Hi Folks,
I have seen some of this "Alice" clover. I have no idea
where it comes from, or who sells it, but it certainly
seems to me to be Ladino.
To supress Ladino (and other less desirable tall growing
plants), just mow it close for a few cycles.
Your wild white clover and desirable low growing grasses
should eventually gain the upper hand if the sunshine can
get down to it. By "close mowing", I mean as close as you
would mow your lawn.
My opinion is that the wild white clover is a much more
desirable nitrogen-fixing plant than the large leafed,
taller, more agressive Ladino.
In the meantime, possibly you could carry a bale of clean,
bright straw down to the paddock early every morn and kick
it around. They will relish a few bites of that and it
should solve some of the bloat problem.
My experience, here in northern Ohio, is that most bloat
accidents occur in the followers (second grazers). In my
opinion, grazing the steers first could be making things
somewhat worse.
In a naturally evolved pasture like I have here, there would
always be something growing that the first grazers could
pick out to eat when they are feeling "bloaty". The second
grazers would not have that opportunity, and so are more
likely to bloat.
--
Kindest regards,
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F. W. Owen
Owenlea Holsteins
9430 Spencer Road
Homerville, Ohio 44235
e-mail fwo@bright.net
home page http://www.bright.net/~fwo
voice & fax 330.625.2369
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