Kenya Clover

Kenya Clover
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NOTE: The information in this Agnote must be read in conjunction with Introduction to selecting and using pastures in NSW, which covers information on areas of adaptation, sources of variability, species mixtures, and important issues related to animal health and the conservation of native vegetation.

Pasture type and use	Perennial pasture legume with main growth in spring/summer and autumn. Grazing.
Area of adaptation	North Coast
Min. average annual rainfall	1000 mm
Advantages	High quality grazing with high animal production potential. Tolerates heavy grazing. Combines well with many tropical perennial grasses. Good drought and heat tolerance. Good persistence.
Disadvantages	Slow to establish. Poor winter growth, sensitive to heavy frost. Very high hard-seed content. Needs mechanical scarification of sowing seed. Needs medium to high fertility soils. Seed often scarce and expensive.
Soil requirements	Well-drained soils of medium to high fertility. High tolerance to acid soils.
Varieties	Safari. (Seed scarce or unobtainable in commercial quantities.)
Sowing rate	2–4 kg/ha
Sowing time	Autumn
Companion species	Compatible with any tropical grass that can tolerate heavy grazing, e.g. kikuyu, paspalum, rhodes grass.
Inoculation	Group K. Inoculation is essential.
Major nutrient deficiencies	Phosphorus, sulfur, molybdenum, potassium.
Main insect pests	Amnemus weevil, whitefringed weevil, slugs.
Main diseases	Rugose leaf curl (in newly sown pastures).
Management	Light grazing in first year to allow flowering and seed-set to build soil seed reserves. Once established, heavy grazing in summer to prevent a grass overburden and to keep stolons close to the ground. Undergrazing reduces persistence.
Livestock disorders of particular note	Bloat in cattle.
Additional tips	Has been successfully established by surface sowing in autumn into existing pasture. Takes 1–2 years to develop into a good pasture. Seed very scarce.
Further information	Agfact P2.5.18 Safari kenya white clover.

Acknowledgments

Advice on livestock health disorders was provided by Dr Chris Bourke, Principal Research Scientist, NSW Agriculture, Orange. His contribution is gratefully acknowledged.

Photo: Warren McDonald, Former Technical Specialist (Pastures), NSW Agriculture, Tamworth