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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Madison, Wisconsin » U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center » Environmentally Integrated Dairy Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #425141
Research Project: Innovative Forage and Pasture Management Strategies for Dairy Agroecosystems

Location: Environmentally Integrated Dairy Management Research

Title: Interseeding clovers into meadow fescue pastures

Author
item CAVADINI, JASON - University Of Wisconsin
item Jaramillo, David

Submitted to: Popular Publication
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/1/2025
Publication Date: 4/2/2025
Citation: Cavadini, J., Jaramillo, D.M. 2025. Interseeding clovers into meadow fescue pastures. Popular Publication. April 2025.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Forage legumes provide a wide range of ecosystem services to grasslands, but their incorporation into pre-established pastures can be challenging. Improving legume proportion in meadow fescue pasture-based systems can provide vast benefits to a given farming system. Therefore, this study was conducted to compare no-till or frost seeding strategies to incorporate clovers into a pre-established meadow fescue pasture, all in the first year after establishment. In addition, this study aimed to quantify biological N fixation from the clovers. While all planting strategies were successful at establishing clovers, frost seeding may be a more attractive method provided that it may be more economical, requiring less specialized equipment. No-till interseeding in the Fall or Spring are also adequate strategies. Overall red clover was more productive than white clover during the first year after planting. This study showed that interseeding clovers into meadow fescue pastures is indeed valuable for improving pasture systems by increasing forage accumulation and fixing up to 18 lbs N/acre. This data provides valuable evidence for farmers looking to improve their pastures by increasing clover proportions.