Clover Can Cut Nitrogen Use, Without Cutting Yield

Clover can feel like a gamble until you understand what it’s really doing in the sward and how small management choices decide the outcome. We’re joined by John Spence, Forage Crops Product Manager at Limagrain, to get clear on the practical differences between red clover and white clover, and how to choose the right option for grazing, silage, or a dual-purpose ley on UK dairy farms.

We talk through the big paybacks farmers actually care about: higher home-grown protein, better digestibility, and nitrogen fixation that can cut fertiliser use when prices spike or supply tightens. John explains why clover often carries summer growth when grasses dip, how deep rooting links to drought tolerance and soil structure, and where clover fits alongside SFI options and multi-species or herbal leys.

Then we get into the detail that makes clover work on farm: white clover leaf sizes and why blends matter, red clover longevity expectations, sowing windows based on soil temperature, seedbed and sowing depth, and the realities of overseeding. We also cover bloat risk sensibly, cutting date decisions for quality versus yield, why clover silage can benefit from an additive, and what to do when NIR forage analysis struggles with clover-heavy or mixed swards.

This was recorded in November 2025, and all information was correct at the time of recording.

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