Could Clover Be Killing Your Bull’s Fertility?

Can clover pastures quietly damage cattle fertility?
At the 2025 WA Livestock Matters Forum, Tim Thompson talks with Jess Schilling from BovineTech about new research into clover disease — a condition long recognised in sheep, but now raising questions for cattle reproduction and bull fertility.

Jess shares insights from a pilot trial on sperm health in bulls grazing estrogenic clovers, covering effects on motility, morphology, and DNA integrity. The findings suggest that high clover levels (20%) could reduce bull fertility, especially in advanced breeding programs such as AI, ET, and IVF.

🌱 Learn why multi-species pastures and avoiding clover dominance may be critical for herd health, productivity, and sustainable grazing.

👉 If you run sheep or cattle in clover-heavy pastures, this is essential knowledge.

BoviTech https://www.facebook.com/p/Bovitech-Veterinary-Services-100063473739698/

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00:00 – Introduction with Jess Schilling at WA Livestock Matters
00:28 – What is clover disease? Effects in sheep
01:02 – Little known about clover disease in cattle
01:17 – Research on bull sperm health in WA
02:10 – Trial design & baseline testing
02:44 – Measuring sperm motility, morphology & DNA stability
03:40 – Key trial findings across two sites
04:22 – Why old clover varieties are resurfacing
05:18 – Which sperm health factors were most affected
06:07 – Practical risks for AI, ET & semen collection
06:54 – Safe thresholds: under 20% clover content
07:26 – Why diverse multi-species pastures matter
08:00 – Closing advice & where to learn more