Bolta (Trifolium michelianum) Balansa Clover is an annual temperate pasture legume that grows through fall, winter, and spring. A late-maturing, hard-seeded annual clover, Bolta thrives in medium to high rainfall environments. It grows semi-erect within a forage mix, but stays low and flatter when grown as a pure stand or under grazing.
Bolta delivers strong biomass production, especially in spring, and was bred for superior late-season output relative to Paradana. Its seed runs 15–20% larger than Paradana, which drives better seedling vigor and easier establishment.
Highly digestible at 14–18% crude protein, Bolta stands up to heavy grazing and performs well alone or blended with companion species like sub clovers or grasses. As a bonus, it serves as a disease break while fixing nitrogen in the soil.
Management
In the establishment year, lightly graze newly sown stands and avoid hay cuts or heavy grazing where regeneration is the goal. Pull stock off at the first sign of budding to lift seed set and strengthen next year's regeneration. Like any pure legume stand, Bolta carries a bloat risk in livestock, though it's rarely seen in practice.
Being hard-seeded, Bolta regenerates reliably and persists well under set stocking. Expect better production when grazing regenerating pastures after the fall break; these can then be grazed hard from early winter through budding and flowering. Once seed set finishes, graze plants heavily, and aim to clear as much residual dry matter as possible before fall rainfall to maximize regeneration.
