Ideal Red Clover Grass Mixture

Why more UK farmers returning to RED CLOVER

There are a growing number of farmers now seeking to reduce the cost of production by using less fertiliser and by reducing the amount of purchased feed. It is predicted that many dairy, beef, and sheep farmers will choose to grow high clover leys and adopt a lower cost production system. High Red clover leys require little or no nitrogen fertiliser and provide an excellent source of protein.

Red Clover Grass

Red clover grass, also known as Trifolium pratense, is a herbaceous plant species belonging to the legume family, Fabaceae. It is native to Europe, Western Asia, and Northwest Africa, but has been widely introduced and naturalized in other regions.

Red clover grass is commonly used as a forage crop for livestock due to its high protein content and nutritional value. Additionally, it is also valued for its ability to improve soil health by fixing nitrogen. The plant typically has three leaflets and produces red to purple flowers, making it a popular choice for adding colour to meadows and pastures.

Red Clover Silage

Red clover silage is a popular forage crop that is commonly used in livestock feed. It is made from the fermentation of red clover plants, which are cut and ensiled to preserve their nutritional value.

Red clover silage is known for its high protein content and palatability, making it a valuable feed option for dairy cows and other ruminant animals. Additionally, red clover silage can help improve soil fertility and reduce the need for nitrogen fertilizers in agricultural systems.

Red Clover In Lawns

Red clover in lawns is a common sight, as this flowering plant is often found growing in grassy areas. The vibrant red flowers of red clover can add a pop of colour to an otherwise green lawn, attracting bees and other pollinators.

Some homeowners may consider red clover to be a weed and may try to remove it from their lawn.

Why Red clover?

Red clover grown in forage seed mixtures offer a low-cost alternative to nitrogen fertiliser and provides a homegrown source of protein. Clover plants can extract nitrogen from the air, which itself is three quarters nitrogen, indirectly into the soil via bacteria in nodules on plan roots.

There are also concerns about the effects of increasing diesel costs which affect the very application of fertiliser itself. Coupled with this is the burden of record keeping and even the disposal of polypropylene and plastic bags.

Digestibility and palatability:

Farm grass, also known as pasture grass, refers to the land used for grazing livestock or cultivating hay. This type of grass provides nutrients to animals and helps prevent erosion. Common varieties include Bermuda grass, fescue, and ryegrass. Proper management and maintenance are crucial to ensure healthy and productive pastures.

Clovers are more digestible than grass and this is one reason why livestock perform well when fed clover. Clovers are extremely palatable to sheep and cattle. This is important as it enables productive animals to consume more forage. More forage intake with a high protein content leads to greater live weight gain and milk yields.

Red clover has a high yield of around 15t DM/ha and is mostly used for silage production. It is an upright plant which can yield up to 30% more than white clover. Red clover leys provide two or three cuts throughout the summer and autumn.

Red clover silage has a crude protein content of 16% to 20% and a ME content of 10 to 12MJ/kg DM Store/fat lambs can be fattened very effectively on red clover silage. To find out more: Ideal Nitromo

Note: High in Phyto-oestrogen, breeding sheep should be kept off for six weeks

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Billy Nimmo
M.D – Idealseed
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