individual sites ranging from 0.45 to 6.00 hectares in size.3. A specialised one-pass fixed tine machine (usually the Vetikator but also the Einboch and Opico) specifically designed for oversowing and grassland renovation was used for 75% of the oversowing operations. Other machines used on the remainder of the sites included the Hunter, Sulky, Herbamat, Aitchenson seed drill and a Vikon fertiliser spreader.4. A total of 69 of the 74 sites were assessed for clover content in the 2 years following oversowing.The remaining 5 sites were excluded for a variety of reasons, mainly weather related e.g. frost damage and winter water logging, or changing use by the farmer. Around 80% of the sites showed a measurable increase in clover content in both years following oversowing and approximately 45% of the sites showed a marked increase in clover content. A strong linear correlation (P < 0.001) was found between pasture density at oversowing and the clover content achieved in subsequent years. This confirmed already published research results which emphasised the importance of having sufficient bare ground in which to place introduced seeds when employing simple oversowing techniques, as used in the present project, to upgrade existing pastures. The success rate with very dense swards was low which led to the conclusion that oversowing using simple one-pass machines may not be the most appropriate way to introduce clover into such pastures.5. A total of 6 project reports and a final report were produced. The additional progress report arose from the requirement to seek a 6-month extension to the project as a result of the Foot and Mouth outbreak in the UK, which prevented access to participating farms during the final year of the project.6. A total of 46 press releases outlining the project were published in the farming press and 42 other publications in which the EFFECT project was described were also published. The project findings were presented at the 19th General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation in May 2002 and the project was selected by the UK Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for inclusion in their case studies publication as a "good example" of an EU funded Fourth Framework demonstration type project.7. Country Project Leaders addressed a total of 216 farmer and other group meetings on the outcomes of the project involving around 9700 people. They also participated in 19 major shows and exhibitions attended by farmers and the general public where information on the EFFECT project was displayed.8. Country Project Leaders held a total of 49 on-farm demonstrations involving approximately 6900 people. A further 105 groups involving over 2800 people visited the participating farms to discuss oversowing and the management of grass/clover swards.9. A video entitled "Success with Oversowing" was produced in English, French, German, Dutch and Spanish. It outlined what the oversowing technique entails, how to prepare swards for oversowing and the aftercare of oversown pastures. Copies are available from the organisations participating in the project.10. Advisory leaflets on oversowing were produced in the languages of the participating countries - English, French, German, Dutch and Spanish.These were widely distributed to interested farmers, advisers, consultants, students and other interest groups during the latter half of the project. Copies are available from the organisations participating in the project. Campo scientifico agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesfisheriesagricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculturesustainable agriculturemedical and health scienceshealth sciencesnutritionagricultural sciencesanimal and dairy sciencedomestic animalsanimal husbandryagricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculturegrains and oilseedslegumes Programma(i) FP4-FAIR - Specific research, technological development and demonstration programme in the field of agriculture and fisheries (including agro-industry, food technologies, forestry, aquaculture and rural development), 1994-1998 Argomento(i) 4.1.1 - Optimisation of methods, systems and primary production chains Invito a presentare proposte Data not available Meccanismo di finanziamento DEM - Demonstration contracts Coordinatore THE SCOTTISH AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Ferguson Building, Craibstone Estate, Bucksburn AB21 9YA ABERDEEN Regno Unito Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato Partecipanti (6) Classifica in ordine alfabetico Classifica per Contributo UE Espandi tutto Riduci tutto CENTRO DE INVESTIGACIONES AGRARIAS DE MABEGONDO Spagna Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Apartado 10 15080 LA CORUNA Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato GREENMOUNT COLLEGE OF AGRICULUTURE AND HORTICULTURE Regno Unito Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo 22 Greenmount Road BT41 4PU ANTRIM Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato INSTITUT DE L' ELEVAGE Francia Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Monvoisin 35652 LE RHEU Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato INSTITUT FUR PFLANZENBAU UND PFLANZENZÜCHTUNG - LEHRSTUHL GRÜNLAND UND FUTTERBAU DER CHRISTIAN-ALBRECHTS-UNIVERSITAT Germania Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Olshausenstrasse 40 24098 KIEL Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato INSTITUTE OF GRASSLAND AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH Regno Unito Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Plas Gogerddan ABERYSTWYTH Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato STICHTING VOOR FENOMENOLOGISCHE NATUURWETENSCHAP Paesi Bassi Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Hoofdstraat 24 3972 DRIEBERGEN Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato
