What clover should I sow in an irrigated pasture to get more winter growth?
We recommend Haifa White Clover. It is a medium-leaved, winter-active perennial clover suited to irrigation and higher rainfall areas, with high activity through winter and early spring. It was selected for more stolons than large-leaved Ladino types. It suits sandy to heavy soils with pH 5 or higher and handles low pH and waterlogging.
How much white clover seed do I add to a ryegrass pasture?
For Haifa White Clover we recommend 2 to 4 kg/ha sown in a mix with perennial or biennial ryegrass, as white clover is generally not competitive with annual ryegrass. If you are sowing it with other white clovers, reduce the Haifa share to suit. Inoculate with Group B inoculant and sow no deeper than 1.5cm.
How deep should white clover seed be sown?
Sow white clover no deeper than 1.5cm. With our Haifa White Clover, keeping the seed shallow is important for good establishment. Graze the pasture frequently after sowing so light reaches the young clover plants, which enhances establishment and development, and inoculate the seed with Group B inoculant before sowing.
What perennial clover handles wet, acidic soils in the high rainfall South West?
Haifa White Clover tolerates both low pH and waterlogging, which makes it useful in wet, acidic paddocks in higher rainfall country. It suits 500mm+ rainfall areas or irrigation, on sandy through to heavy soils with pH 5 or higher. It is best in rotationally grazed pastures with perennial or biennial ryegrass.
Which grass should I sow white clover with?
We recommend sowing Haifa White Clover with perennial or biennial ryegrasses, such as our Victorian Perennial Ryegrass or Hypa Hybrid Ryegrass. White clover is generally not competitive with annual ryegrass. Where irrigation is used, we suggest adding a more summer-active white clover to the mix to fill the summer gap and extend production.
Does white clover cause bloat in cattle?
White clover can contribute to bloat in cattle when it dominates a lush pasture, although we don't publish a bloat rating for Haifa White Clover. We suggest keeping a good grass balance with perennial or biennial ryegrass, grazing rotationally, introducing hungry stock gradually and talking to your vet about bloat prevention.
Is Haifa white clover any good for summer feed?
Haifa White Clover has limited summer production compared with Ladino types and newer releases, because it was selected for winter activity. It is an older variety that is now mostly used as a mix component in higher rainfall zones that need winter growth. For summer feed, pair it with a more summer-active white clover under irrigation.
How do I keep a white clover pasture persisting year after year?
Graze often and rotationally so light reaches the clover stolons. Haifa White Clover is a perennial with prolific seed set, and some of its hard seed is spread by livestock, which helps thicken stands. Keep companion ryegrass under control, and maintain soil fertility and pH above 5.
How long does white clover take to flower in WA?
Our Haifa White Clover takes about 90 days to flower. It is highly active through winter and early spring, which is when it produces most of its feed, and has limited summer production compared with later white clover releases. It suits higher rainfall areas or irrigation, and timing will vary with your district, sowing date and watering.
Haifa white clover vs red clover, which should I use?
Choose Haifa White Clover for grazed pastures under irrigation or in 500mm+ rainfall where you want winter and early spring growth. Choose our Red Clover for summer growth, some drought tolerance from its strong tap root, and grazing, hay or silage in 600mm+ rainfall areas. Both are perennials often sown in mixes, and both use Group B inoculant.
