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While clover has a bad reputation for causing bloat, one Eastern Cape farmer achieved good results with this silage, as the following article revealed.

Grass, clover and mixed pastures are gaining in popularity in the north-eastern Cape. Grass pastures in particular are in favour, but a number of farmers are cautious of clover because of the threat of bloat.

Aubrey Sephton of Woodcliffe, Maclear, however, believes in planting only clover and has some substantial results to support his faith in them.

Sephton started artificial mixed pastures in 1947. These all failed, mainly because the grass pushed out the clover. He then decided to try clover alone, which proved very successful, and he now has around 120ha planted to this feed.

From mid-July until the end of September, the clover pastures are grazed by sheep. The average stocking rate on 1ha is 35 ewes (Merino) with lambs for two months. Apart from a salt/mineral lick, the sheep receive no additional supplements while on these pastures.

The value of feeding these sheep solely on clover during winter is seen at shearing time in October, when the average for all his flock sheep, including the lambs, is more than 4,5kg of wool.

WHAT ABOUT BLOAT?

To date, Sephton has not had one fatal case of bloat among the sheep. This, he maintains, is due to the stunted growth of the clover during winter months. The pastures are not grazed in summer.

The summer growth of the clover is cut and ensiled. This silage then provides winter feed for the farm’s cattle. As with the sheep, these animals receive no additional supplements, and are sustained on the silage throughout winter.

Fed ad lib, the mature animals consume about 32kg per head per day. Cows with calves are fed for as long as five months, while dry cattle receive the silage for roughly three months.

Clover is an excellent silage crop.

The average green yield is about 17t/ha over a year. One particular stand on Woodcliffe yielded 21t/ha in 1963.

The silage is prepared in the normal manner with molasses. However, because of the clover’s high moisture content, the molasses is not mixed with water, but applied neat.

ADEQUATE WATER

The primary requisite of clover is adequate water, reckons Sephton. In this respect, he is fortunate in having an average rainfall of 1 270mm to 1 400mm.

When being established, the land receives three ploughings, the first with the early spring rains.

Three weeks before sowing, the land is lightly cultivated to provide a good seedbed. The seed is sown in late December/January at a rate of 4,5kg/ha. Sephton uses a mixture of 3kg Chilean red and 1,5kg Ladino (white) clover, the Chilean being more drought resistant than Ladino.

The seed should be sown in very shallow drills, then given a firm rolling.

The soil type on Woodcliffe is black loam, and the clovers have grown well on soil varying in pH from 6,1 to 4,9.

Sephton also experimented with fertilisation, applying 4t lime, 455kg rock phosphate and 230kg superphosphate to some of the land, and 180kg superphosphate only on other parts. The difference in growth and yield between these two was negligible, and he now sticks to 180kg superphosphate only.

He also tried top dressing with about 80kg potash, but results did not merit further use.

Another point he mentions is that clovers do well on poor soils, provided there is sufficient water. Clovers also prefer slopes not directly facing the sun.

This article first appeared in the 2 June 1965 issue and has been edited to adhere to the current style of Farmer’s Weekly.

FW ARCHIVE Artificial pastures are becoming a common sight in parts of the north-eastern Cape.