For hay and silage, red clover is harvested 2 or 3 times at early flowering stage. Harvest. It can reach a height of three feet and produces fine leafy stems and pink flower heads. When well managed and properly fertilized, newer varieties of red clover can potentially yield 4 to 5 tons of good quality forage. Download preview Medium Red Clover is a popular legume crop grown for forage, cover cropping, and wildlife food plot plantings. About Red clover is a common plant of all kinds of grassy areas in the UK, from lawns to pastures, roadsides to meadows. Red clover does better than alfalfa in areas with low soil pH or fertility, and poor soil drainage. There are over 300 types of clover between which we mostly encounter: white clover; red clover Posted by Clair Thunes, PhD | … That's actually what it mainly seems to be. Shorter stand life than alfalfa and white clover. Seed yields of up to 800 kg/ha have been achieved, but are more commonly between 250 – 600 kg/ha in specialist seed production paddocks. Quick growing and easy to establish, red clover is best partnered with grass species. 2000 Bales of Small Square Alfalfa Mixed Grass. Performance of Lactating Dairy Cows Fed Red Clover or Alfalfa Silage by Pat Hoffman (emeritus), UW Extension Dairy Scientist, Marshfield Ag Research Station . This legume is often used in grass mixtures predominantly for a cutting regime. Clovers are best cut for hay when in full bloom. Rate: 8-12 lb/a Depth: ¼-½ in Primary Date: Feb 1-Apr 15 Secondary Date: Aug 1-Sep 15. Relative feed value is not tested. Dense stand red clover. Red clover as a cover crop after wheat. For three-year rotations including two full years of red clover, the clover can be incorporated or surface-applied (clipped and left on the field) for green manure, cut for mulch or harvested for hay (120). Red clover is an introduced short-lived perennial legume that’s used for hay, pasture and soil improvement. Hay is dusty. We grow red clover seeds and market red clover seed products to agricultural seed customers. We have arrow leaf clover down here and I have never heard that about it. The re-growth of this legume was considerable. There are many other kinds of clover, but I have only heard of problems (other than curing) mostly in alsike and red clover and some with sweet clover. What can I do to avoid these problems? Ability to spread. RFV. What is the best way to cure red clover hay? Seeding. Clover hay is a desirable feed source for most horses because it provides useful energy and acceptable protein and long fibre. Feedipedia. Red Clover has its highest feeding value when in full bloom and should be cut for hay before the heads begin to turn brown. I'm pretty dissatisfied with it but it's all I have right now. Clover, especially red clover, takes longer to dry than other forage species. Red clover is an out-crossing, insect-pollinated species; isolation is required for seed production areas. Rotationally grazed on pastures, with majority of production contributed by the accompanying grass. Red clover hay. Have 30 Large Round bales ready right now, with another 100-150 on the way. Palatability is usually not an issue, however, as horses are inclined to love the taste of clover and eat it well. See Full Listing. First harvest: May 1-May 15 Figure 5. The most widely planted forage legume after alfalfa. Close-up red clover hay texture background. Red clover generally establishes quickly and can grow on soils too wet or too acid for alfalfa. RED CLOVER HAY. Good, 1st cutting, Medium, Red Clover Hay. They assure chewing movements for a longer period of time. Lucerne (alfalfa) and Clover hay are too high in protein and calcium. Red clover is grown as a forage for grazing, and for feed as cultivated hay. Sampling Hay, Silage, and Total Mixed Rations for Analysis UW Extension Bulletin A2309. Equine nutritionist Dr. Clair Thunes addresses a horse owner’s concerns about feeding red clover over the winter. Its extensive root system and deep tap root can penetrate multiple feet, providing access to nutrients and moisture over other more shallow-rooted clovers. Good shade tolerance. Mammoth red clover is better suited for northern areas with shorter growing seasons, such as Canada. Plus it's kind of stalky. Other pasture forbs are also sometimes a part of the mix, though these plants are not necessarily desired as certain forbs are toxic to some animals. Faster establishing than alfalfa. I would estimate that during that time the intake of red clover was never less than 50 percent. Feedipedia Red clover has feed value equal to or exceeding alfalfa cut at the same time. Suited to high rainfall with a good proportion of it during summer. It is an early flowering type and can