Description
White clover is recommended for grazing, cutting-and-carrying, ensiling, and making hay. Lower digestible stems are not harvested with white clover crops, leading to a slower decline in quality over time than other clover species.
Elevate dairy cow milk yields by including 25% – 50% clover content in diets. Replacing maize silage at 50% with fresh white clover will better utilize excess N reducing ammonia and N urinary excretion without reducing milk yield. White clover can partly replace concentrate in a straw-based diet by up to 50%, and a standard milk production rate of 19.6 kg/d – 31.5 kg/d can be maintained without supplementation. Although not necessary, increased production can occur when supplementing with cereal grain or a mixed concentrate. Beef steers demonstrate a higher dry matter intake on clover silage than pure rye silage.
Needing additional fiber content, and superior to alfalfa for weight gain, ensiling white clover with 10% wheat bran is highly palatable to pigs. Although white clover is rich in protein, maturity will decrease crude protein content. Mineral content includes calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and soluble carbohydrates.
The establishment of white clover into existing cool-season grasses is simple, and both feed quality and animal acceptance are high. White clover has a long stand life and is tolerant of a wide range of soil and climatic conditions (notably cold and wet). White clover still maintains seed production under grazing. High digestible protein, a heavy nitrogen fixer, simple establishment, and moderate winter hardiness are all qualities that make white clovers attractive in forage operations.
Able to grow in wetter, acidic soils where red clover and alfalfa cannot, the disadvantages of white clover are poor summer growth and lower yields than other legumes. When seeded into endophyte-infected tall fescue, it can mitigate the endophyte dangers to animals and still allow for significant gains.
Raising chickens on white clover is recommended due to its high protein content and palatability throughout the season. Reductions in protein supplements result in reduced feed costs. White Clover is not suitable as a ground cover for free-range or organic chickens as the stand will degrade rapidly due to grazing. Chickens fed a commercial diet with access to a pasture of white clover or subterranean clover will achieve higher body weights than broilers fed only a commercial diet. Both Geese and common quails have positive responses to white clover as well.
Adaptation
Establishment
Management
Considerations
Delay clover seeding until after grass establishment to allow the usage of broadleaf herbicides while grasses establish.
Please Note:
All information provided is the result of research, our own experience, or the experiences shared by our customers.
We strongly encourage consulting additional resources before planting to ensure the best fit for your location and needs.