Red clover silage - Feeding value of red clover silage for cattle

The nitrogen-fixing capability of red clover means that it can produce high yields of highprotein forage without nitrogen fertiliser. The feeding value of red clover silage depends on its combined effects on feed intake and diet digestibility. Traditional feed evaluation assessments indicate that red clover has some disadvantages due to its lower digestibility compared with early-harvested ryegrass silage. There is also a higher risk of poor silagefermentation due to its lower sugar content. However, it is palatable. The resulting high intake and high protein content improves performance of dairy and beef cattle. This can be used to reduce reliance on purchased feeds, especially protein concentrates. Attention to good silage-making