Clover Hay

Clover hay is made from clover plants that are cut and baled, either from purpose-grown clover crops or from mixed pastures with significant clover content. Clover is a legume, which means it fixes atmospheric nitrogen and produces hay with higher protein content than grass hays.

In Australia, clover hay is produced mainly in the cooler, higher-rainfall regions of southern Australia where clover species thrive as pasture plants. It is not as widely traded as lucerne or the main cereal hays, but it has a dedicated market, particularly among sheep and dairy producers in Victoria, South Australia, and southern NSW who value its protein content and the fact that it is often locally produced in regions where lucerne is harder to source.

Clover hay sits between grass hays and lucerne in terms of protein and price. It is a useful feed for livestock at moderate production stages and a cost-effective alternative to lucerne when protein levels in the 14 to 18% range are adequate for the job.

Browse hay and fodder listings on LocalAg to see current clover hay availability near you. If you cannot find it listed in your area, post a free Wanted Ad and our team will find a verified supplier.

Several clover species are grown across Australia and can be cut for hay, each with slightly different characteristics and regional preferences.

Subterranean clover (sub clover, Trifolium subterraneum) is the most widely grown clover species in southern Australia. It is an annual legume that reseeds itself each year and is the dominant legume in many permanent pastures across Victoria, SA, and WA. Sub clover-based hay is commonly produced from mixed pastures that contain significant sub clover content alongside annual grasses. It is the most common clover species you will encounter in pasture hay from southern regions.

Red clover (Trifolium pratense) is a perennial or biennial legume that grows well in higher-rainfall zones. It produces higher yields and higher protein than sub clover and is grown specifically in some regions for hay production. Red clover hay is less common than sub clover-based hay but is produced in parts of Victoria, Tasmania, and the tablelands of NSW.

White clover (Trifolium repens) is a low-growing perennial legume common in irrigated pastures and higher-rainfall zones. It is less commonly the dominant species in a hay crop due to its low growth habit, but appears in mixed pasture hays from regions where it is established.

Balansa clover and arrowleaf clover are annual species grown in specific regions for pasture establishment and can contribute to mixed pasture hay composition in those areas.

In practice, when you see clover hay listed for sale it is most commonly a sub clover-dominant product from a mixed annual pasture in southern Australia, or a red clover hay from a purpose-grown stand.

Yes, particularly as a protein supplement in rations where the base feed is a lower-protein cereal or grass hay.

For beef cattle on maintenance, clover hay provides more protein than most cereal hays and can support good condition maintenance in dry cows and growing cattle without the need for additional protein supplementation.

For beef cattle being flushed, joined, in late pregnancy, or weaners, clover hay can be an effective and locally sourced alternative to lucerne in southern Australia. Red clover hay at 16 to 20% CP is a genuine substitute for lucerne at those production stages for many operations.

For dairy cattle, clover hay can work as a protein component in a total mixed ration, though it is typically used where lucerne is not readily available or is significantly more expensive. The protein levels in good quality clover hay are adequate for many dairy applications, though the highest-producing cows in full lactation are better served by premium irrigated lucerne.

Clover hay can be fed to horses in moderate quantities and is used by horse owners in southern Australia, but it requires some awareness of a few specific considerations.

Nutritionally, clover hay provides reasonable protein and energy and is palatable to most horses. It is a higher-protein hay than the cereal hays, which makes it useful for horses with elevated protein demands.

Slobbers syndrome is the main concern with clover hay and horses. A fungal pathogen called Rhizoctonia leguminicola can infect clover plants and produce a compound called slaframine, which causes excessive salivation (slobbers) in horses. The condition looks alarming but is generally not dangerous and resolves when the hay is removed. It is more common in wet seasons when fungal pressure on clover is higher. Not all clover hay is affected, but it is worth asking the seller about and monitoring for when feeding to horses.

Phytoestrogen content is worth noting for broodmares. Clover species, particularly sub clover, contain phytoestrogens that in large quantities over extended periods can affect reproductive function. For mares being bred, limiting clover hay inclusion during the joining period is sensible management.

For most horses in light to moderate work, clover hay in moderate quantities is safe and nutritious. As with any hay, introduce it gradually and monitor for any adverse responses.

Clover hay can be a good feed for sheep at appropriate inclusion rates, but there are two specific considerations that sheep producers need to understand before feeding it.

