Pasturing
Category:
ALFALFA
Mammoth clover furnishes much pasture when it is grazed,
on into July and sometimes even into August, because of the vigorous
character of the growth, but after that season the growth is usually
light. Nor is there generally much growth after the crop has been cut
for hay. The palatability of the pasture is much the same as that of the
medium red variety. More grazing is furnished where the crop is fairly
well grown before the pasturing begins, but it is not so palatable, and
when unduly rank, to defer pasturing thus long would result in a
considerable waste of pasture, which the stock would tread under foot.
When the crop is wanted for hay, there may be instances in which it may
be advantageous to pasture it for a time to prevent the growth from
becoming overly luxuriant. There have been instances in which the
clover has grown so rankly that the lodged clover killed nearly all the
plants by excluding the air from the roots. When grown on soils that in
a normal season produce a rank growth, the quality of the hay will, in
nearly all instances, be improved by grazing. This, however, should be
done soon after the growth begins and should not be long continued, and
it should be close, in order to promote evenness and uniformity in the
growth of the hay crop.
When grown for seed, mammoth clover is quite frequently pastured. In
fact, in a majority of instances it is either pastured or cut with the
mower when a seed crop is wanted. The pasturing usually continues until
June 1st, but in some instances it is prolonged far on into June. The
duration of the pasturing season should be gauged largely by the
character of the soil and weather. The better the conditions for growth
in the plants, the longer may the pasturing be continued, and vice
versa. There are also conditions in which such pasturing may not be
necessary. But when the grazing is not close, the mower should be run
over the field, otherwise the seeds will not ripen evenly.
There is the same danger from bloating that is present when pasturing
medium red clover. (See page 94.) To avoid this danger, cattle that are
being thus pastured are in some instances given access to cured clover
hay. In other instances the haulm of the seed is left in the field so
that the cattle have access to it. But the second season of grazing, the
danger from bloat is not so great as the first season, as usually more
of other pasture plants grow amid the clover.
Horses, cattle, sheep or swine may be used in grazing off the clover for
seed. All of these may be used at the same time. Horses bite the crowns
of the plants so closely as to somewhat injure subsequent growth; sheep
also crop rather closely; cattle do not crop the plants so closely;
consequently, they are so far preferable to horses or sheep for such
grazing. On the other hand, sheep will prove far more destructive to
weed growth in the pasture.
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Harvesting For HayPrevious:
Sowing
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