Forage Seed Guide
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)
Description
Considered to be the world’s most valuable legume, alfalfa is commonly used for beef and dairy. Its high digestibility and feed value and ability to be stored make it ideal for hay and silage. Some varieties are also able to be used in a managed grazing system.
Strengths
High yields; good seedling vigor; deep roots; good summer growth; excellent drought tolerance; good persistence under mechanical harvesting; excellent forage quality and palatability.
Limitations
Requires deep, well-drained soils, high pH and high fertility; prone to alfalfa weevil and potato leafhopper damage; can cause bloat when grazed.
General
- Longevity
- Perennial
- Growth Habit
- Bunch
- Primary Growth Seasons
- Spring, summer, early fall
- Plant Height (in cm)
- 40 to 90
- Seeds (per lb)
- 200,000
- Seedling Vigor
- Good - Excellent
Climate and Soil Tolerances
- Heat/Drought
- Excellent
- Cold
- Good - Excellent
- Wet Soil/Poor Drainage
- Poor
- Salinity
- Fair
- High pH Alkalinity
- Fair
- Low pH Acidity
- Poor
Fertility Requirements
- Optimum pH
- 6.6 - 7.2
- Required Fertility Levels
- Medium - High
Performance Potential
- Feed Value/Quality
- Very High
- Palatability
- Excellent
- Digestibility
- Excellent
- Crude Protein
- Very High
- Tonnage (Yield)
- High
- Nitrogen Fixation (lbs/ac/year)
- 70 - 300
Use/Application
- Continuous Grazing
- Poor
- Rotational Grazing
- Good
- Hay
- Excellent
- Silage
- Excellent
Seeding Rates (HG/HA)
- Pure Stand
- 13.4 to 16.8
- Hay mixture (with legumes)
- 11.2
- Hay mixture (with grasses)
- -
Annual Ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum)
Description
Annual ryegrass will last between 1 to 2 years, depending on climate and variety, providing very high yields and high-quality forage. Varieties may be either diploid or tetraploid. Tetraploid varieties are usually higher in sugar content, whereas diploid varieties tend to be more tolerant of traffic and continuous grazing.
Strengths
High yields; easy to establish; cost effective; able to uptake excess nitrogen; compatible with many legumes; excellent palatability, digestibility, and feed value; useful for overseeding warm-season and cool-season pastures.
Limitations
Short term; can dominate other grasses that don’t grow as fast; performance is limited by water and nitrogen, due to shallow roots and rapid growth - highly demanding of nutrients; some varieties are susceptible to rusts and gray leaf spot.
General
- Longevity
- 1 - 2 years
- Growth Habit
- Bunch
- Primary Growth Seasons
- Spring, fall
- Plant Height (in cm)
- 60 to 90
- Seeds (per lb)
- 224,000
- Seedling Vigor
- Excellent
Climate and Soil Tolerances
- Heat/Drought
- Poor
- Cold
- Poor - Good
- Wet Soil/Poor Drainage
- Good
- Salinity
- Poor
- High pH Alkalinity
- Fair
- Low pH Acidity
- Good
Fertility Requirements
- Optimum pH
- 6.0 - 7.0
- Required Fertility Levels
- Medium - High
Performance Potential
- Feed Value/Quality
- Very High
- Palatability
- Excellent
- Digestibility
- Excellent
- Crude Protein
- High
- Tonnage (Yield)
- Very High
- Nitrogen Fixation (lbs/ac/year)
- -
Use/Application
- Continuous Grazing
- Good
- Rotational Grazing
- Excellent
- Hay
- Good - Excellent
- Silage
- Excellent
Seeding Rates (HG/HA)
- Pure Stand
- 28 to 39.2
- Hay mixture (with legumes)
- 2.2 to 4.5
- Hay mixture (with grasses)
- 11.2 to 28
Birdsfoot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
Description
Birdsfoot trefoil is a long-lived, non-bloating perennial legume that can provide excellent nutritional value to pasture and additional summer production when grasses often go into a growth slump. It is tolerance to poorly-drained and somewhat acid soils.
