White Clover

[TRAILRIDER]

For what ever reason, we have so much white clover this year in Kentucky. I don't like clover in horse hay, especially now that I have a COPD foundered horse and don't need any more problems. So we will only cut one pasture for hay (much less of it up there.)
I didn't realize clover could cause such problems for cattle? I met a local man that has raised cattle here for 60+ yrs and he has never seen it as bad. He had just bought a bunch of big calves and lost three immediately to bloat. I understand there are mineral blocks to help combat the bloat, but they are quite expensive here.
Anyone else have a problem with too much white clover?

[RiverPines]

We have tons of it but the rabbits love it and the sheep do too and neither has ever had a prob from it.

We have some red clover too but thats mine for my tea!

[highlands]

Our pigs love white clover. We plant it, and other types.

[SueMc]

It's not too bad here. I have had the horses foam at the mouth when they eat too much. I don't have cattle.

[luv2farm]

Looks like it snowed here....in June. I've never seen so much, and close to the ground, too. We dropped the setting on our mower hoping to cut more of it off closer to the ground. Still looks like snow.

[cider]

Yes! The clover is everywhere this year.
Our neighbors calves were sick from it last week. They lost one.
We don't know a thing about cows but DH speculated it might be the high nitrogen in clover.

[DoubleBee]

We have tons of Dutch white this year, and I'm loving it because it makes good honey!
Three hives and looking to expand.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Our clover is holding up a little better this year because of the rain. Our steer loves it, anywhere it grows is grazed to the ground, he is getting fat and slick off of it. It may be that the calves were turned out hungry so they ate too much too fast, or while it was wet, which makes things worse.

[cider]

Here is a local article I found:

Clover takes toll on cattle herd
By JOHN FRIEDLEIN

jfriedlein@thenewsenterprise.com

This spring’s clover explosion not only has made local lawns look like scenes of a popcorn spill, it has killed several cows in Hardin County within the past month.

Weather conditions led to problems with the legume. The situation seems to be improving, though, said Hardin County Extension agent Doug Shepherd.

As the plant matures it causes less of a problem for cattle and its growth slows in the summer. Also, clover outgrew grass in early spring — which was cool and dry — but as the grass catches up, it dilutes the effect of clover.

The plant can cause gas to swell in one of the animals’ stomach chambers, putting pressure on the lungs. “They basically suffocate,” Shepherd said. Treatment can include surgery or anti-bloating products.

Reports in the state of this condition — called frothy bloat — range geographically, roughly from Grayson County to eastern Kentucky to Cincinnati, said Jeff Lehmkuhler, an extension beef cattle specialist for the University of Kentucky.

Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer has asked state government for a disaster declaration.

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

There are several ways to prevent this from happening. For instance, producers can refrain from letting cows in pastures either while they’re hungry or in the morning when fields are dewy. A mineral treatment earlier in the year could help, too.

Also, it’s not so much a problem if cattle are used to feeding in fields mixed with clover. “My cows are kind of conditioned to it,” said Rineyville cattleman Chuck Crutcher, who has not lost any animals to the bloat.
http://www.thenewsenterprise.com/cgi...62434053053008

[Toads tool]

Clover is thick here. As stated above, real close to the ground.
Mowing the baseball field was a nightmare.

[soulsurvivor]

My brother lives in Larue and hasn't mentioned having a problem, but he does plant alfalfa in most of his hay fields. He bales and sells to horse farmers in TN, so I don't think he'd welcome the clover.

All we have is the large yard/garden here and we don't have any white clover problems, but we do have the normal patch of it here and there. And in looking at the farms close by, they don't seem to have anymore than usual either. But it could just be that here in our local area of Marion the grass stays mowed close to the ground either by machine or dairy herds. Usually our weeds are the dandelions, but even those are slim to none so far this year.

We seem to have more of a problem with briar roses. Those are really tough to get rid of and no clue as to where they keep coming from. And nettles, but I know a lot of people like to collect and use the nettles for home remedies and tea. We just think of these as weeds and fight them every year.