Red Clover

An potential option of ground which will dry out very late or is in need of TLC after the poor winter.  This option could be considered as

• An alternative to fallow
• A fertility builder – growing, mulching and ploughing back in an the autumn
• Produce high protein forage for your farm
• Potential option to sell bales

Red clover is a relatively drought tolerant, deep tap rooting, N fixing legume that is primarily used for silage production but can also be grazed by cattle or sheep in the autumn. Red clover in a mixture with perennial ryegrass and white clover can produce very high yields of multi-cut silage without artificial nitrogen (N) fertilizer. Red clover has enormous capacity to ‘fix’ atmospheric N into plant-available N in the soil supplying the equivalent of around 300 kg per ha per year.  Red clover will not persist if continuously grazed or cut more frequently than every 30 days due to a combination of excessive foliage removal and plant crown damage by hoof trampling. Benefits of red clover.  For more details on red clover growth habit see here with additional information on management and conservation here. 

See more on Costs of establishment and margins below 

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