Mississippi livestock producers are fortunate in being able to grow a large number of forage crops. These include both warm and cool season species of legumes and grasses. Both perennial and annual forages are common.
Warm season perennial grasses include bermudagrass and bahiagrass. Sorghum-sudangrass hybrids and pearl millets are summer annual grasses. Annual ryegrass and the small grains (oats, wheat, rye) are common winter annual grasses. Perennial, cool season tall fescue is grown extensively in the prairie sections and in north Mississippi. Warm season perennial legumes include alfalfa and sericea lespedeza.
Annual lespedeza and alyce clover are warm season annual legumes. White and red clovers are perennial cool season legumes. A large number of cool season annual legumes include crimson, ball, berseem, and arrowleaf clovers. Vetch and wild winter peas are also cool season annual legumes.
By using a combination of these forages for both grazing and hay, many Mississippi livestock producers are able to grow their needed feed with very few outside purchases.
Source : msstate.edu