By Linda Geist
Tall fescue is the backbone of most grazing systems across Missouri, and for good reason, says Caleb O’Neal, University of Missouri Extension field specialist in plant science.
Tall fescue is a tough, productive, and well-adapted grass for the region’s climate. “However, even the best cool-season forages share a predictable weakness: the summer slump,” says O’Neal.
During hot, dry summer months, tall fescue growth slows, forage quality declines, toxicity levels rise and overall forage availability can become limited. Annual lespedeza is a forage option that offers a simple, low-input way to help fill this summer slump while improving overall pasture performance and soil health, says O’Neal.
What is annual lespedeza?
Not to be mistaken for the perennial weed sericea lespedeza, annual lespedeza is a warm-season annual legume that pairs exceptionally well with cool-season grasses like tall fescue
Its primary growth begins in June, when fescue growth naturally slows or after the first hay cutting is removed. Annual lespedeza can provide quality forage during July and August, when many fescue pastures are under the greatest stress.
Source : missouri.edu