feeding red clover this winter

[applepie]

I am wondering if it would be cost effective for feeding red clover this winter or not. I am told that the cows eat it like candy and I am wondering if there is any drawbacks on feeding only red clover. Should I blend with some grass hay or do I feed only clover AND do I feed the same amount (approx 25lbs per cow) as I would grass hay? Believe it or not but the cost of grass hay has gone through the roof here..........people are snatching it up as if they'll never see a blade of grass again . :shock: Thanks for the info.

applepie

 

[Bez>]

I am wondering if it would be cost effective for feeding red clover this winter or not. I am told that the cows eat it like candy and I am wondering if there is any drawbacks on feeding only red clover. Should I blend with some grass hay or do I feed only clover AND do I feed the same amount (approx 25lbs per cow) as I would grass hay? Believe it or not but the cost of grass hay has gone through the roof here..........people are snatching it up as if they'll never see a blade of grass again . :shock: Thanks for the info.

applepie

Well, my haying partner and I have about 30 acres of red clover we somehow or other seem to have inherited from an old couple who want their field kept clean.

I have been using it as feed now for nearly five years with no ill effects. I just grab up the bales and set them out on the ground and let the cows eat until the bales are gone.

It is difficult to dry if the weather is humid and it goes black if rained on.

Do not worry about the colour - the cows still seem to love it.

We just - as always - free choice it - so who knows how much they eat per day - when it is gone I replace it - pretty simple.

I do not worry about mixing with grass - this stuff is in the feed pile - when I get to clover they eat clover - when it is done they move on to whatever grass is next in the pile.

Do not let it get real mature before cutting if you can help it.

Bez>

 

[msscamp]

I am told that the cows eat it like candy and I am wondering if there is any drawbacks on feeding only red clover.
applepie

Yes, cows do seem to like their clover! I'm not familiar with red clover but, since most clovers fall into the legume family, there could be a chance of bloat if you start feeding 25-30 lbs/animal without letting them get used to it first.

 

[cfpinz]

My best hayfields are red clover with OG and fescue. Depending on the cutting and the season, I'd be willing to wager some bales come out 75%+ red clover. Haven't heard a cow complain about it yet.

cfpinz

 

[Stocker Steve]

I am wondering if it would be cost effective for feeding red clover this winter or not. I am told that the cows eat it like candy and I am wondering if there is any drawbacks on feeding only red clover. Should I blend with some grass hay or do I feed only clover applepie

I ended up with a pretty solid red clover stand a couple years ago. It took a week to 10 days to dry it so haying was a problem. I tested the hay - - red clover retains it's protein content longer than alfalfa but it gets stemmy and the fiber content gets high if you let it grow.

Cattle will eat grassy hay before they eat stemmy clover - - but test the TDN and buy it if the price is right.

 

[Weaver]

Many people around here frost seed red clover into their wheat in early march and then can bale it later that year and several times the next year. My grandfather has been feeding his cows only red clover hay during the winters for years with great luck. I fed it last year to my cows along with some ryegrass hay and some sorghum-sudan grass hay. I would feed them a couple bales of each when I fed them, and it you should have seen the cows fight over trying to get a spot at the feeder with the clover hay in it. If baled correctly it can be some excellent hay.