Lots of clover in pasture this year. Is this a good thing?

[TNcowman]

Not a lot of weeds this year on my 55 acres so I did not use 2-4-D on my pasture this spring. But I have lots of white clover in with mixed grass for my 20 cattle. Is the clover really good for the cattle and better for them than just the mixed fescue?

 

[novatech]

High in protein. Great feed for cattle.
The big bonus is that it builds the soil at the same time.
It takes nitrogen from the air. The cattle eat it and excrete the nitrogen back into the soil.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Not a lot of weeds this year on my 55 acres so I did not use 2-4-D on my pasture this spring. But I have lots of white clover in with mixed grass for my 20 cattle. Is the clover really good for the cattle and better for them than just the mixed fescue?

yep its a good thing.. it fix's nitrogen in the soil which benefits the fescue and other grass's growin along side it. with fertilizer prices like they are its diffenitly a good thing. o if there alot of it you will want to put out bloat blocks or take them off of it a few hours a day

 

[dbc]

is it expensive to get the clover goin in your fields... i have none what exactly is involved?

 

[backhoeboogie]

is it expensive to get the clover goin in your fields... i have none what exactly is involved?

My seed came from Turner Seed out of Breckenridge, TX.

The Hubam Clover is chest deep. The field is past ready to bale but it is too wet. The Rye is headed out. The coastal is struggling to get sunlight.

 

[IluvABbeef]

Sure it's a good thing. The white clover in the pastures here is volunteer (that, but primarily it's the wild variety), seeded by itself from where ever the seeds came from, off animals, winds, what-have-you. Great for nitrogen fixation and putting nitrogen into the soil for the grasses to use. And cattle eat it like candy.

 

[bgm]

is it expensive to get the clover goin in your fields... i have none what exactly is involved?

If you have none, you need to inoculate the seed before planting.

 

[Crowderfarms]

is it expensive to get the clover goin in your fields... i have none what exactly is involved?

If you have none, you need to inoculate the seed before planting.

Good advice. The Innoculant is inexpensive insurance. Seems there is an abundance of Clover this year too.I'm really glad to see it.

 

[Oldtimer]

Up here in this country a good sweet clover year is supposed to mean a wet year.....

 

[rockridgecattle]

if you want to make the most of this clover get honey bees and let them feed off the clover/alfalfa. best honey every. Two crops for the price of one. We have been doing it for a few years now. I am beginning to think there is more money in honey per acre than cows.

 

[Howdyjabo]

If its a fescue stand- its a bad sign.
Yes the clover does alot of good(minus the bloat issue)- but it also means that you are not getting full production out of your fescue if its thriving. The fescue stand got damaged(drought or overgrazing pressures) or its lacking in nutrients to really produce.
A good fescue stand overwhelms clover easily.

I'd rather have full production out of the fescue than the extra benefits of Clover- but then I need all the forage I can get off my pastures.
That being said----If its a lack of nutrient issue and I didn't need as much forage(ie low stocking rate) I'd let the fescue ride this year instead of buying fertilizer to jump start it- it might just come down next year.............

 

[Daybreak]

Howdy,

White clover in your field is a good thing.

Most folks try to get white clover growing in thier fields. The seed itself can stay dormant in the ground for a long time(they say up to 12 years) Anytime you have a spring pasture which you have cows in, and then move them out, before the fescue and other grasses take off, if you see the clover, then its a very good plus. Cows like it, and it lowers your fertilizer cost. As you can see, some years are better than others.

 

[dun]

Clover and the KY31 type of fescue are a logical mating. In early spring when the endophyte is lowest the fescue will shade out the clover so that it doesn;t grow very well. After the first grazing, the clover will come on stronger and help to dilyte the hiogher levels of endophyte. Clover will contribute N to the soil but doesn;t have an affect on P or K. Too high of a percentage of clover can caue problems with bloat, but if the cows are adapted to it there is rarely a problm. We have pasturers that range fomr 30-50% clover and the cows just graze through the clover patches the same as they do the grass.

dun

 

[bizybeehill]

What is the difference between Red and White Clover and is one better than the other ??

 

[dun]

Red clover typically needs to be reseeded every year or 2, white generally doesn;t require reseeding. Red reproduces st5rictly from seed, white from seed and from stolons

dun

 

[MikeC]

What is the difference between Red and White Clover and is one better than the other ??

White clovers generally have a lot of "hard" seed, which survive from season to season better too.

 

[bgm]

is it expensive to get the clover goin in your fields... i have none what exactly is involved?

If you have none, you need to inoculate the seed before planting.

Good advice. The Innoculant is inexpensive insurance. Seems there is an abundance of Clover this year too.I'm really glad to see it.

As I'm sure your aware, but I'll say in case of the possiblity some might not be: Inoculants do much more than protect the seed or plant. They infect the legume and form nodules in the root system. It forms a symbiotic relationship that is beneficial to the soil and the host plant. It's where the nitrogen is fixated to the soil.

Each type of legume needs a specific inoculant. My county extension agent advised me that if you haven't had the particular legume on your pasture in the past 5 years, you should inoculate before planting.

Here is some links to a couple of good articles concerning inoculation and it's benefits.

http://cropsoil.psu.edu/extension/facts/agfacts11.cfm
http://www.uky.edu/Ag/AnimalSciences/pubs/agr90.pdf