Inter-seeding Legumes into Fescue

1998 Annual Report for FNC98-219

Project Type: Farmer/Rancher
Funds awarded in 1998: $1,455.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2000
Region: North Central
State: Kansas
Project Coordinator:

Inter-seeding Legumes into Fescue

Summary

High quality pastures are key to maintaining growth and health of animals in livestock grazing systems.

Objectives: 1) To lessen the need for commercial fertilizer, and 2) Reverse the negative impact of the endophyte-infected fescure pastures in beef cattle production.

The coordinator used a no-till drill to inter-seed legumes into fescue pastures, ran soil tests prior to seeding and after establishment, gathered data on forage quality and quanitity, and compared pre- and post-seeding cattle gains.

Results: A dry spring and summer resulted in poor stands of newly seeded legumes. The coordinator pre-seeded in the autumn of 1999, and the project was extended for one year for establishment for new seedings and data collection.