Sweet clover blooms are strong this year, spreading across various landscapes due to timely rainfall. This biennial plant plays a crucial role in improving soil health and providing wildlife habitat. However, sweet clover possesses certain characteristics that require careful management to mitigate potential risks and optimize its benefits.
Sweet clover's two-year life cycle allows it to self-seed, with viable seeds remaining in the soil for decades. Second-year plants are currently in bloom, set to produce seeds and complete their life cycle. These plants give rise to new seedlings, which remain vegetative during their first year, establishing a deep taproot and developing multiple branches in the second year.
As a legume, sweet clover contributes to nitrogen fixation and boasts a deep taproot that aids water infiltration and aeration. Its tolerance for alkaline soils makes it an attractive choice for land reclamation. However, caution must be exercised, as the plant is unsuitable for close grazing or haying during its first year. It can also cause bloat and contains coumarin, which imparts a sweet odor when crushed but can reduce palatability in livestock.
Improper drying of sweet clover during haymaking can lead to overheating and the growth of fungi that convert coumarin to dicoumarol. This substance hampers blood clotting ability and poses a risk to animals, potentially causing internal hemorrhaging. Detecting these issues can be challenging, as symptoms may take days to manifest.
To minimize risks, hay containing sweet clover should be thoroughly cured, stored properly, and tested for dicoumarol concentration. Feeding management techniques, such as blending sweet clover hay with other types or adopting an alternating feeding schedule, can also mitigate potential issues.
While sweet clover presents challenges, proper understanding, curing, testing, and feeding management can help farmers harness its benefits without compromising livestock health. Vigilance and informed practices will ensure that sweet clover continues to enhance our pastures and ranges while offering valuable forage opportunities.