Strengths
Medium yields; tolerates poor drainage and acid soils better than alfalfa; fair summer regrowth; tolerates drought; excellent forage quality; non-bloating.
Limitations
Slow to establish; less productive than alfalfa on well-drained, fertile soils; subject to invasion by weeds; slow recovery after hay harvest; fair palatability; intolerant to close cutting; susceptible to root and crown rot; must allow self-reseeding for improved persistence.
General
- Longevity
- Perennial
- Growth Habit
- Bunch
- Primary Growth Seasons
- Spring, summer, early fall
- Plant Height (in cm)
- 40 to 110
- Seeds (per lb)
- 370,000
- Seedling Vigor
- Poor
Climate and Soil Tolerances
- Heat/Drought
- Fair - Good
- Cold
- Fair
- Wet Soil/Poor Drainage
- Excellent
- Salinity
- Fair
- High pH Alkalinity
- Good
- Low pH Acidity
- Good - Excellent
Fertility Requirements
- Optimum pH
- 5.5 - 6.0
- Required Fertility Levels
- Low - Medium
Performance Potential
- Feed Value/Quality
- Very High
- Palatability
- Fair - Good
- Digestibility
- Excellent
- Crude Protein
- High
- Tonnage (Yield)
- Medium - High
- Nitrogen Fixation (lbs/ac/year)
- 50 - 150
Use/Application
- Continuous Grazing
- Poor - Good
- Rotational Grazing
- Good
- Hay
- Good - Excellent
- Silage
- Excellent
Seeding Rates (HG/HA)
- Pure Stand
- 4.5 to 6.7
- Hay mixture (with legumes)
- 1.1 to 7.8
- Hay mixture (with grasses)
- 1.1 to 7.8
Dutch White Clover (Trifolium repens)
Description
Due to its high leaf-to-stem ratio, white clover is very palatable. It persists well in pastures that are consistently grazed short and is adapted to a wide range of soil types.
Strengths
Low yields; Tolerates poorly drained soil; very palatable; tolerates close and continuous grazing.
Limitations
Its shallow root system limits production on excessively drained soils and during droughty periods; can cause bloat when grazed.
General
- Longevity
- Short-lived perennial
- Growth Habit
- Stolons
- Primary Growth Seasons
- Spring, fall
- Plant Height (in cm)
- 8 to 25
- Seeds (per lb)
- 800,000
- Seedling Vigor
- Fair - Good
Climate and Soil Tolerances
- Heat/Drought
- Poor - Fair
- Cold
- Poor - Fair
- Wet Soil/Poor Drainage
- Good - Excellent
- Salinity
- Fair
- High pH Alkalinity
- Poor
- Low pH Acidity
- Fair - Good
Fertility Requirements
- Optimum pH
- 6.0 - 7.0
- Required Fertility Levels
- Low - High
Performance Potential
- Feed Value/Quality
- Very High
- Palatability
- Excellent
- Digestibility
- Excellent
- Crude Protein
- High
- Tonnage (Yield)
- Low
- Nitrogen Fixation (lbs/ac/year)
- 75 - 180
Use/Application
- Continuous Grazing
- Excellent
- Rotational Grazing
- Excellent
- Hay
- Fair
- Silage
- Fair
Seeding Rates (HG/HA)
- Pure Stand
- -
- Hay mixture (with legumes)
- 1.1 to 4.5
- Hay mixture (with grasses)
- 1.1 to 4.5
Festulolium (Festulolium spp.)
Description
Festulolium grass species are hybrids derived from crossings of the festuca family and the Lolium family species. While varieties are very diverse, the better varieties are similar to ryegrass in quality, palatability, and feed value, yet similar to fescues (meadow or tall, depending on parentage) in hardiness. Can be either diploid or tetraploid.
Strengths
High yielding under good fertility and moisture; quick establishing; better summer growth and winter hardiness than perennial ryegrass; grows especially well in the spring and produces palatable forage with high nutritive value similar to that of perennial ryegrass.
