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The unique properties of red clover in the diet of ruminants

Steinshamn, Håvard (2008) The unique properties of red clover in the diet of ruminants. In: Sarapatka, Borivoj and Samsonova, Pavlina (Eds.) Bioacademy 2008 - Proceedings. New developments in science and research on organic agriculture., pp. 106-109.

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Summary in the original language of the document

Grassland legumes are essential in organic ruminant livestock production due to their ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen (N), providing high yields of high feeding value without N fertilization. White clover (Trifolium repens L.) and red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) are the most important legumes of temperate grasslands with white clover as the most widely used. New research has reviled new properties of red clover that may affect animal performance and product quality significantly. Red clover containing diets have increased the production of milk and meat (compared with grasses) and the content of beneficial fatty acids in milk and meat (compared with grasses and other legumes), improved the efficiency of feed N utilization (compared with Medicago sativa L.), and increased the milk content of isoflavones (compared with grass and white clover). Red clover contains high levels of the enzyme polyphenol oxidase that might reduce the extent of lipolysis and proteolysis. The paper presents a review on resent results from own and others’ research on the use of red clover in the diet of ruminants and the likely mechanisms by which red clover affects production and product quality


EPrint Type:Conference paper, poster, etc.
Type of presentation:Paper
Keywords:red clover, ruminants, meat, milk, fatty acids, organic farming
Subjects: Food systems > Food security, food quality and human health
Crop husbandry > Production systems > Pasture and forage crops
Animal husbandry > Feeding and growth
Research affiliation: Norway > Bioforsk - Norwegian Institute for Agriculture and Environmental Research > Bioforsk Organic Food and Farming Division
Deposited By: Steinshamn, Dr Håvard
ID Code:14521
Deposited On:19 Jan 2009
Last Modified:12 Apr 2010 07:38
Document Language:English
Status:Published
Refereed:Not peer-reviewed

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