Srinagar: Red clover have been known to be advantageous for health in soil development, pastures and animals including humans for lots of years. The science continues to build. Fixing nitrogen in the soil is big, but so are the anti-oxidant compounds that protect human and animal cells from oxidation and free radical damage.
In India the highest producer of Red Clover seed is the Agriculture Department of Kashmir’s Fodder Seed Production Station Aru, in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district of Jammu & Kashmir.
Red clover compounds have been shown to decrease ammonia formation and absorption from the rumen, helping to alleviate the condition known as alkalosis. Kentucky research also indicated a vaso-dilation effect on blood vessels that quickly act against the vasoconstriction by endophytes produced by fescue and many other imported cool-season plants, typically within three to five days.
A 30% stand of legumes that have recovered before grazing is a big advantage to animal health and soil development. Performance increases of 25-30% are common with the addition of 30% dry matter of red clover and other legumes and forbs (even including common ragweed) to clean stands of novel endophyte fescue. It is common for older pastures to become much more productive, healthy, and profitable after the primary plant seeding has thinned and the seed bank has yielded bunches of plant diversity. Remember, diversity yields stability.
Red clover is an indicator plant for magnesium. It is likely that if you cannot keep red clover you might consider your grazing management and your calcium and magnesium levels. Much of the limestone in the eastern US is gray and has good amounts of magnesium. Limestone-based prairies and savannahs can often grow alfalfa and red clover. With regular feeding of small amounts of lime application, high-clay soils will produce red clover. With boom-and-bust chaotic management it increases and persists.
When contacted Khursheed Ahmad Gilkar I/C Research Assistant FSPS Aru Kashmir he said, Red clover is a wonder herb and people are using it since long he added that some important health facts about red clover are:
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When consumed by humans as a tea or salad component or from grass-fed beef:
1. Improves several skin conditions including wrinkles and aging spots
2. Improves respiratory conditions
3. Menopause symptoms
4. Decrease in hypertension
5. Decrease blood clotting time
6. Natural antimicrobials
7. Source of calcium, magnesium, trace mineral
8. Available vitamin A & E
9. A strong free-radical scavenger
When consumed by cattle:
1. Protein supplement
2. Reduces ammonia from NPN (non-protein nitrogen)
3. Feeds rumen microbes
4. Dilates constricted blood vessels in endophyte situations
5. Increases feed efficiency and bypass protein
6. Increases weight gains
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Soil health improvements:
1. Improves the water, mineral and energy cycles
2. Improves soil biology
3. Increases soil nitrogen levels
4. Supports plant biomass increases
