Clovers have long been viewed as being special and beneficial pasture plants, but recently incentives for livestock producers to grow them have further increased. Why are many people more interested than ever in growing clovers in pastures as companion species with grasses? Here are several reasons that collectively make a compelling case.

Lower Nitrogen Fertilizer Costs. Increased cost of nitrogen fertilizer is probably the number one factor that has stimulated more interest in clovers. Like most legumes, clovers have the ability to obtain nitrogen from the atmosphere and "fix" it in nodules on the roots. The amount of nitrogen fixed varies depending on species, stand density, fertility, weather and the extent to which the clover has been defoliated. However, numerous studies have shown that nitrogen fixation/acre/year by a stand of annual clover(s), white clover, and red clover often is within the range of 60 to 150, 100 to 150, and 150 to 200, respectively. At current nitrogen costs of around $0.40/lb, this represents a value of $24 to over $80 per acre per year.

Better Forage Quality. The forage quality of legumes, including clovers, is generally higher than that of most forage grasses. Legumes are usually higher in crude protein, digestibility, and many minerals and vitamins. They also are digested more rapidly than grasses and tend to stimulate increased intake. The result is better performance of grazing animals in terms of higher gains and higher reproductive rates.

Better Distribution of Growth. The introduction of clovers into grass pastures often extends the grazing season as compared to grass alone. Red clover is especially likely to provide additional summer production when grown with cool season perennial grasses. Overseeding a cool season annual legume on a warm season perennial grass pasture permits production of quality feed during winter and early spring when such pastures would otherwise be unproductive. Also, several species of clovers can extend the grazing season when planted on a prepared seedbed with annual grasses.

Increased Forge Yield. The total yield of forage per acre from a grass/legume mixture is usually increased over grass alone. For example, in studies conducted over many years in Kentucky, red clover grown with tall fescue produced more total yield than tall fescue fertilized with 180 pounds of nitrogen per acre. A clover/grass mixture is especially likely to increase dry matter yield as compared to grass alone that receives little or no nitrogen fertilizer.

Reduced Risk. Legumes complement grasses in many ways, and having a mixed sward of grass and clovers constitutes a lower risk situation than having a pure grass sward. For example, many pests attack only certain plant species, and therefore a disease or insect pest is less likely to devastate a mixed forage stand than a pure stand of one forage species.

Benefits in Crop Rotation Systems. In addition to furnishing nitrogen for succeeding crops, clovers tend to improve soil characteristics by improving soil tilth. They also may create root channels that benefit subsequent crops grown in rotation with clovers or clover/grass mixtures.

Reduced Animal Toxicities. Clovers can play an important role in offsetting various livestock disorders caused by forage grasses. In a recent survey in two southern states, "growing legumes with tall fescue" was found to be the number one strategy used by beef cow-calf producers to increase performance of animals suffering from fescue toxicity as a result of grazing toxic-endophyte tall fescue. Furthermore, the likelihood of grass tetany is reduced by the presence of clovers in animals' diets because the underlying cause of this disorder is magnesium deficiency in animals, and clovers contain higher levels of magnesium than grasses.

Environmental Acceptability. Because of their symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, clovers and other legumes provide homegrown slow release nitrogen, which is more environmentally friendly than commercial nitrogen. They furnish pollen and nectar for honeybees, and tend to increase populations of beneficial predatory insects. Clovers also provide food for wildlife including deer, rabbits, and game birds.

More Interesting and Attractive Pastures. Clovers are more colorful and attractive than grasses, especially when blooming. They make pastures more attractive to humans and, given their palatability, to grazing animals as well.

Increased Profit. The use of clovers can have an enormous positive impact on the economics of raising grazing animals. Nutrition is generally recognized as the primary limiting factor on most livestock farms, and legumes usually provide higher nutrition levels than grasses. Better nutrition means more milk production, higher weaning weights, and increased likelihood of high reproductive efficiency. These factors obviously impact gross income.

Clovers also help reduce or eliminate the requirement to apply nitrogen fertilizer, which typically accounts for 20 to 40% of the cost of producing forage from grasses. Clover seed usually costs $10 to $25 per acre. Other costs associated with establishing clovers depend on the site, situation and method of seeding, but are typically less than the seed costs. Often the value of nitrogen fixed by clovers will alone more than offset the cost of clover establishment.

Conclusion The use of clovers in forage programs has numerous potential benefits. When clovers are present, animal performance goes up while expenses go down. Clovers are truly sustainable plants. Research results, farmer experience and many demonstrations have clearly shown clovers to be agronomically sound, environmentally friendly, and economically advantageous.