White Clover Content in New Zealand Dairy Pastures Affects Milksolids Production

As a preliminary experiment to measuring milksolids (fat plus protein) production of dairy cattle grazing swards containing different levels of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) nine Jersey and nine Friesian cattle housed indoors during late lactation and fed diets containing either 20, 50 or 80% white clover with the balance perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). During the first 10 day measurement period cows were fed ad libitum and during the second 10 days feeding was restricted to 75% of metabolisable energy requirement. Milk yields of cows fed 50 and 80% clover were 18% and 10% greater than for cows fed 20% clover during periods 1 and 2 respectively, but there was no difference between yields under 50 or 80% clover. Increased yields were due to the increased nutritive value of the herbage and increased intakes as a result of higher clover content. Clover content had no effect on milk composition so increased milksolids yields were directly due to higher milk yields.