Red Clover Diet for Cows

Red clover, a forage legume, is gaining popularity with stockmen. It is well adapted to poorly drained soils and tolerates lower soil pH and fertility than many other pasture forages. Red clover produces high yields, but grows for only two to three seasons before it has to be replanted. It is grown as a pure hay crop, silage crop or in combination with other pasture forages.

  1. Description

    • Red clover plants are leafy and erect. They grow to a maximum height of 3 feet and are easily identified by a white "V" on their leaves. Stems, leaves and petioles (leaf stems) are covered with thick hair, and the plant's pinkish-violet flowers occur in dense clusters. Red clover possesses good seedling vigor, and, as a result, it is easier to establish than other forage legumes.

    History

    • Red clover is planted in much of the world where precipitation is adequate.

      Red clover originated in southeast Europe and became established in a large portion of the world where precipitation is evenly distributed through the year. It came into the United States during the 17th century and arrived much earlier than most other clovers and alfalfa.

    Crude Protein Content

    • Red clover hay is equal in crude protein content to tall fescue, orchardgrass and annual ryegrass hay.

      Red clover, at early flower, contains 14 to 16 percent crude protein, and at late flower, it contains 12 to 14 percent. The amount of crude protein is very similar to that found in annual lespedeza, another legume plant, and is more than the 7 to 9 percent crude protein found in corn silage. Tall fescue, orchardgrass and annual ryegrass contain 12 to 16 percent crude protein in the vegetative stage of growth. When these grasses are in the boot stage of growth (where they start development of a seed head), crude protein content is only 8 to 12 percent.

    Energy Content

    • Red clover is similar in TDN content to corn silage.

      Energy content in cattle feed is expressed as TDN (Total Digestible Nutrients). Red clover, at early flower, contains 64 to 67 percent TDN, and at late flower it contains 59 to 64. These values are similar to the amount of TDN in good quality alfalfa, corn silage, pearl millet, annual lespedeza and grasses such as tall fescue, orchardgrass, annual ryegrass and Bermuda.

    Dairy Cattle Rations

    • Red clover can be more digestible than alfalfa.

      The best milk yield potential from dairy cows occurs when red clover is harvested at late bud or early bloom stages of maturity. Harvest delays beyond these growth stages result in dramatic declines in milk production. Red clover sometimes limits feed intake; therefore, supplement early-lactating, high-producing dairy cows with high-energy grains.

    Beef Cattle Rations

    • The best winter forage program for cattle is a mixture of red clover and cool-season grasses.

      Red clover pastures for winter grazing significantly reduce the feed bill and supply protein and TDN to beef cattle diets. One of the best winter forage programs is a mixture of red clover and cool-season grasses. When grazing pure stands of red clover, bloat can be a problem. To avoid bloat, fill cattle with grass or hay before moving them onto red clover or other legume pastures.