Effects of pasture renovation by sod-seeding red clover ( Trifolium pratense L.) or white clover (Trifolium repens L.).

摘要

Sheep farmers in Nova Scotia need low-cost, low-input pasture improvement techniques. This study investigated the sod-seeding of red clover and white clover into naturalized pastures in Nova Scotia. Both forage and sheep productivity were compared among three treatments: renovated red clover, renovated white clover and non-renovated control pastures. Renovation with red clover or white clover increased percent legume on a dry matter basis, August dry matter yield and lamb birth weight from ewes grazed on treatment until breeding. Pasture renovation also tended to decrease lamb fecal egg count and increase lamb gain ha-1. Red clover pastures had greater legume plant density than non-renovated pastures. Volunteer white clover plants were found in all treatment pastures. Red clover pastures promoted greater lamb gains and post-weaning ewe gains, and tended to increase total animal gain ha -1 and gains to 50 days in lambs from ewes grazed on treatment until breeding.