Protein Differences among Varieties of Alfalfa and Red Clover and Grass Combinations 1

SEVERAL alfalfa and .red clover varieties are recommended in the North Central area. Recommendations usually are made on the basis of dry matter yields, winter survival, and disease and insect resistance, with forage quality a secondary consideration. Generally, forage quality is denoted by protein level. However, little information is available as to whether real differences exist in the protein content of alfalfa and red clover varieties. Jones et al. compared 6 alfalfa varieties over 6 different cuttings and found the protein content to be similar for all varieties. Similar results were reported by Fribourg and Johnson." However, other investigators' ' found that Grimm and Rhizoma alfalfas contained a higher percentage of protein than other varieties. The object of this study was to investigate dry matter and crude protein differences among various alfalfa and