University of Illinois Dudley Smith Farm Clover Project Ed Ballard University of Illinois, Retired Extension Animal Systems Educator

Welcome to Dudley Smith Farm Christian County, Illinois

Purpose of Study to Evaluation Clover Frost Seed Into Cool Season Grasses vs. no Clover Cool Season Grass Paddocks were established in August, Study to show important of nitrogen provide by clover vs. commercial nitrogen.

Dry lot Continuous Corn (Control) C3 row crop (3, 48 acres each) cool season pasture (Group # 4, 2.5 ac. paddocks) continuous corn (control) (2, 5 ac. each) dry lot/corral area (5.5 acres) 700 N 2200 E Dudley Smith Farm Plot 2012 Acreage per experimental unit A3 B7 M11 A2B6 A17B19 M21 M15 B23 Treatment Codes A- AMPAC mix B- Barenbrug mix M-MaxQ mix RG – Row crops grazed C – Conventional Crop Continuous Corn (Control) C1 A4B8M12 A18B20M16A24 M22 A1 B5M9B13 M10 A14 Continuous Corn (Control) C2 cool season pasture (Group # ac. Paddocks) Cool season pasture Group # acres Paddocks Cool season pasture Group # acres Paddocks

Ampac Paddocks Quartet Perennial Ryegrass7.5 lbs Due Festuolium7.5 lbs Tekapo Orchardgrass15 lbs Starfire Red Clover 4 lbs* Kopu White Clover 2 lbs* * Clover were seed in March, 2003

Barenbrug Paddocks Baradan Orchardgrass lbs Barcel Tall Fescue lbs Alice White Clover 2 lbs* Freedom Red Clover 5 lbs* Clover Seed March 2003

Pennington Paddocks Max Q Tall Fescue 20 lbs Patriot White Clover 3 lbs* White Clover Seeded March, 2003

Frost Seeding of Clover For the Ampac and Barenbrug Paddocks 5 lbs Red Clove and 2 lbs White Clover frost seed in March each year. For Pennington Paddocks 2 lbs White Clover frost seeded in March each year.

Percent Clover in Stand When study begin in spring of 2008 the stands consisted of 60 percent cool season grasses and 40 percent clovers by dry matter content in all paddocks. Half of paddocks continue to receive clovers frost seeded annually and one half of paddocks received no clovers for 4 years from 2008 to 2011.

Crude Protein % Average for 2008 thru 2011, U of I Dudley Smith Farm

% TDN Average for 2008 thru 2011, U of I Dudley Smith Farm

% RFV Average for 2008, 2009, 2010 & 2011

Value and Amount of Nitrogen Fixed by Various Legumes CropN fixed Lbs/a/yr N Value$ AT $0.55/lb$0.65/lb$0.75/lb Alfalfa Red Clover White Clover Vetch, Lespedeza etc Source: Marvin Hall, Pennsylvania State University

Advantages of Mixtures of Cool Season Grasses and Clovers Legumes provide nitrogen for grasses Legumes improve forage quality and reduce the potential for nitrate poisoning The fibrous root system of grass helps in stabilizing slopes and reducing erosion The stand life of forages is lengthended Grasses reduce bloat potential when included with legumes

Clovers are generally higher in the following nutrients than grasses Crude Protein TDN Calcium Magnesium Clovers maintain much higher levels of magnesium than grasses on wet soils in spring, reducing potential for cattle losses from tetany.

Average daily gain and gains per acre of steers grazing tall fescue and tall fescue- clovers pastures. Gains PasturesAverage Daily Gain SteerAcre Tall Fescue- Ladino Clover Tall Fescue lb n/a Source: Hoveland, C.S., et.al Bulletin 530. Auburn University

Effect of Interseeding on Pasture Yield (Year after Seeding) SpeciesYieldTons/Acre AloneWith Red Clover Control0.72- Red Clover1.45- Bromegrass Bluegrass Orchardgrass Timothy Perennial Ryegra Source: Cosgrove, 1995 University of Wisconsin

Dry Matter Yields of Fescue-Clover vs Fescue-Nitrogen-Lexington, Ky, 1978, 2 yr Average TreatmentYield, lb.ac Fescue-Red Clover 6 lb seed/ac 11,100 Fescue + Nitrogen 0 lb/ac 90 lb/ac 180 lb/ac 3,900 6,700 9,900 Source: Taylor, T.H., et.al. University of Kentucky

Clover percentage, dry matter and crude protein yields of 2 nd year orchardgrass-red clover mixture Total Dry Matter (lbs/acre) Clover, %CrudeProtein(lbs/acre) GrassCloverTotal 11, ,3482,069 Source: Templeton, W.C University of Kentucky

Georgia CLOVER VS NITROGEN PastureAverage Daily Gain (lb/day) Gain per acre (lbs) Toxic tall fescue + N Toxic tall fescue + Durana Toxic tall fescue + Regal Source: John Andrae, White Clover Establishment and Management Guide University of Georgia

Average daily gain and gains per acre of steers grazing tall fescue and tall fescue- clovers pastures. Gains PasturesAverage Daily Gain SteerAcre Tall Fescue- Ladino Clover Tall Fescue lb n/a Source: Hoveland, C.S., et.al Bulletin 530. Auburn University

Animal Performance on grass vs. legume- grass mixtures SpeciesLength of Trail/yrs Gain/ Head Animal Class State Tall Fescue Tall Fescue-Red & Ladino Clover CowsIndiana Tall Fescue Tall Fescue-Red & Ladino Clover CalvesIndiana Orchardgrass Orchardgrass- Ladino Clover SteersVirginia

Table 4. Conception Rates on Grass vs. Grass-Legume Pastures

Beef Steer performance as affected by clover on pastures of endophyte-free tall fescue (E) and other grasses StateGrassCloverADG-LBGain/acre GAE-tall fesLadino GAE-tall fes 150 lbs N WAE-tall fes Ladino + 100lbs N WAE-tall fes.200 lbs N MIOrchardLadino MIOrchard50 lbs N WAOrchard Ladino & 100 lbs N WAOrchard200 lbs N

Frost Seeding Frost seeding legumes and grasses is increasingly being used by producers as a means to improve pasture yields or change forage species composition within the pasture.

Keys to successful frost seedings 1. Seed to soil contact 2. Reduce plant competition with new seedlings 3. Species selection and seeding rates 4. Seeding time

Frost seeding pitfalls –1. Seed planted into sod too tall. –2. Legumes seeds not inoculated. –3. Competition by taller grass. –4. Poor soil fertility.

Fescue and Red Clover

Summary: Benefits of Clovers 1. Improved Quality 2. Nitrogen Fixation 3. Higher Yields 4. Extend Summer Growth

Summary # 2: Cost of Clovers vs Commercial Fertilizers The Cost for frost seeding clovers has ranged from$20 to $30 per year. The cost for commercial nitrogen applied at 100 lbs. actual nitrogen per acre would range from $55 to $75 plus application cost per year.