LADINO CLOVER

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21156, 1 October 1938, Page 15

LADINO CLOVER

GOOD FATTENING FODDER

REMARKABLE RESULTS IN CALIFORNIA

A species of clover somewhat resembling a. giant white clover, which is said to have originated in Italy, and is known as ladino, has revolutionised farming and stock fattening in parts of the United States, and particularly in California.

A New Zealand farmer, who recently returned from a tour of these parts, says: “As far as the eye could see, spread smoothly over the hills, was this same carpet of shimmering green that covered the field we stood in. What we saw was thousands of acres of ladino clover, stretching far into the horizon, each field dotted with groups of feeding livestock.

“Although beef steers, dairy cows and even turkeys and other poultry are carried on this clover in very large numbers, the chief purpose to which it is put is to fatten lambs. Since the establishment of ladino, the area which I saw has become one of the most important lamb-fattening areas in the West. From the 600-acre farm on which we stood, the owner had, for several years past, turned off about 15,000 head of fat lambs a year, all of which were bought as culls from breeders in other States, who had been unable to fatten them.”

The great advantage of this clover over lucerne and other deep-rooted types is that it grows to perfection on hard-pan areas where deep-rooted plant growth is drowned out in winter and burnt out in hot summers. It thrives best in these hot, dry areas under irrigation, and grows in a dense sward to a foot in height. It is said to carry 10 to 15 lambs to the acre and fatten them rapidly, so that from 20 to 30 lambs can be turned off each acre every year.

Experimental plots of this clover grown in the Auckland district last year made six inches of succulent, leafy growth in six weeks from sowing, and at flowering the plants were fully 12m. to 15in. in height—without irrigation. Questioned regarding the possible value of ladino clover for New Zealand, Mr Bruce Levy, on his return from his recent trip abroad, said that he did not think it would be found to be superior, under similar conditions, to our own white clover.

It is possible, however, that in soil and climatic conditions similar to those described in California, ladino may be found to be a most valuable fattening crop, especially for old ewes and cull lambs.