Lucerne for pasture and fodder
Summary
Lucerne is a temperate perennial legume capable of producing high quality forage throughout the year, but its main production period falls in the spring, summer and early autumn. Lucerne is the third most widely grown pasture legume in New South Wales (after subterranean and white clover), and is considered the only reliable pasture legume for a large area of the State.
It’s wide range of uses, and high adaptability to the climate and soils of NSW makes it an integral part of the State’s agriculture, especially in the wheat–sheep zone.
This Agfact is aimed at pasture managers looking at using Lucerne for pasture & fodder. It includes information on:
- Production advantages and nutritive value
- Distribution and climatic limitations
- Soil requirements
- Varieties
- Establishment
- Companion crops
- Inoculation and lime pelleting
- Establishing lucerne on acid soils
- Species to grow with lucerne
- Nutrition and fertiliser
- Grazing management
- Livestock health on lucerne
- Haymaking
- Making silage
- Pests and diseases
This Agfact is provided in two parts. Part one is available to the right under the download heading and part two from additional files.
