The majority of soils in Africa are phosphorus (P) deficient, but the high cost of water‐soluble P fertilizers limits their use by resource‐poor farmers. A low‐cost alternative is to use phosphate rocks. We evaluated the effectiveness of Egyptian phosphate rock (EPR) relative to triple superphosphate (TSP) applied at 0, 15, 30, 45, and 60 kg P ha‐1to annualTrifoliumspecies grown on a P‐deficient Vertisol. The fertilizers were applied once and their effects were followed on seven consecutive annual clover crops. Clover responded to P at all the rates used. Significant (P<0.05) P effects on clover P content and DM yields were observed up to the fourth crop. Over all the seven crops, EPR was 89% as effective as TSP in increasing herbage DM and 93% as effective in increasing herbage P content. Its substitution rates were 79% for DM yield and 86% for clover P content. Therefore, EPR was highly reactive and its use could elevate the P status of the P‐deficient Vertisols and increase feed and livestock productivity in the Ethiopian highlands.