Cultivation

Silage and Haylage — White Clover

Trifolium repens L.

The preparation of silage and haylage from white clover is complicated by its prostrate growth habit and high buffering capacity. The crop can only be utilized as part of grass mixtures with mandatory wilting of the forage mass.

In the reference 13 varieties crop White clover, where this is mentioned in the description.

White clover is primarily a pasture plant with a low-growing canopy, which makes its mechanized harvesting for silage or haylage in pure stands impractical. To provide a structural framework for the sward that facilitates machinery operation, it is recommended to sow it in combination with grass components, such as ryegrass or fescue.

Biologically, this crop is classified as difficult to ensile due to its high protein content, significant buffering capacity, and a lack of water-soluble carbohydrates. These characteristics create a risk of butyric acid fermentation and putrefactive decay; therefore, to obtain high-quality feed, it is necessary to wilt the forage to 30–35% dry matter and use chemical preservatives.

General information about the subject — on the page Silage and haylage.

Sources8

Varieties of White clover mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.