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nafex - [nafex] Was: Weed fabric, Now: Clovers & cover/trap crops

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  • From: Lucky Pittman <Lucky.Pittman@murraystate.edu>
  • To: nafex@egroups.com
  • Subject: [nafex] Was: Weed fabric, Now: Clovers & cover/trap crops
  • Date: Wed, 05 Jul 2000 08:59:42 -0500

At 09:25 AM 07/04/2000 -0400, Doc Lisenby wrote:
>!One (all?)of the clovers causes cattle to
>hemorrhage, eh, Lucky? Coumadin?

Only sweet clover (Melilotus spp) is a problem, so far as interfering with
coagulation is concerned, and really only if it's fed as spoiled or moldy
sweet clover hay. The standing plant contains some coumarin, but it's not
especially palatable to cattle - they'll consume it, but it's one of the
last things they'll eat, before they start in on the broomsedge and
goldenrod. However, if cut for hay and rained upon or not dried rapidly
enough, molds will grow and convert the coumarin to dicoumarin which is
much more active in interfering with the synthesis and activity of Vitamin
K. The other clovers and legumes don't cause this problem. For a more
indepth discussion on sweet clover poisoning, check out this site:
http://www.ianr.unl.edu/pubs/animaldisease/g325.htm

In a pasture setting, my own preference for legumes runs to Ladino clover
and annual lespedeza. Red clover is a short-lived perennial - you may get
3 years or so out of it before you have to re-seed, but if you get
Ladino(white clover with a turbo-charger) established, it's there for the
long run in most cases. Most of the clovers will pretty much go dormant,
or at least slow down, when hot weather hits, and that's when the annual
lespedeza really shines - it makes the bulk of its growth here in my zone
6b from July through September. Managed correctly, by either removing
grazing animals or stopping mowing around 1 Oct, will allow it to reseed
itself. I've not purposely planted either in my fruit orchard, though
there are some 'volunteer' patches of both here and there, as well as a lot
of the subterranean hop clover.
I can't comment on the attractiveness of either for stinkbugs & the like,
as noted by Ed Fackler, but ATTRA has an online publication on Sustainable
Pecan Production which addresses, briefly, planting cover/trap crops to
divert problem insects or increase numbers of beneficial insect
predators. These may not work for pomefruits.
http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/pecan.html


>

Lucky Pittman
USDA Zone 6
Hopkinsville, KY


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