Legumes

1
Legumes

• Forage Crops 4310

2
Annual Lespedeza (Korean, Lespedeza stipulacea)

• Annual, fine-stemmed, leafy, shallow taproot,
  pink flower
• Zone BCD
• Pasture, hay, erosion
• Excellent late summer pasture
• Feb and March seeding
• Fertilization generally not needed
• Pests several listed, but not generally a
  problem

3
Kudzu

• Introduced widely as erosion control, but now
  mostly volunteer
• Invasive, low fertility
• Does not stand grazing pressure
• Warm season perennial

4
Peanut

• Perennial and Annual (perennial further south
  zone A)
• Perennial spread by rhizomes, long-lived
• High nutrient quality with low fertility input
• Rotational stocking best for grazing
• 2-3 hay cuttings per year

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Sericea Lespedeza

• Introduced as multi-use, but most popular as goat
  browse and some hay (harvested at low maturity)
• Perennial, erect (18-40) with long narrow leaves
• Deep-rooted / drought tolerant
• Older varieties have tannin that reduces
  digestibility newer varieties have low tannin,
  finer stems
• Tolerant of low fertility

6
Soybean

• Widely used as hay in 2007 drought
• Hairy leaf makes a hay that is very dusty,
  scratchy good yield, difficult to cure (use hay
  conditioner, not tedder)
• Needs good pH and fertility

7
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)

• Queen of Forages cool season legume, erect,
  leafy, deep tap root drought tolerant
• Widely adapted, but needs well-drained soils
• Hay, graze, silage good for dairy, sheep and
  horses
• Fall planting in prepared seedbed (15 20 lbs)
• Fertility critical avoid low pH maintain K, P,
  S and Bo (esp K) Not N

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More on Alfalfa

• Long production season
• Requires more management, but worth it. 4 7
  cuttings per year possible
• Harvest in early bloom
• 3 5 years of stand life (sometimes longer)
• Grazing is possible most success with
  rotational stocking (20-35 day rest). Grazing
  varieties can stand pressure better
• Needs late fall rest before dormancy to persist
• Bloat can be problem

9
Alsike Clover

• Semi-erect, short-lived perennial
• Cooler (Zones C D)
• Pasture and hay

10
Arrowleaf clover

• Late season winter annual, 2-4 stems, hard seed
• Zone A B
• Good quality
• Grazing and hay

11
Birdsfoot trefoil

• Poor mans alfalfa no bloat
• Deep-rooted, short-lived perennial, but reseeds,
  12 30,
• Cooler zones C D
• Grows will with cool-season grasses
• Fall planting
• Responds well to P K, pH gt 5.5
• Long season production
• Pests crown and root rot

12
Black medic

• Winter annual, not much used in Tenn., further
  west

13
Button clover

• Mostly western Zones ABC
• Pasture and Hay (one cutting)

14
Crimson Clover

• Previously highly regarded as winter forage, with
  some renewed interest
• Winter annual, zones AB, some C
• Needs well-drained soil
• Fall-seeding for winter use
• Pasture, hay, green manure
• Crown and stem rot can be problem grazing helps

15
Large and Small Hop Clover

• Low- growing winter annual
• Widely adapted
• Pasture
• Volunteer
• Short production period

16
Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)

• Excellent yield, poor persistence
• Better for hay erect growth, 2-3 tall,
• Zones CD, mostly, long growing season
• Goes with grass
• Responsive to P and K, pH gt 5.5
• Long-season, cut hay in early bloom
• Susceptible to powdery mildew and others, but
  resistant varieties available

17
Subterranean Clover

• Dense, low-growing
• Zone A some B
• Pasture

18
Sweetclover

• Biennial, erect, 4-8 tall, deep-rooted
• Pasture but bad rep because of coumarin
• Widely adapted

19
Vetch (Hairy, Crownvetch)

• Designation different than book
• Hairy vetch not widely used in Tenn. (expensive,
  need for high P)
• Crownvetch widely used on roadsides

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White Clover (Trifolium repens L.

• Top picture is white dutch, bottom is improved
  Ladino most successful clover in Tenn.
• White flower, small seed, very leafy.
• Small varieties re-seed better, hence longer
  stand persistence
• Giant (Ladino) types reseed less successfully,
  but much more productive
• Widely adapted, but best in upper south
• Pasture is major use but most bloat prone

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More on white clover

• Seed at low rate 2-3 lbs / A. best in fescue
  during dormancy February top dress
• 2,4,8 lets renovate!
• pH gt 6, needs K
• Avoid allowing grass to overcome clover, so avoid
  too much N

22
Chicory

• Goat favorite
• Forb, not legume can be used with grasses
• Pasture high nutritive quality
• High fertility requirment, esp. N
• Good summer growth, rotational stock with mowing
  to remove seedstalks