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New publication about forage legumes



NEW BULLETIN PROVIDES INFO ABOUT ALTERNATIVE FORAGE LEGUMES

A new publication about perennial forage legumes should be of value to
dairy, livestock and forage producers in the north-central and 
northeastern United States and southern Canada who are seeking 
alternative forages to incorporate into their cropping systems.

The 40-page bulletin was published by the Minnesota Agricultural 
Experiment Station in cooperation with the Minnesota Department of 
Agriculture's Energy and Sustainable Agriculture Program. It is 
titled "Forage Legumes: Clovers, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Cicer Milkvetch, 
Crownvetch, Sainfoin and Alfalfa."

The authors of the bulletin say that forage legumes are essential to
sustainable agricultural systems because they not only provide 
livestock feed but also nectar for insect pollinators of other crops 
and, through their ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, nutrients for 
subsequent crops.

"Forage Legumes..." discusses the origin, use, management (for 
grazing, hay and silage), comparative yields, adaptation and 
identifying characteristics of 10 perennial legumes.  The clovers 
discussed include red, white, alsike, kura and sweet clover.

The text is supplemented with botanical drawings and color and
black-and-white photos to aid identification of these forages.  This 
and the tables of research trial results, will also make this 
bulletin useful to extension personnel, crop consultants, seed 
company representatives, and agricultural instructors and their 
students.

"Forage Legumes..." may be purchased as item SB-5963-EM3 from the
Distribution Center, 20 Coffey Hall, University of Minnesota, St. 
Paul, MN 55108-6069 (fax 612/625-2207).  It costs $5 (plus 6.5 
percent tax on Minnesota orders).  Please order by item number 
and title, and make your check payable to University of Minnesota.  
Call (612) 625-8173 to bill to Mastercard, Discover or Visa or to 
obtain prices on orders of 20 or more copies.