Clover and Reproduction System

[fawkesitall]

So I've been told not to have my heifer on clover as it could make mess with her reproduction system.
-Make it harder for her to breed.
-Cause vaginal prolapse.

I've seen a lot how clover is good for cattle and I went through the search button, and it seems people grow it intentionally. I'm lost. :help:

It isn't a huge amount. Just a corner section and there's plenty of grass to be grazed.
Just wondering what I'm missing here.
Love to know more about clover and if it is a risk or not.

 

[kenny thomas]

Let her eat what she wants

 

[sim.-ang.king]

I guess if she bloated up it would be a problem, or if she got fat as a tick.
Clovers high in organic calcium, and plant based estrogen, so it would helpful in reproduction, and calf development. So the opposite of bad.

 

[sstterry]

Let her eat what she wants

Kenny's cows eat wild blackberry and thistle. :tiphat:

 

[Dave]

Certain clovers have been shown to cause reproductive problem in sheep but not in cattle. Let the heifer eat clover.

 

[76 Bar]

Certain clovers have been shown to cause reproductive problem in sheep but not in cattle.

FWIW white clovers are implicated as one of the causative factors of equine abortions.

 

[fawkesitall]

Thanks for the input.

This is from Drovers.
"A few other factors can increase the likelihood of vaginal prolapses, as well. Cows that are older, are excessively fat in the last trimester, have twins, or have Brahman genetics are more prone to this condition. In addition, pastures with plants high in phytoestrogens, like clover, can increase the likelihood of vaginal prolapses."

What research I've done it sounds like red clover is higher in phytoestrogens and they'd have to eat a lot to have the effect it does on sheep.

I didn't know that about white clover. That's good to know cause I have horses and plan to breed my mare eventually. They are the ones usually eating this pasture down.

Anything else about clovers I should know????

 

[Banjo]

What is your location? Go to profile page and folks won't have to wonder what part of the country your from.
So, if your in fescue country..... you need clover to dilute the fescue and increase your forage protein 30% or more along with other minerals.Red clover is supposed to be good for the soil.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Clover is good in moderation. I have some paddocks that are 85% clover. Way too much.

Higher clover in the mix will increase N fixed, and thus help grass growth. Just need to avoid too much protein in the sward.

 

[Banjo]

Went to a grazing school last year and they showed what 30% clover looked like... it looked like it was solid clover. White clover will tend to fill in all the gaps.

 

[Ebenezer]

Worlds of clover here and on purpose. 2020 calving season of 49 days total. I don't see a problem.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Went to a grazing school last year and they showed what 30% clover looked like... it looked like it was solid clover. White clover will tend to fill in all the gaps.

Short white clover is one thing.

Red clover can get waist high. When you part tall RC you see black thick stems that do not get any sunlight.

 

[Banjo]

Went to a grazing school last year and they showed what 30% clover looked like... it looked like it was solid clover. White clover will tend to fill in all the gaps.

Short white clover is one thing.

Red clover can get waist high. When you part tall RC you see black thick stems that do not get any sunlight.

Not sure i get your point.....they say RC is pretty good at recycling phosphorous. The thing about RC around here is....is that you might have it thick as hair on a dog this year and next year nothing or just scattered here and there. About 2 years and its done. The farmer/dealer i get my seed from says he frost seeds 5lb every year in his pastures.

 

[Stocker Steve]

So red clover can go to over 90% of the sward, but yes, a disease caused die off often follows.

 

[Banjo]

Worlds of clover here and on purpose. 2020 calving season of 49 days total. I don't see a problem.

What types of clover do you have and how much?

 

[Ebenezer]

Several white clovers including Durana, Partiot and leftover from other plantings, red, ball, a little sporadic arrowleaf, "native" hop and vetches. The stands vary but the minimum pH that extension recommends hindered the stand and spread. Seasonally, it may look like 95%, hit a dry spell and it goes to a lot less. But I see nature never stays the same and that is fine with me. The legumes drive the wagon here as I do not use commercial fertilizer and only use light doses of hen litter to boost legumes occasionally. The downside of a lot of clover is during droughts and extended dry periods is that the clover dries down as dormant. Then weeds like thistles can be active. But I'll take the occasional bad thistle year to keep things going here with low inputs.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Old timey mid west approach is about 20% alfalfa on a grazing farm for drought insurance. Too bad the cows don't like it more.

Red clover is a weed here and has fallen out of favor with some. Can easily take over if your P & K ppm are high. As others have said RC is very disease prone and goes through bloom and bust cycles.

Newer ladino white clovers reseed themselves and spread and are persistent. They provide a higher ADG when in the pasture mix, compared to more traditional less tasty legumes.

 

[Banjo]

Old timey mid west approach is about 20% alfalfa on a grazing farm for drought insurance. Too bad the cows don't like it more.

Red clover is a weed here and has fallen out of favor with some. Can easily take over if your P & K ppm are high. As others have said RC is very disease prone and goes through bloom and bust cycles.

Newer ladino white clovers reseed themselves and spread and are persistent. They provide a higher ADG when in the pasture mix, compared to more traditional less tasty legumes.

In all seriousness, you probably have more fertile, deeper soil than we have here in my area. One of the issues i have is not so much fertility but hard, tight soils which i think certain clovers like RC is supposed to improve.

 

[Nesikep]

So red clover can go to over 90% of the sward, but yes, a disease caused die off often follows.

AFAIK, Red clover is a biannual, so it dies off after the 2nd year, not necessarily related to being diseased.. It also grows best in the 2nd year, which would explain why you can have a ton of it, then pretty much nothing

 

[Silver]

So red clover can go to over 90% of the sward, but yes, a disease caused die off often follows.

AFAIK, Red clover is a biannual, so it dies off after the 2nd year, not necessarily related to being diseased.. It also grows best in the 2nd year, which would explain why you can have a ton of it, then pretty much nothing

Bingo!