No-Till Trefoil W. South Dakota

[hayray]

Have a friend of mine that is moving to Western South Dakota and is running a custom grazing business with a guy from Montana, anybody out in the Western dry areas grow any Birdsfoot Trefoil for grazing? Anybody no-till it into existing sod? Extension Agents out there have hardly even herd of it before, grow a lot of it here in Michigan and wonder if it would work out there or not?

 

[dun]

The simple answer is that if the locals haven;t heard of it or don;t do it, it probably won't work in that area. Northern MO BFT works well, in this area, either because of the soil or the climate, it's a waste of money.

dun

 

[cattlegrazer]

Out here in the dry high plains, legumes have a hard time competing in grazing situations. Usually, the cattle eat them first and since they don't have the same physiology as grasses, they can't take it. I am actually doing some research on native legumes in the great plains for my master's degree.

...But if your friend needs any cool season grass seed for pastures, I have an incredible forage-producing variety of Intermediate Wheatgrass made for that area... :lol:

 

[Stocker Steve]

Anybody out in the Western dry areas grow any Birdsfoot Trefoil for grazing? Anybody no-till it into existing sod?

I have no tilled in clover successfully, but BT is not supposed to be as agressive.

Why not plant alfalfa like everyone else? The only people I know who grow BT do it to extend their fall grazing - - since it does not drop leaves as quicky as alfalfa after the fall frost.