Limitations
Less heat tolerant than tall fescue and less winter hardy than other grasses; Lower yielding, less competitive with legumes, and later to mature than orchardgrass; difficult to cut with a sickle bar mower; slower to dry than other grasses.
General
- Longevity
- 3 - 5 years
- Growth Habit
- Bunch
- Primary Growth Seasons
- Spring, early summer, fall
- Plant Height (in cm)
- 30 - 60
- Seeds (per lb)
- 227,000
- Seedling Vigor
- Excellent
Climate and Soil Tolerances
- Heat/Drought
- Fair - Good
- Cold
- Good
- Wet Soil/Poor Drainage
- Good
- Salinity
- Good
- High pH Alkalinity
- Fair
- Low pH Acidity
- Fair
Fertility Requirements
- Optimum pH
- 6.0 - 6.5
- Required Fertility Levels
- Medium - High
Performance Potential
- Feed Value/Quality
- Very High
- Palatability
- Excellent
- Digestibility
- Excellent
- Crude Protein
- High
- Tonnage (Yield)
- High
- Nitrogen Fixation (lbs/ac/year)
- -
Use/Application
- Continuous Grazing
- Good
- Rotational Grazing
- Excellent
- Hay
- Good - Excellent
- Silage
- Excellent
Seeding Rates (HG/HA)
- Pure Stand
- 28 to 39.2
- Hay mixture (with legumes)
- 2.2 to 4.5
- Hay mixture (with grasses)
- 11.2 to 28
Hybrid Ryegrass (Lolium hybridum)
Description
Hybrid ryegrass species are very similar to annual ryegrass, except their longevity can extend up to 3 years, depending on the variety and climate conditions. Depending on variety, they can be very fast to establish. Both diploid and tetraploid varieties exist.
Strengths
High yields; Similar to annual and perennial ryegrasses; cost effective for short-term, multi-year applications.
Limitations
Similar to annual and perennial ryegrasses.
General
- Longevity
- Short-lived perennial
- Growth Habit
- Bunch
- Primary Growth Seasons
- Spring, fall
- Plant Height (in cm)
- 30 - 60
- Seeds (per lb)
- 237,000
- Seedling Vigor
- Excellent
Climate and Soil Tolerances
- Heat/Drought
- Poor
- Cold
- Poor - Good
- Wet Soil/Poor Drainage
- Good
- Salinity
- Fair
- High pH Alkalinity
- Fair
- Low pH Acidity
- Good
Fertility Requirements
- Optimum pH
- 6.0 - 6.5
- Required Fertility Levels
- Medium - High
Performance Potential
- Feed Value/Quality
- Very High
- Palatability
- Excellent
- Digestibility
- Excellent
- Crude Protein
- High
- Tonnage (Yield)
- High
- Nitrogen Fixation (lbs/ac/year)
- -
Use/Application
- Continuous Grazing
- Good
- Rotational Grazing
- Excellent
- Hay
- Good - Excellent
- Silage
- Excellent
Seeding Rates (HG/HA)
- Pure Stand
- 28 to 39.2
- Hay mixture (with legumes)
- 3.4 to 5.6
- Hay mixture (with grasses)
- 11.2 to 28
Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata)
Description
Where it can be grown, orchardgrass is a versatile perennial tall-growing bunch grass that establishes rapidly and is suitable for hay, silage, or pasture. With its high quality and palatability, it is a preferred species for pastures and hay. Orchardgrass is very compatible to legumes and other grasses.
Strengths
High yield - especially under good fertility management; shade tolerant; well adapted for mixtures with legumes; rapid regrowth; good summer growth; good drought tolerance; fair flooding tolerance in summer; responsive to nitrogen.
Limitations
Early to mature; forage quality and palatability decline rapidly with heading; poor flooding tolerance in winter; aggressive toward legumes; bunchy growth; less tolerance to drought or winter hardiness as tall fescue and bromegrass; poor winter flooding tolerance.
