Berseem Clover Potential for Winter Grazing in Florida.

Berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum) is an annual clover associated with low bloating and adapted to areas with mild winters and high soil moisture. Because of these characteristics berseem is suitable for sheep (Ovis aries) grazing and has potential to fill the ‘winter gap’ experienced by many producers in Florida. While it has been cultivated in peninsular Florida little is known under grazing conditions in non-flooded wet areas in central Florida where many small ruminant farms are located and operated by first generation farmers with little farming experience. To evaluate grazed winter production of berseem clover only (B) or in combination with annual ryegrass (B-R) under different soil moistures (low, medium, and high), a field with a slope gradient was planted to berseem and partially overseeded with strips of ryegrass.  A total of 135 pregnant sheep were used in rotational strip stocking to approximately 8-cm stubble height during limited periods throughout the day from February through May. Pre-grazed herbage mass (HM) was sampled every two weeks and ranged (across species combinations) from 4278 (11 Mar) to 1623 kg DM ha^-1 (7 May).  Averaged across five samplings (March through May) pre-grazed HM was greater for B (3460 kg DM ha^-1) than B-R (2707 kg DM ha^-1); and was also greater (3113 kg DM ha^-1) in lower ground (high moisture) compared to upper ground with lower soil moisture (2343 kg DM ha^-1). These data suggests that (i) Berseem is an annual clover that grows well in the winter and spring months, and (ii) is suitable for sheep grazing in lower areas of high soil moisture in Central Florida.