How to use white clover

Find out how to use white clover to benefit your system. See our tips on leaf size and grass/clover mixtures. 

White clovers are categorised by leaf size. Larger-leaved varieties tend to be higher yielding but are less tolerant of grazing and compaction. The type of clover depends on the intended use of the ley.

Leaf size is closely related to the size of the stolons and dictates the livestock system for which it is most suited. Choosing a variety for:

• Cutting – choose large-leaved varieties for maximum yield
• Cattle grazing – choose medium leaf sizes
• Sheep grazing – choose small-leaved varieties

Clover breeders have developed clover varieties that are compatible with new ryegrasses according to their role in a mixture, by selecting under various field conditions.

Table 1. White clover leaf size and uses

*See Recommended Grass and Clover Lists

Mixtures produce scientifically proven yield benefits compared with the same varieties sown individually.

White clover has been selected to withstand being grazed or cut, so the choice of companion grass depends on the primary use of the sward, i.e. grazing or cutting. Typically, the ideal grass is ryegrass because it has good nitrogen use efficiency. This means it can successfully convert the nitrates produced by the clover into yield.

Grasses such as fescue, meadow grass and Yorkshire fog, have lower nitrogen use efficiency, so if production is the main objective, they do not make good companion grasses.

The large European Union-funded MULTISWARD project found that by including deep and shallow rooting, nitrogen-fixing and nitrogen-lifting species, yields and animal performance were higher than in pure ryegrass swards receiving considerable nitrogen fertiliser inputs. The project, carried out across Europe, found that swards with two or three legumes in mixtures with perennial ryegrass receiving 150 kg N/ha, performed as well as monoculture ryegrass swards receiving 300 kg N/ha. The multispecies swards including clover promoted higher forage intake across all livestock and increased output per hectare. At under 200 kg nitrogen, clover still accounted for 29–53% of annual DM yield.

If clover becomes dominant, it can unbalance the sward. This may increase weed infestations because there is less ground cover during late autumn, winter and early spring, when clover growth has slowed or stopped.

If clover dominance is a problem:

• Graze more intensively, particularly with sheep
• Use tactical applications of nitrogen to stimulate grass growth so it can outcompete the clover
• Avoid regular silage cutting because the offtake of nitrogen and light penetration on the growing points encourage clover growth
• Consider using clover varieties with smaller leaves in future

The growth habits of different grass species appear to dictate clover growth patterns. When established with late-heading timothy, the clover contribution to the sward was highest, as shown in Table 2.

Table 2. Impact of companion grass on white clover yield and contribution under silage management

(T) = Tetraploid cultivar

If you would like to order a hard copy of the Establishing and growing clover guide or Recommended Grass and Clover Lists, please contact publications@ahdb.org.uk or call 0247 799 0069.

The information in these web pages was sourced from Germinal, Grassland Development Centre (IBERS, University of Aberystwyth) and Charlie Morgan (GrassMaster Ltd).