produce two or three hay crops or grazings per year. Red clover can spread through the actions of stock passing the hard seed. Making Forage Analysis Work for You in Balancing Livestock Rations and Marketing Hay Red Clover Cutting Management. This species is grown as short-lived perennial (3-5 years) in the north and as a winter annual in the south.Product Features:Medium Red Clover S Red clover turns brown even when dried properly and, therefore, red clover hay will not appear green like other good-quality hays. Legumes in hay are ideally cut pre-bloom. Is It Safe to Feed Horses Red Clover Hay? Red clover also tolerates higher levels of manganese than alfalfa, which is one of the reasons it thrives in northern Wisconsin’s acidic soils, which are naturally high in manganese. Red clover is the most common clover hay because it grows taller than white clover and thus provides more yield per acre. By the time its dry, leaves are falling off and leaves nothing but burnt blooms and hard stems.... Is it best when the clover is.thick to ted it out right.after we cut it, wait a day and then ted it...???? Best suited to well-drained, fertile, slightly acid to neutral soils. Red clover in a corn>soybean>wheat/red clover rotation in a reduced-input system out-performed continuous corn in a four-year Wisconsin study. Figure 2. When using an herbicide, be sure to carefully follow all grazing and harvesting restrictions and other information stated on the herbicide label. Producer Question from 2015 Q: I have a lot of sweet clover in my hay fields and pastures this year. Figure 4. I have heard that sometimes cattle eating sweet clover, especially hay with sweet clover in it can have problems. Red clover hay introduced at up to 30% in balanced diets in place of alfalfa meal (0, 33, 66 or 100% replacement) did not alter growth, digestibility and mortality (Grandi et al., 1988), indicating that red clover hay could be used safely in complete diets for rabbit feeding. Approximately 18-25kg per conventional bale PLEASE NOTE THIS PRODUCT IS PICK UP IN STORE ONLY $ 24.00 NZD inc GST. It is a late flowering type and usually produces only one hay crop in this region. Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) Description: A short-term (2–3 years) perennial legume. They are superior to clover or clover hay. Red clover is a legume that is widely grown throughout the United States as a hay or forage crop. The hay I got is absolutely full of what I am pretty certain is red clover (pics attached). Improved red clovers are a fast-starting, highly productive and more persistent than older common types. The sweet taste is due to the high sugar content, so care should be given when feeding. Liming red clover fields to a pH of 6.0 to 6.3 will boost production. Figure 3. Red clover performs better than alfalfa on acid or wet soils. Overmature second cutting red clover hay may have a fungus that causes animals to slobber. However, red clover’s boron requirement is lower. Crimson clover is another tall-growing type but tends to be higher in indigestible fiber than red clover. It is sown as a fodder crop for livestock and has long been used in crop rotation systems because of its ability to fix nitrogen, enriching soils. Horses do not like it green but will readily eat it in hay. 75. I've got about 70 acres of clover/orchardgrass/timothy mix. Red clovers are short-lived perennials that will persist 3 to 4 years. Hay may also include legumes, such as alfalfa (lucerne) and clovers (red, white and subterranean). (July 22, 2015) It can be harvested a little later and still have the feed quality of alfalfa harvested earlier. … Note the cotyledon leaf is still visible. Animal feed resources information system. They providing adequate amounts of fibers for gastrointestinal and dental health. If you do not understand the ideal dietary recommendations, consult an animal feed expert, veterinarian, or other qualified professional. https://onpasture.com/2018/03/19/how-to-establish-and-managing-red-clover The fields I grazed were either small pieces of straight red clover or old hay fields that had been frost-seeded with this legume and then harvested. The red clover root system in combination with wheat in rotation builds better soil structure and enhances soil life. If cut earlier, it is more difficult to cure. Red clover is commonly used for hay, grazing, weed suppression, and soil building. However, red clover… Royalty-Free Stock Photo. 0 items in cart Most growth occurs in summer and autumn. Medium red clover is best suited for the Midwest. Prefers well-drained loamy soils, but tolerates moist soils. Heavy first cuttings are difficult to cure. 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