The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: islaSkye on September 27, 2016, 09:32:54 pm
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We have 4 hebs and are currently grazing on a paddock of grass which is slowly depleting and will be due to move onto fresh land soon. We have planted a large area of white clover edged with physilia (apologies, I'm not sure that's how you spell it!) to act as a green manure. I remember reading a long time ago that you can graze sheep on the clover to benefit both parties, but I'm sure there was a warning about bloat somewhere in that chapter too.
Has anyone grazed on clover before? I just don't see sense in mowing it if the sheep can get some goodness from it instead. Also, is physilia edible for them?
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*Phacelia* not the jellyfish variety!
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Yes you can graze sheep on clover and they do very well on it.
And yes sheep can get bloat from it but it is more likely to happen in spring when the growth is lush, rather than in autumn when it tends to be more fibrous. The ideal would be if you could maybe give them a bit of hay as well (if they'll eat it when faced with fresh clover!) Or possibly, if the fields are next to each other, let them have access to the grass + clover.
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Fab, thank you. We are currently moving the sheep in and out of a barn enclosure to train them to follow so would give them hay when inside but will try to include a strip of grass land with the clover as well.
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Just be aware that clover can make them produce oestrogen (not sure of the mechanism, sorry) which can make their udder swell, and/or act like a contraceptive pill! So not your breeding ewes at tupping time!
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Just be aware that clover can make them produce oestrogen (not sure of the mechanism, sorry) which can make their udder swell, and/or act like a contraceptive pill! So not your breeding ewes at tupping time!
This is only in Red Clovers that are high in phyto oestrogens ---it is a cumulative effect brought on by constant exposure to RC in high density
I graze and breed sheep on 25% RC leys every year and get no problems
There is very little documented research on this and the only 2 pieces I have found suggest that this only seems to occur in very high RC %age leys
The usual reported effect is to close the cervix----if they are not pregnant at this stage they never will be & if they are pregnant labour will be extremely hard or not possible at all