Trifolium vesiculosum

Cefalu is highly productive in September and October, and is a valuable protein source for growing lambs and milking ewes over this important period.
Cefalu will not tolerate wet soil conditions over the winter months. This clover has an erect growth habit with strong stems, this allows a high percentage of leaf exposure to the sun and higher photosynthesis than prostate annual clovers.
Cefalu has a very large flower, attractive to bees and other insects for effective pollination. A large seed drop can be expected, up to 1000 kg per ha is possible. A seed set in the first spring will ensure long term future use of Cefalu in permanent pastures. Second and subsequent years may be grazed normally at standard stocking rates. Low risk of bloat during grazing.

Features

• Low tolerance to water logging

• Earlier flowering Arrowleaf clover than Arrotas, similar to Bolta Balansa.

• Highly productive August, September and October

• Erect growth habit with strong stems

• Very palatable to the animal including stems

• High hard seed levels for future re-generation

Establishment and Grazing Management

• Purchase high quality certified seed, which has been softened. Inoculation with group C inoculant is vital before sowing.

• Successful establishment can be achieved through direct drilling. This reduces soil disturbance, which limits germination of competing weeds.

• Sowing depth of 5mm should not be exceeded, light rolling or harrowing with chains afterwards improves seed– soil contact.

• pH requirement down to 5.3

• 10– 15kg P/ha as single or triple superphosphate can be beneficial in soils with a low available P level.

• Light grazing through winter assists controlling competition from winter active species if grown in a mix.

• Defer grazing from beginning of flowering in first year to ensure maximum seed set, reintroduction 6 weeks after flowering and when seed heads are dry. Sheep will then carry the seed in their gut and deposit it to other paddocks.

Trifolium vesiculosum

Arrotas is suited to + 600 mm rainfall areas, where early summer rain followed by hot summers can be expected. Arrotas is adapted to a wide range of soil types and does best on soils with pH of 5.0-7.0 with high water holding capacity but will not tolerate waterlogging.

Young plants are easy to identify as they mature. Diamond or arrowhead shaped leaves with white or green V– shaped marks characterise the variety. Each plant produces large quantities of seed in its first year, these will soften during the second year and regenerate large amounts of plants in its third. Allowing the plants to set seed in the first year will ensure a seed bank for the future. Arrotas can be incorporated into a mix with forage cereals or annual grasses to provide both winter production and weed suppression.

Features
Annual legume with an enhanced deep tap root, able to utilise subsoil moisture well into summer.

• High proportion of hard seed for persistence

• Increases soil Nitrogen, 1000 kg DM will fix approximately 25 kg/N for free

• Outstanding spring and summer production,

• Quality feed— high nutrient value and digestibility

• Low risk of bloat or Redgut during grazing – however care should be taken when introducing stock to any legume pasture

• 10 tonne/ ha herbage DM yields produced in Marlborough exceeds sub and Balansa clover yields

Establishment and Grazing Management

• Purchase high quality certified seed, which has been softened. Inoculation with group C innoculants is vital before sowing.

• Successful establishment can be achieved through direct drilling. This reduces soil disturbance, which limits germination of competing weeds.

• Sowing depth of 5mm should not be exceeded, light rolling or harrowing with chains afterwards improves seed– soil contact.

• 10– 15kg P/ha as single or triple superphosphate can be beneficial in soils with a low available P level.

• Light grazing through winter assists controlling competition from winter active species if grown in a mix.

• Defer grazing from beginning of flowering in first year to ensure maximum seed set, reintroduction 6 weeks after flowering and when seed heads are dry. Sheep will then carry the

  seed in their gut and deposit it to other paddocks.

• Second year pasture should be grazed normally at standard stocking rates.