Clover disease is the primary concern. Subterranean clover and some other clover species contain phytoestrogens, primarily formononetin, that mimic oestrogen in the body. In ewes fed on high-clover diets over extended periods, these phytoestrogens can disrupt reproductive function, causing poor conception rates, abnormal development of the reproductive tract, and in severe cases permanent infertility. This condition is known as clover disease or clover infertility.

The risk is highest with fresh sub clover pasture during the growing season, particularly in high-formononetin varieties. Dry baled hay has lower phytoestrogen activity than fresh pasture, but the risk does not disappear entirely, particularly when clover hay is being fed as the primary feed for extended periods.

Practical management:

1. Avoid feeding high-clover hay as the sole or dominant feed to ewes during the six to eight weeks before joining and through the joining period
2. Use clover hay as a component of a mixed ration alongside cereal hays rather than as the only hay source
3. Low-formononetin sub clover varieties have been bred specifically to reduce this risk and are widely sown in southern Australia

Outside of the joining period and at moderate inclusion rates, clover hay is a useful, protein-rich feed for sheep. For dry ewes and wethers on maintenance, and for sheep outside the joining period, the risk is low and the protein value makes it a worthwhile feed.

Clover hay and lucerne hay are both legume hays and both significantly higher in protein than grass or cereal hays, but lucerne generally sits higher in the protein range.

Lucerne hay typically comes in at 18 to 25% crude protein on a dry matter basis for well-managed irrigated crops, or 16 to 22% for dryland lucerne in a good season. See lucerne hay listings here.

Clover hay typically runs between 14 and 20% crude protein depending on the species, cutting stage, and season. Red clover hay from a purpose-grown stand can approach the lower end of what good dryland lucerne delivers. Sub clover-dominant pasture hay tends to sit in the 14 to 17% range.

In practical terms, good clover hay can serve a similar role to dryland lucerne at many production stages, particularly for sheep operations pre-lambing, growing cattle, and dairy cows in mid-lactation. For situations where the highest possible protein levels are essential, such as high-producing dairy cows in early lactation or horses in intensive work, premium irrigated lucerne is the more reliable choice.

The other difference worth noting is availability and consistency. Lucerne is a purpose-grown perennial crop with more consistent quality between loads. Clover hay is often a product of mixed pastures and quality varies more. Always ask for a feed test result regardless of which you are buying.

Pasture southern rye clover hay refers to mixed pasture hay produced in southern Australia from stands containing both annual ryegrass (or perennial ryegrass) and clover species, typically sub clover. It is not a formal product category but rather a descriptive term that sellers in southern regions use to indicate the composition of their mixed pasture hay.

It reflects the typical pasture composition of many properties in Victoria, South Australia, and southern NSW, where annual or perennial ryegrass and sub clover are commonly sown together as a pasture mixture. The ryegrass provides the bulk grass component and the clover provides the nitrogen-fixing legume component. When this type of pasture is cut and baled for hay, the result is what is commonly called rye clover hay or pasture rye clover hay in those regions.

Nutritional value sits between a pure grass hay and a legume hay. The clover content lifts protein above what a straight ryegrass hay would provide, while the ryegrass component provides fibre and bulk. A well-managed rye clover pasture hay with good clover content can run 12 to 18% crude protein, making it a genuinely useful and cost-effective feed for sheep and cattle in southern Australia.

For buyers in southern regions, rye clover hay is often locally produced and competitively priced compared to lucerne or vetch hay freighted from other regions. It suits maintenance to moderate production feeding for sheep and cattle well. For situations requiring higher protein, supplementing with a small quantity of lucerne or vetch hay on top of a rye clover base is a common and practical approach.

Browse clover hay listings on LocalAg and use the location filter to find sellers within a practical distance from your property. Clover hay is produced primarily in the higher-rainfall zones of southern Australia, so buyers in Victoria, South Australia, southern NSW, and Tasmania will generally have the most local options available.

Every listing on LocalAg shows bale type, quantity, ex-farm price, and an indicative delivered price so you can compare the true cost before you contact a seller. All sellers are verified and transactions go through CheckVault escrow, so your payment is secure until the hay arrives and matches what was ordered.

If there are no clover hay listings near you right now, post a free Wanted Ad on LocalAg. Tell us what you need including quantity, bale type, and whether you have any specific requirements around species composition or protein levels, and our team will find a verified supplier. Clover hay is a niche product compared to the main cereal and lucerne hays, but we regularly match buyers with southern producers who have stock available.