Letting the cows interseed the pasture?

[SBMF 2015]

I've read several articles on mixing red clover seed in with your loose mineral. Then letting the cows carry the seed all over the place and "deposit" it at random.
Has anyone tried this?
Sounds like a cheep way to get some clover spread across the pasture. Or at least I wouldn't be out much if it doesn't work.

 

[Banjo]

I've done it. But its probably not the best way unless your mob grazing and packing your cattle really tight every day. Different types of clover may vary. White clovers like ladino may best fit that scenario.....red clover will tend to be spotty especially if conventional grazing.

 

[snoopdog]

Definitely not the best way, clover seed is high, yes it can be done.

 

[Lbass]

They do it with Bermuda around here. I imagine any hard seed is possible.

 

[Lbass]

I will add that i believe the others are right about the grazing management.. With this method you are relying on the cows to distribute manure evenly. I believe the chart from grazing school said in continuous grazing it takes 27 years to get a manure pile per square yard. 1 year under daily moves... And i'ld wait until fall to try if your cows are hiding in the shade or water all day. Might germinate and grow in the spring like frost seeding.

Falls into my category of, what would trying it hurt.

 

[Lucky_P]

It's a lazy way to do it, not a cheap way.
Yes, most of the 'hard' seed will pass through the GI tract unharmed, but you lose most, if not all, of the non-hard seed...it's a pretty expensive protein supplement...and, as previously mentioned, distribution will be spotty...heck, on some farms, at some times of the year, they might 'deposit' it all in the pond, or in the deep shade of the trees/woods

 

[SBMF 2015]

I was just curious if it worked at all. I have a small pasture that we finally got the thistles under control on. I didn't even have to spot spray there last year :banana:
Time to start seeding some legumes back into this pasture. We have a no-till drill, so that's probably the way I'll seed it.
Thanks everyone for the input.

 

[Redgully]

Ill tell you this, if you buy hay with wild radish in it they will spread that seed to every corner of your property and it will thrive.

 

[Ebenezer]

I was just curious if it worked at all. I have a small pasture that we finally got the thistles under control on. I didn't even have to spot spray there last year :banana:
Time to start seeding some legumes back into this pasture. We have a no-till drill, so that's probably the way I'll seed it.
Thanks everyone for the input.

Frost seeded by broadcast spinner is the easiest and best use of decent clover seeds. I would not want to feed fungicide treated seeds to a cow. Buy several varieties of legumes, blend them, spread them and my the best one win. They'll find their spots and thrive. The best one (regional) beyond Durana white here is the ball clover, either strain. But I broadcast red clover in the late spring this year to plugged fescue and that is a success beyond my hope due to the soil and pasture damage. When life hands you lemons ...

 

[snoopdog]

 

[greggy]

Would prob be better just throwing seed by hand when rain is likely.

 

[sstterry]

Is that Jumbo Ladino?

 

[snoopdog]

Is that Jumbo Ladino?

Yes

 

[Stocker Steve]

Clover inter seeding could be a great move in 2022 due to N pricing. I would buy seed now.

Frost seeding does not work every winter, nor does it work well on dense vigorous sod. It needs a lot of help in a MIG system. Best situation for us is overgrazing in the fall -- followed by cattle walking the spring seeded clover at green up.