White Clover Effect On Improving Tall Fescue Pastures.

White clover (Trifolium repens L.) overseeded in deteriorating tall fescue [Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) Darbysh.], formerly Festuca arundinacea (Schreb.) pastures may improve pasture quality, reduce N fertilizer use, and may even halt decreasing tall fescue stand density.� This study evaluated pasture and animal responses of poor stand density, novel endophyte tall fescue pastures overseeded with either �Durana' white clover (DWC) or an experimental white clover cultivar from the Noble Foundation, NFWC04-49 (NWC), and a non-overseeded control (TF).� Overseeded treatments were replicated twice and the control was replicated four times using a randomized complete block design.� Each paddock (0.8 ha) was grazed by two Angus crossbred steers (initial BW = 286 kg) for 56 d from mid April to mid June, 2010.� Responses were considered different at P < 0.05.� Visual estimates determined that tall fescue composition was 56% in TF, 29% in NWC, and 18% in DWC swards.� White clover composition was greater in DWC than NWC (44 vs. 31%) but swards of all three forage systems had about the same proportion of weeds (≈ 40%; mainly little barley [Hordeum pusillum Nutt.], bahiagrass [Paspalum notatum Flϋgge], and bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.]) to desired species. Average daily gain was not different between overseeded treatments (0.89 kg, Durana; 0.76 kg, NFWC04-49) but both were greater than the control (0.59 kg).� Average herbage mass was similar across treatments (1040 � 1140 kg ha^‑1), but herbage accumulation was greater for overseeded pastures (average = 17.5 kg ha^‑1 d^‑1) than the control (8.5 kg ha^‑1 d^‑1).� This led to greater herbage disappearance (15.5 vs. 5.9 kg ha^‑1 d^‑1), indicating potentially more forage intake on the overseeded treatments.� These preliminary results demonstrate that pasture quality, indicated by animal performance, and pasture growth rate were improved by overseeding deteriorating tall fescue pastures with white clover.