General
- Longevity
- Perennial
- Growth Habit
- Bunch
- Primary Growth Seasons
- Spring, summer, fall
- Plant Height (in cm)
- 60 - 122
- Seeds (per lb)
- 450,000
- Seedling Vigor
- Good
Climate and Soil Tolerances
- Heat/Drought
- Fair - Good
- Cold
- Poor - Good
- Wet Soil/Poor Drainage
- Fair - Good
- Salinity
- Fair
- High pH Alkalinity
- Fair
- Low pH Acidity
- Fair
Fertility Requirements
- Optimum pH
- 6.0 -7.0
- Required Fertility Levels
- Low - High
Performance Potential
- Feed Value/Quality
- High
- Palatability
- Good
- Digestibility
- Good
- Crude Protein
- Medium - High
- Tonnage (Yield)
- High
- Nitrogen Fixation (lbs/ac/year)
- -
Use/Application
- Continuous Grazing
- Good
- Rotational Grazing
- Excellent
- Hay
- Excellent
- Silage
- Excellent
Seeding Rates (HG/HA)
- Pure Stand
- 11.2 to 16.8
- Hay mixture (with legumes)
- 2.2 to 4.5
- Hay mixture (with grasses)
- 9.0 to 11.2
Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium perenne)
Description
Perennial ryegrass is known to have excellent forage quality and digestibility. It establishes very easily and germinates rapidly, making it a good grass for repair and overseeding. Ryegrass responds rapidly to water and nitrogen, making it excellent for dairy applications where manure water is available. Like annual ryegrass, perennial ryegrasses are either diploid or tetraploid.
Strengths
Medium yields; vigorous establisher; high forage quality and palatability; high leaf-to-stem ration; compatible with legumes.
Limitations
Less persistent than orchardgrass; lacks heat and drought tolerance; difficult to dry for hay; difficult to cut with sickle bar mower; poor summer regrowth.
General
- Longevity
- Perennial
- Growth Habit
- Bunch
- Primary Growth Seasons
- Spring, fall
- Plant Height (in cm)
- 30 - 60
- Seeds (per lb)
- 237,000
- Seedling Vigor
- Excellent
Climate and Soil Tolerances
- Heat/Drought
- Poor
- Cold
- Poor - Good
- Wet Soil/Poor Drainage
- Fair - Good
- Salinity
- Fair
- High pH Alkalinity
- Fair
- Low pH Acidity
- Fair
Fertility Requirements
- Optimum pH
- 5.5 - 7.5
- Required Fertility Levels
- Medium - High
Performance Potential
- Feed Value/Quality
- Very High
- Palatability
- Excellent
- Digestibility
- Excellent
- Crude Protein
- High
- Tonnage (Yield)
- Medium - High
- Nitrogen Fixation (lbs/ac/year)
- -
Use/Application
- Continuous Grazing
- Good - Excellent
- Rotational Grazing
- Excellent
- Hay
- Good
- Silage
- Excellent
Seeding Rates (HG/HA)
- Pure Stand
- 28 to 39.2
- Hay mixture (with legumes)
- 3.4 to 5.6
- Hay mixture (with grasses)
- 11.2 to 28
Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)
Description
This quick establishing legume can provide high quality and forage quantity for two to three years. Red clover’s tolerance to diverse soils allows it to be used in some areas where alfalfa will not grow.
Strengths
High yields; excellent seedling vigor; tolerates wet and acid soils better than alfalfa; fair summer regrowth; resistant to insects; excellent for renovation and overseeding.
Limitations
Susceptibility to crown and root diseases; not heat or drought tolerant; fair palatability; difficult to dry for hay; can cause bloat when grazed; many varieties only persist 2-3 years.
