Clovers- enough is more than enough

[CalumetFarms]

So how many out there have had trouble with bloat on clover and when do you start to worry about it?
Some fields we're drowning in it white clover, crimson clover, hop clover, red clover as far as the eye can see.
Tiss the legume season, but most will easily stick around all summer. Some pastures i am grazing and getting out of quick as a precaution, which of course preserves the stand of clover that much more.
My pastures are pretty eclectic, a lot of KY bluegrass, a little fescue, some elusive Timothy. But the clover reigns supreme!

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Doesn't look overly thick with clover, your bloat risk will be near zero.

 

[Redgully]

A few years ago i was having bloat problems with a couple of paddocks. Seemed like my other paddocks but i think i may have had more white clover there and better mixes in other paddocks. I let those paddocks dry off before grazing and no more problems. I zipped over it with dicamba the next year after germination, not solid spray but leaving strips unsprayed. Seemed to fix the problem.

 

[BFE]

Bright Raven used to post on here, had lots of clover in his pasture. He never had problems with it.

I would think you'd have to have almost all clover and no grass before it was a problem.

 

[chaded]

I would graze that and not give it a second thought.

 

[Ky hills]

We are here in the hills of KY, and thankful for the clover, and fescue. They work well together. We have never had any issues from clover. I have heard of some folks that say they have, my suspicion is that it's more of a mineral or lack of problem than a clover problem.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Here in NY - clover is volunteer. If you plow up a field, let it grow & mow off the weeds, you will have all the clover and mixed grass you want. I have LOTS of clover and never had a problem. I have had a problem with ALFALFA.

 

[wbvs58]

I get mostly white clover here. We are just starting on winter and the clover is already covering the ground. It looks like it is going to be a big clover spring here. In past years I have not found it a problem once they have been continuously grazing it so I hope I don't jinx myself. My cows are in my scrub block at the moment and I will bring them home in about 3 weeks to start calving. There is very little clover where they are now, I'll be keeping a close eye on them when I bring them home but I think they will be OK as there are a lot of other grasses like kikuyu that they like to graze on so I'm hoping that will ease them into grazing the clover.

Ken

 

[Lazy M]

Complaining about too much clover is like complaining about too much money..

 

[coachg]

Got more this year than I can ever remember. Wiped it all out a couple of years back spraying Grazon.

 

[Lost Creek]

I lost a big heifer to bloat 3 years ago in early spring. Cool damp spring and the white clover grew like crazy and the grass didn't, never happened before in that pasture... I've put out bloat blocks now every spring as a precaution for about a month until the grass starts growing good. Cheap insurance.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Yes.
I quit worrying about it.
If you have never had bloat then you are not renovating paddocks hard enough.
Problems vary with the weather, plant maturity, cattle genetics, rumen fill...

 

[alacowman1]

Bright Raven used to post on here, had lots of clover in his pasture. He never had problems with it.

I would think you'd have to have almost all clover and no grass before it was a problem.

He use too keep his pastures mown too..which allowed it too compete with the fescue ...

 

[alacowman1]

Complaining about too much clover is like complaining about too much money..

Especially with the fertilizer prices..

 

[alacowman1]

So how many out there have had trouble with bloat on clover and when do you start to worry about it?
Some fields we're drowning in it white clover, crimson clover, hop clover, red clover as far as the eye can see.
Tiss the legume season, but most will easily stick around all summer. Some pastures i am grazing and getting out of quick as a precaution, which of course preserves the stand of clover that much more.
My pastures are pretty eclectic, a lot of KY bluegrass, a little fescue, some elusive Timothy. But the clover reigns supreme!
View attachment 17301
View attachment 17303
View attachment 17304
View attachment 17305

Good looking place..

 

[wbvs58]

I did lose one to bloat quite a few years ago now. I had the cows in for the morning to work the calves and then put them out into a fresh paddock that was big with white clover, I also put out a yearling bull to clean up after AI and this one cow was on heat so the bull was chasing her everywhere and did not let her have a rest, she was dead from bloat the next morning. I believe that he pestered her so much she could not have a rest and get rid of the unwanted gas naturally as the others would have done, plus being yarded all morning they were keen to eat the fresh feed.

Ken

 

[Redgully]

I did lose one to bloat quite a few years ago now. I had the cows in for the morning to work the calves and then put them out into a fresh paddock that was big with white clover, I also put out a yearling bull to clean up after AI and this one cow was on heat so the bull was chasing her everywhere and did not let her have a rest, she was dead from bloat the next morning. I believe that he pestered her so much she could not have a rest and get rid of the unwanted gas naturally as the others would have done, plus being yarded all morning they were keen to eat the fresh feed.

Ken

That is good information to know and look out for. Not something i would think about.