Benefits of Clover Hay For Cows

clover hay for cows

If you are looking to add clover hay for cows to your herd, you have several different options. You can add a mixture of different types of clover, or you can purchase a blend of clover hay that has been specifically formulated for dairy cows. There are also several benefits to using clover hay for your herd. In fact, it has been found that clover can even help with your livestock’s health, including improved milk production, reduced toxicosis, and increased ADG.

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Contents

Grass composition in pastures remained consistent between 2016 and 2017

It is important to know the forage composition of a pasture. This will provide a good idea of the quality of diet that animals are likely to consume. There are many different minerals and nutrients that livestock need to survive and thrive. The concentrations of these nutrients will change throughout the grazing season. In addition, the type of forage will affect the composition of the forage.

The amount of protein and fiber content in a pasture will change during the grazing season. The energy content will also decrease during the summer. If a pasture is used for feeding dairy cattle, urea will appear in the urine and blood. Grasse and legume forages tend to have higher concentrations of these nutrients.

Increased ADG with red clover isoflavone biochanin A

Red clover isoflavone biochanin A supplementation does not appear to have any significant effect on growth performance in growing steers. However, it may have a beneficial effect on lung function, coughing, and asthma.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of two levels of red clover hay on the growth performance of a 250 kg steer. One level was supplemented with DDG and the other was pasture-only. CP from the pasture alone was marginal for meeting the CP requirements of growth.

Steers fed the supplemented red clover hay and DDG had similar gains, but the low red clover hay group had a much higher average daily gain (ADG). In addition, the high red clover hay group had a higher ADG, with an additional 0.81 kg per steer–1.

Suppressed ammonia-producing rumen bacteria

Various types of phytogenic additives can be used in feeds for livestock to modify rumen fermentation. It is important to evaluate the effect of these compounds on the microbial ecosystem to minimize nitrogen release into the atmosphere. In this study, the effects of clover hay and isoflavones were evaluated.

Isoflavones were found to inhibit hyper-ammonia-producing bacteria. They also showed positive effects on fiber digestion. The antimicrobial effects of isoflavones were consistent with previous studies. Grazing cattle require protein that can be degraded in the rumen.

Several medicinal plants have already been studied for their effects on rumen fermentation. However, some of these studies have been limited to a small number of plant species. Thus, future research should explore optimum supplementation strategies.

Reduced fescue toxicosis

Fescue toxicosis is a major problem for forage-livestock producers. The disease results from ingestion of fescue grass that is contaminated with an endophytic fungus. It causes a number of physiological and reproductive problems in cattle.

Researchers have found that cattle grazing toxic fescues exhibit an increased rate of body temperature, reduced weight gains, and poor reproductive performance. Foals born from mares exposed to toxic fescues have high perinatal mortality rates. These animals also have enlarged thyroid follicles.

Various management approaches have been used to mitigate fescue toxicity. A common strategy is to remove seedheads from toxic fescue. However, this does not provide a quick remedy.

Another approach to reducing fescue toxicosis is to avoid excessive nitrogen fertilizer rates. Fertilizers such as urea and ammonia break cell wall linkages in plants, allowing for a more digestible product. This increases the nutrient content of forage and dilutes the toxic effects of ergovaline and alfatoxins.

White clover adds 100+ lbs to a steer

One of the best ways to increase dry matter intake and bodyweight gain of steers and heifers is to include white clover hay in the diet. This legume is an excellent N-fixing forage.

It grows well on wet, well-drained soils and is suitable for rotational grazing. When used in pasture mixtures, it increases the feeding value of grasses and other forage species.

White clover grows best in cool, moist conditions. The cultivars available include Willamette (B) White, Spanish white, and Cumino B) White.

Clovers are versatile forage legumes that produce good results when used in a variety of pasture management systems. They offer multiple animal performance characteristics and can be used to reduce production costs.

Some advantages of using clover are its ability to increase dry matter intake, its high nitrogen content, its low yield and its contribution to forage quality. Clovers have a long history of use as forage and their benefits are numerous.