1. The Benefit of Legumes in a Pasture
Michael D. Peel
USDA-ARS Forage and Range Research Lab.
Pasture Workshop
May 13, 2005

2. Introduction Develop legumes primarily for range
Spreading & falcata (yellow flowered) alfalfa

3. Broad deep spreading crowns less likely to suffer injury during grazing traffic
Broad spreading crown
Rhizome spread as
viewed by a worm
Ideal plant type

4. Introduction Develop legumes primarily for range
Spreading & falcata (yellow flowered) alfalfa
Sainfoin
Cicer Milkvetch
Utah Sweetvetch
Globemallow
Small Burnet
Legumes for irrigated pastures
Birdsfoot Trefoil
Kura Clover

5. Legume/Grass Study Nearing Completion
Utilizes a line-source irrigation system 1 2 3 4 5

6. Purpose of study
Test multiple types of alfalfa, birdsfoot trefoil, and grasses in monocultures and in mixtures.
Do they perform differently at high irrigation down to no irrigation.

8. Materials tested Alfalfa Empire Birdsfoot Trefoil Grasses Ladak
Spreader III
Amerigraze
P53V08
Diploid falcata
Empire Birdsfoot Trefoil
Grasses
Cache Meadowbrome
Martin Tallfescue
Perennial Ryegrass

9. Management
Fertility
Sufficient P205 applied to supply legumes
20lbs/A nitrogen: establishment, fall & after harv. 1
Average harvest dates: May 19th, June 25th, July 29th, Sept. 5th.
Irrigation
WL ”
WL ”
WL ”
WL ”
WL5 4.8”

10. Forage Production of meadow brome, tall fescue and perennial ryegrass, 2003-2004.

11. Seasonal production of meadow brome, tall fescue and perennial RG, 2003-2004.

13. Forage production of alfalfa and birdsfoot trefoil at five levels of irrigation, 2003-2004.

14. Seasonal production of birdsfoot trefoil and alfalfa at water level one, 2003-2004.

16. Forage production of alfalfa, tall fescue and an alfalfa-tall fescue mixture, 2003-2004.

17. Seasonal production of alfalfa, tall fescue and an alfalfa-tall fescue mixture, 2003-2004.

18. Forage production of alfalfa, meadow brome and an alfalfa-meadow brome mixture, 2003-2004.

19. Seasonal production of alfalfa, meadow brome and an alfalfa-meadow brome mixture, 2003-2004.

22. Forage production of diploid falcata alfalfa, the average of tall fescue/meadow brome and the mean of the two falcata-grass mixtures,

23. Seasonal production of diploid falcata alfalfa, the average of tall fescue/meadow brome and the mean of the two falcata-grass mixtures,

24. Meadow brome/Ladak
Meadow brome/Diploid falcata
Meadow brome/Diploid falcata

25. Forage production of birdsfoot trefoil, meadow brome and a birdsfoot trefoil-meadow brome mixture,

26. Seasonal production of birdsfoot trefoil, meadow brome and a birdsfoot trefoil-meadow brome mixture,

27. Seasonal production at water level one of birdsfoot trefoil, meadow brome and a birdsfoot trefoil-meadow brome mixture,

28. Forage production of birdsfoot trefoil, tall fescue and a birdsfoot trefoil-tall fescue mixture,

29. Seasonal production of birdsfoot trefoil, tall fescue and a birdsfoot trefoil-tall fescue mixture,

31. Summary
The grass/alfalfa mixtures averaged 63 % higher production than the grass monocultures
The grass/falcata mixtures averaged 47 % higher production than the grass monocultures
The grass/trefoil mixtures averaged 33% higher production than the grass monocultures
The largest benefit realized under irrigation
I wouldn’t use perennial ryegrass
The production distribution of trefoil vs alfalfa should be considered

32. Questions?