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Dr. Johnson then gathered over 100 different
clover varieties from the U.S., Europe, and
other parts of the world to be used as
breeding stock. These clovers were
crossbred; only the offspring that best
exhibited the desired traits were retained
for additional crossbreeding, and the rest
were discarded. This process was repeated
over many breeding cycles for years until
one new clover variety remained that
contained the desired characteristics:
Advantage Clover. The Institute’s continuing
research, development and testing resulted
in another new perennial clover a few years
later: Insight Clover. Work on superior new
varieties continues today.
Advantage and Insight are the backbone
perennial clovers in Imperial Whitetail
Clover. They are to this day the only clover
varieties ever developed specifically for
Whitetail deer and they are only available
in Whitetail Institute products. |
Huge leaves
and tons and tons of forage |
This
scientific, goal-oriented approach to research,
development and testing is what gives Imperial
Whitetail Clover the traits that are unsurpassed by
other clovers as a deer forage. There is no such
thing as “typical” clover. There are hundreds of
types of clover, and each has its own unique
characteristics. Some are attractive to deer; others
are not. Some grow quickly; others grow slowly. Some
are higher in nutrients than others. All clovers are
different and you cannot simply buy “clover” and
expect it to perform well as a deer food plot.
Clover can be compared to a fine wine verses a cheap
wine: just because the bottles look the same and the
label says it is wine doesn’t mean they both taste
the same. Just because a bag of seed says “clover”
on the outside doesn’t mean it’s good for deer food
plots. The only way to be sure the clover you buy
for your food plot is specifically designed for deer
is to be sure it says “Whitetail Institute” on the
package.
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Without high-quality, high-protein browse
during the antler-growth season, a buck will
not reach his genetic potential for antler
growth which is why Imperial Whitetail
Clover was bred to produce up to 30-35%
protein and to hold its high protein content
throughout the year. The protein content of
other clovers can drop significantly at
different points in their growth cycles,
which will offer less benefit to antler
growth and lactation. With Imperial Clover,
the protein content is extremely high year
round, which is especially important during
the spring and summer when bucks are growing
antlers and does are pregnant. Furthermore,
some clovers like red clover must flower for
reproductive purposes, a process that robs
the plant of energy and
nutritional content. Since Imperial Clover stays
alive through its root system and doesn’t have to
reseed itself, it can provide a more consistent
nutrient level. |
-
Scientifically Developed for
Whitetail Deer—Only available in
Whitetail Institute Products
- Extremely
Attractive to Whitetail Deer
- High
Protein For Better Antler
Production and Increased Doe
Lactation
- Perennial
Plants can last up to 5 years
without reseeding.
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Another
thing that puts Imperial Whitetail Clover far ahead
of ordinary clover is its digestibility.
Digestibility typically decreases as plants mature
because compounds like lignin build up in the cell
walls of plants as they mature. Lignin is required
to keep a plant upright as it matures and provide
the plant with rigid structure. Such components are
good for plants but bad for deer because they can
make the plants much less digestible. A plant’s
leaves are more digestible and nutritious than its
stem, and deer usually won’t eat the stem once it
hardens. Most clover varieties are much more stemmy
than Imperial Clover because they were designed for
hay production for domestic livestock, which have a
much greater capacity to digest stemmy forages.
Imperial Clover is specifically designed for the
unique digestive requirements of whitetail deer, not
milk cows or beef cattle.
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Unlike other clovers, Imperial Whitetail Clover is
“user friendly”. It was designed to be easier to
establish and can last longer than other clovers.
Imperial can stay green all year long. In addition,
it is very browse tolerant—it has an incredible
ability to reproduce foliage from its crown just
above the ground. When foliage is eaten or otherwise
removed, the crown immediately starts putting out
new growth.
Imperial
Clover comes pre-inoculated and coated so it is
ready to plant right out of the bag. Among other
things, our special coating and inoculation allows
for consistent germination and helps protect against
false germination, which can lead to crop failure,
especially during stressful weather conditions.
|
Adam Hays III - Ohio
(click here for
photos and stories) |
Imperial
Clover is unsurpassed when it comes to
attractiveness. One of the traits exhibited by
Imperial Whitetail Clover is its incredible
attractiveness to deer. It doesn’t matter how
nutritious a food plot is if deer won’t eat it!
Because of its design, Imperial Clover is lush,
sweet, highly digestible forage that is a virtual
magnet to deer. It pulls deer from surrounding
areas….even from your neighbor’s side of the fence.
Imperial
Whitetail Clover has always been and continues to be
the standard by which all other food plot offerings
are measured. When we completed work on the new
Insight Clover and added it to the Imperial Clover
blend, we raised the industry benchmark again.
Forgive
us for being a little scientific and longwinded. We
get a little excited when it comes to discussing
clover, almost as excited as you get when you shoot
a big buck over Imperial Clover. Almost. |
