By Katie Martin, Smith County Extension Agent
If you’re a cattle producer, one of your main goals if you are focusing on increasing efficiency and profitability has to be managing your forages. Most cattle in Smith County and across Tennessee graze primarily tall fescue pastures. While tall fescue has many positives like its persistence, ability to handle drought conditions, and ability to tolerate a wide range of temperatures, one drawback is most fescue is infected with a fungal endophyte that can hinder animal performance. To combat this, one simple way to improve your pastures is by adding legumes.
Adding clover to pastures or hayfields can not only increase yields but also aid in nitrogen fixation and increase animal performance. Clovers can help improve animal gains and conception rates and replace almost 60 pounds of nitrogen per acre. If interested in improving your pastures by adding legumes, simply follow the steps below to plant clover into a fescue pasture.
1. Fertilize according to soil test. The establishment and yield of clovers will be enhanced if the proper pH and nutrient levels are provided. Do not add nitrogen. Nitrogen will not kill clovers, but it stimulates grass growth and increases the potential of the clover being shaded out by the grass.
2. Seed 2 pounds of ladino white clover and 4 pounds of red clover per acre. With the clovers, be sure to use pre-inoculated seed, or inoculate the seed yourself.
3. Seed the mixture from February 15 to March 1. If the forage stubble is 2 inches or less, broadcast the seed on top of the ground.
4. Don’t graze livestock on the newly seeded pasture until the pasture is 8 inches tall. This will allow the clovers to develop a root system that will not get pulled out of the ground by grazing.
For more information about pasture management the UT Beef and Forage Center website utbeef.com contact the UT Extension office at 615-735-2900.
