s red clover, in bluegrass pastures?
Barnhart: The inclusion of legumes into grass-based pastures provides several advantages. Nutritive quality of legumes gives a slight boost to animal performance. The nitrogen contribution from the legume to the associated grasses can be as much as the same growth stimulus provided by 30 to 50 lbs / Ac of fertilizer nitrogen. And, a lesser noticed benefit is a better distribution of pasture growth through the summer months than is seen in most grass-dominant pastures. The degree of total benefit will be relative to the percentage of legume in the improved pasture. If the legume proportion is 35 to 40% or more, production per acre can be nearly doubled; with lesser legume content, proportionally lesser benefits. Keeping the improved legume component should be an important management goal for the improved pasture. Maintain adequatefertility to support legume growth (lime, phosphorus and potassium), and begin a pasture rotation management to allow for adequate rest/recovery periods for th