General
- Longevity
- 2 - 3 years
- Growth Habit
- Bunch
- Primary Growth Seasons
- Spring, summer, early fall
- Plant Height (in cm)
- 30 - 90
- Seeds (per lb)
- 275,000
- Seedling Vigor
- Good - Excellent
Climate and Soil Tolerances
- Heat/Drought
- Poor- Fair
- Cold
- Fair
- Wet Soil/Poor Drainage
- Fair - Good
- Salinity
- Fair
- High pH Alkalinity
- Poor
- Low pH Acidity
- Fair - Good
Fertility Requirements
- Optimum pH
- 6.0 - 6.5
- Required Fertility Levels
- Medium - High
Performance Potential
- Feed Value/Quality
- Very High
- Palatability
- Fair
- Digestibility
- Excellent
- Crude Protein
- High
- Tonnage (Yield)
- High
- Nitrogen Fixation (lbs/ac/year)
- 50 - 200
Use/Application
- Continuous Grazing
- Fair
- Rotational Grazing
- Good
- Hay
- Good
- Silage
- Excellent
Seeding Rates (HG/HA)
- Pure Stand
- 11.2 to 13.4
- Hay mixture (with legumes)
- 1.1 to 9
- Hay mixture (with grasses)
- 1.1 to 9
Smooth Brome (Bromus inermis Leyss.)
Description
Smooth bromegrass is a leafy, sod-forming perennial grass best suited for hay, silage, and early spring pasture, especially on well-drained soils. It spreads by underground rhizomes and through seed dispersal.
Strengths
High spring yield; winter hardy; sod-forming; leafy summer regrowth; good drought survival; best on fertile, well-drained soils.
Limitations
Difficult to drill unless mixed with something like oats; susceptible to damage when cut or grazed in jointing stage; not tolerant of frequent cutting; poor summer regrowth; susceptible to leaf diseases.
General
- Longevity
- Perennial
- Growth Habit
- Rhizomes
- Primary Growth Seasons
- Spring, summer, fall
- Plant Height (in cm)
- 30 - 90
- Seeds (per lb)
- 137,000
- Seedling Vigor
- Good
Climate and Soil Tolerances
- Heat/Drought
- Good
- Cold
- Excellent
- Wet Soil/Poor Drainage
- Poor - Fair
- Salinity
- Fair
- High pH Alkalinity
- Good
- Low pH Acidity
- Poor
Fertility Requirements
- Optimum pH
- 6.5 - 7.0
- Required Fertility Levels
- Medium - High
Performance Potential
- Feed Value/Quality
- High
- Palatability
- Excellent
- Digestibility
- Good
- Crude Protein
- High
- Tonnage (Yield)
- Medium - High
- Nitrogen Fixation (lbs/ac/year)
- -
Use/Application
- Continuous Grazing
- Poor
- Rotational Grazing
- Good
- Hay
- Excellent
- Silage
- Excellent
Seeding Rates (HG/HA)
- Pure Stand
- 13.4 to 20.2
- Hay mixture (with legumes)
- 5.6 to 7.8
- Hay mixture (with grasses)
- 2.2 to 13.4
Tall Fescue (Festuca arundinacea)
Description
Tall fescue is known as the most heat tolerant cool-season forage species. Due to its deep-roots, it can tolerate dry and hot conditions better than most forages. Tall fescues wide adaptation to different soil types and fertility allows it to be used in many management practices including hay, silage, managed grazing, and continuous grazing.
Strengths
High yields; persistent; leafy regrowth; good seedling vigor; summer flood tolerance; excellent for fall/winter stockpiling; tolerates heavy traffic; widely adapted and persists on acidic, wet soils of shale origin; drought resistant; survives under low fertility.
Limitations
Poor palatability and quality in summer; low summer production; can become coarse; dominates non-vigorous legumes. Use of entophytic varieties can cause animal health problems.
General
- Longevity
- Perennial
- Growth Habit
- Bunch, short rhizome
- Primary Growth Seasons
- Spring, summer, fall
- Plant Height (in cm)
- 60 - 120
- Seeds (per lb)
- 227,000
- Seedling Vigor
- Good
Climate and Soil Tolerances
- Heat/Drought
- Good
- Cold
- Poor - Good
- Wet Soil/Poor Drainage
- Good
- Salinity
- Good - Excellent
- High pH Alkalinity
- Good - Excellent
- Low pH Acidity
- Excellent
Fertility Requirements
- Optimum pH
- 5.5 - 6.0
- Required Fertility Levels
- Low - High
Performance Potential
- Feed Value/Quality
- Medium
- Palatability
- Fair - Good
- Digestibility
- Good
- Crude Protein
- Medium
- Tonnage (Yield)
- High
- Nitrogen Fixation (lbs/ac/year)
- -
Use/Application
- Continuous Grazing
- Good
- Rotational Grazing
- Excellent
- Hay
- Excellent
- Silage
- Good - Excellent
Seeding Rates (HG/HA)
- Pure Stand
- 16.8 to 22.4
- Hay mixture (with legumes)
- 9.0 to 11.2
- Hay mixture (with grasses)
- 9.0 to 11.2
Timothy (Phleum pratense)
Description
A favorite grass for horses and hay, timothy is a cold-hardy perennial bunchgrass that can be very productive grass on clay, silt, and sandy soils, provided that there is adequate moisture available. It produces most of its annual yield in the first crop.
