Sainfoin‐Birdsfoot Trefoil Mixtures for Pasture, Hay‐pasture, and Hay‐stockpile Management Regimes 1

Two nonbloating legumes, sainfoin ( Onobrychis viclae folia Scop) and birdsfoot trefoil ( Lotus corniculatus L.), were evaluated in pure stands and in mixtures for use in pasture, hay‐pasture, and hay‐stockpile management regimes. Both species, seeded in pure stands or in mixtures, yielded more forage in a hay‐stockpiling management regime than in a pasture or hay‐pasture management regime. In the year of establishment, ‘Remont,’ a twocut‐type sainfoin cultivar, contributed significantly more to yield than ‘Eski,’ a one‐cut‐type sainfoin cultivar, and both sainfoins and sainfoin‐birdsfoot trefoil mixtures yielded more than birdsfoot trefoil alone. Over the 4‐year study period, Remont yielded more than Eski under pasture management, the same as Eski under hay‐pasture management, and much less than Eski under the haystockpile management. Under the hay‐pasture management regime, Eski yielded more than Remont at the hay harvest, but less at subsequent pasture harvests. Under the hay‐stockpile management regime, Eski contributed much more to yield than Remont at the hay harvest, but yields were equal at the late‐September stockpile harvest. Eski was more compatible with birdsfoot trefoil under the hay‐stockpile management system, and produced a higher quality forage at the late‐September harvest. Stand persistence and vigor of both sainfoins under the haystockpile management system were better than under other systems.