Balansa clover

[neilo]

we overseeded some old, much less productive pasture, we are not allowed to plough. In the hope it makes better silage, and fixes N. Might be to wet, for a pure stand ? Most of our silage is analysing at 16%, Some r/clover leys have come back at 19% protein. Very good silage, is worth a lot, and as both fert and protein prices are rather 'hot', anything we can do, will help, and we are quite happy to try different 'things'.

The folks originally trialling it for Germinal were trying it as a mix with Italian Ryegrass iirc. They had a massive (wet) crop but the balansa didn't persist.

I can't think of anything it does that red clover wouldn't do better, and for longer, in a UK climate. If you just want an annual clover, Berseem or Crimson would do just the same or better.

 

[som farmer]

looking to do some 'trial' plots here, with a few different things.
we have some predominantly r/clover leys, some pitted, some baled, bales are coming back at 19% protein, mixed pit is running at 16%, and the cows are milking very well.
Two problems, first we have taken on some old leys, which we cannot plough, though in fairness, 1st cut analysed well, and 2nd cut was some nice hay. But really trying to see if we can up the quality further.
Second, we have 32 acres, of cut only, our choice, which would quite easily done a 6th cut this year, with a r/clover base, trouble being we cannot swop fields, easily, and you cannot grow continuous r/c, verticulum wilt. On red clover, and oestrogen affecting ewes, came across some research, saying they thought that was wrong, and all based on research done in the 50/60's, doesn't affect us, but shows some research, is rather dated.

 

[hendrebc]

Don’t know why it didn’t deliver as I thought which is a shame.
Very promising in its first year but just seemed to disappear in second year.

The stuff I bought from you in 2018(?) Is still here. I remember reading when I got the seed that it was important to sow in late summer and let it go through vernalisation over winter or it wouldn't flower and set seed the next year. I did that and there was a lot of it by autumn 2019. I've tried to let it flower every year because there is a lot of white clover in that field as well and it's the only reseed in that block of land so I'm trying to move the clover seed round that block in the stocks bellies. It's not working as well as I'd like though.
It was quite hard to find balansa there this year but there was some. I thought it would have been a good fit because it's a wet clay soil field but there we go. I've given it a better opportunity to work than it would get in most places.