Strengths
Medium spring yields; late maturity; winter hardy; easy to establish; leafy regrowth; good companion for non-vigorous legumes; popular for horses.
Limitations
Poor palatability and forage quality in summer; not tolerant of frequent cutting - slow recovery; susceptible to damage when cut in the jointing stage; shallow root system - unsuitable for droughty soils; intolerance of hot and dry conditions.
General
- Longevity
- Perennial
- Growth Habit
- Bunch
- Primary Growth Seasons
- Spring, fall
- Plant Height (in cm)
- 7 to 25
- Seeds (per lb)
- 1,152,000
- Seedling Vigor
- Fair
Climate and Soil Tolerances
- Heat/Drought
- Poor
- Cold
- Excellent
- Wet Soil/Poor Drainage
- Fair
- Salinity
- Good
- High pH Alkalinity
- Good
- Low pH Acidity
- Fair
Fertility Requirements
- Optimum pH
- 6.0 - 6.5
- Required Fertility Levels
- Low - High
Performance Potential
- Feed Value/Quality
- Medium - High
- Palatability
- Fair - Excellent
- Digestibility
- Excellent
- Crude Protein
- Low
- Tonnage (Yield)
- High
- Nitrogen Fixation (lbs/ac/year)
- -
Use/Application
- Continuous Grazing
- Fair
- Rotational Grazing
- Good
- Hay
- Excellent
- Silage
- Excellent
Seeding Rates (HG/HA)
- Pure Stand
- 9.0 to 11.2
- Hay mixture (with legumes)
- 2.4 to 4.5
- Hay mixture (with grasses)
- 1.1 - 6.7
White Clover, Ladino (Ladino Trifolium repens)
Description
Ladino white clover varieties are usually more productive than Dutch white clover varieties and will survive taller pasture situations.
Strengths
Tolerates poorly drained soil; very palatable; excellent adaptation to managed grazing systems.
Limitations
Its shallow root system limits production on excessively drained soils and during droughty periods; can cause bloat when grazed.
General
- Longevity
- Short-lived perennial
- Growth Habit
- Stolons
- Primary Growth Seasons
- Spring, early summer, fall
- Plant Height (in cm)
- 30 to 60
- Seeds (per lb)
- 860,000
- Seedling Vigor
- Fair - Good
Climate and Soil Tolerances
- Heat/Drought
- Poor - Fair
- Cold
- Poor - Fair
- Wet Soil/Poor Drainage
- Good - Excellent
- Salinity
- Fair
- High pH Alkalinity
- Poor
- Low pH Acidity
- Fair - Good
Fertility Requirements
- Optimum pH
- 6.0 - 7.0
- Required Fertility Levels
- Low - High
Performance Potential
- Feed Value/Quality
- Very High
- Palatability
- Excellent
- Digestibility
- Excellent
- Crude Protein
- High
- Tonnage (Yield)
- Low
- Nitrogen Fixation (lbs/ac/year)
- 100 - 200
Use/Application
- Continuous Grazing
- Fair
- Rotational Grazing
- Excellent
- Hay
- Fair
- Silage
- Fair
Seeding Rates (HG/HA)
- Pure Stand
- -
- Hay mixture (with legumes)
- 2.2 to 4.5
- Hay mixture (with grasses)
- 1.1 - 4.5