Clover ?

[tenbach79]

I just purchased some retired CRP ground that I am going to start farming and some of the ground has alot of clover growing. I have heared that you can have problems with feeding clover to cattle like them bleeding bad when they calve. Not sure if this is true or not I did feed some clover last year that was in some crp bales that I put up off this same field but not just straight clover. Is the food value and protein high and can it have high nitrate? It's going to make alot of hay big windrows in spots and actually the windrows are bigger in some spots than the alfafla/grass hay that I just put up and it was under irrigation. I talked to a few people that have told me some stories about putting clover up and some werent good. I thought someone on here has done it before and could give me some advise good or bad!!

 

[Silver]

Sweet clover is the only one I know of that affects blood clotting. We feed sweet clover but it's only a percentage of the feed and we try to quit well before calving.
Red clover and alsike clover both make great feed if you get it dry without rain.

 

[Kato]

Make sure there is no mould in it. It's not hard to get it tested to make sure it's OK as well. That's what we always do when we feed clover.

 

[Liveoak]

I have never baled up clover but I know bloat is a problem when they graze it for too long.

 

[Anonymous]

Sweet clover is the only one I know of that affects blood clotting. We feed sweet clover but it's only a percentage of the feed and we try to quit well before calving.
Red clover and alsike clover both make great feed if you get it dry without rain.

Yep-- wet years bring sweet clover- but you have to managage around it- and if its so bad add supplements or look at alternatives...

Interestingly this was brought up on another site- that thinks they need government intervention':

But He Could Hit the Three Like Nobody's Business



Page 1 of 1

Author Message
Mean Spirit Post subject: But He Could Hit the Three Like Nobody's BusinessPosted: Wed Jun 09, 2010 8:47 am


founding member

Joined: Thu Dec 08, 2005 11:14 am
Posts: 2050
Location: Alexandria, VA This is an "agricultural disaster"?


http://www.wbko.com/news/headlines/95922119.html

The disaster of too much clover?





Top

angus2 Post subject: Re: But He Could Hit the Three Like Nobody's BusinessPosted: Wed Jun 09, 2010 10:11 am


founding member

Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2005 2:10 pm
Posts: 2383 A safety net is necesary in agriculture. When hard times come it is our responsibility to take care of each other.

_________________
The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities.
Ayn Rand




Top

Oldtimer Post subject: Re: But He Could Hit the Three Like Nobody's BusinessPosted: Wed Jun 09, 2010 10:27 am


Respected Commenter in the Community


Joined: Sun Sep 24, 2006 10:47 am
Posts: 2403
Location: Northeast Montana Sounds like a management problem to me....

_________________
I believe in corporations. They are indispensable instruments of our modern civilization; but I believe that they should be so supervised and so regulated that they shall act for the interest of the community as a whole.
~Theodore Roosevelt




Top

mikek Post subject: Re: But He Could Hit the Three Like Nobody's BusinessPosted: Wed Jun 09, 2010 10:37 am


Site Moderator


Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2005 6:19 am
Posts: 5281
Location: ky angus2 wrote:
A safety net is necesary in agriculture. When hard times come it is our responsibility to take care of each other.

Richie is the leading Republican candidate for the next Ky governor; he fits the party to a T...





Top

mikek Post subject: Re: But He Could Hit the Three Like Nobody's BusinessPosted: Wed Jun 09, 2010 10:43 am


Site Moderator


Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2005 6:19 am
Posts: 5281
Location: ky COMMISSIONER FARMER ASKS GOVERNOR TO SEEK DISASTER DECLARATION DUE TO CATTLE DEATHS


FRANKFORT, Ky. —Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer has asked Gov. Steve Beshear to request a disaster declaration from the U.S. Department of Agriculture due to numerous cattle deaths from a weather-related condition called primary ruminal tympany, more commonly known as frothy bloat.

"Weather conditions that led to bloat began three summers ago, when back-to-back droughts in 2007 and 2008 weakened grass stands in pastures across Kentucky," Commissioner Farmer said. "Then this spring, a dry April caused grass to lie dormant, followed by a wet May that caused white clover to grow higher and faster than grass."

Kentucky cattle have consumed greater quantities of clover this year, which has led to many cases of the deadly bloat. Clover is high in soluble protein that, combined with rapid fermentation, produces a foam in the cow's rumen that blocks the normal escape of the gas through belching. The first chamber of the stomach becomes enlarged, blowing up like a balloon, which limits breathing.

Commissioner Farmer has been in contact with U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler and John W. McCauley, state executive director of the USDA's Farm Service Agency, to ask about the release of relief funds through the Livestock Indemnity Program for Kentucky cattlemen whose herds have been affected by bloat.

Dave Maples, executive vice president of the Kentucky Cattlemen's Association, said his phone has been ringing off the hook from the state's producers. He said one Fayette County cattleman lost around 30 head, and just about everyone he's talked with has lost at least one animal from bloat.

Dr. Jeff Lehmkuhler, extension beef specialist at the University of Kentucky, said producers are suffering losses both from culling affected cattle and buying products to prevent bloat. He mentioned one Kentucky producer who had nine cows die in his herd of 200.

Lehmkuhler said numbers are not yet available on the number of Kentucky cattle killed by bloat. He said he's talked to some producers who have lost as much as 25 to 30 percent of their herds. He believes the problem could persist through the fall, resulting in more losses.

"Kentucky producers take in about $600 million in cash receipts from the sale of cattle and calves in a normal year," Commissioner Farmer said. "I will continue to monitor the frothy bloat situation, and I will pursue every option to help our cattle producers get through this crisis."

damn; what a joke

http://5barx.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=4628&p=46791#p46791

 

[tenbach79]

Thanks for the replies. We had alot of rain and snow this winter which really helped with the growth. I was told that it only comes back every other year or every 3 years after it has been cut or just winter killed. When we baled this field last fall when the contract went out there was alot of clover in the bales and I was shocked when I went by this field about a week ago with all the regrowth out there I thought I better hay it and get something out of it instead of spraying it and farming over it. I plan on testing it when I get it put up when I get it baled and will let everyone know what it tested.

 

[tenbach79]

Got the test back on the clover that I put up and was surprised by it. Protein was 16.9 and the RFV 140 and no nitrates those are the only two that I remember off the top of my head. Baled some where around 85-90 acres and got 177 round bales so not to bad. Did get some rain on half the field before I got it put up but didn't hurt it to bad.