Annual forages have been used as cover crops in cropland to provide cover to soil, reduce erosion and weed infestation, and enhance soil health. Mixed seedings of “Dixie” crimson clover ( Trifolium incarnatum L.) and “Apache” arrowleaf clover ( Trifolium vesiculosum Savi), “Nelson” annual ryegrass ( Lolium multiflorum Lam.), and a combination of clovers and ryegrass were drilled into “Coastal” bermudagrass ( Cynodon dactylon [L.] Pers.) plots. During the following two years, cattle grazed these cover crops to predetermined residual stubble heights each late April to early June to assess effects of mob-stocking on cover crop forage accumulation and sustainability. During active vegetative growth of cover crops (April-May), ryegrass had the greatest forage accumulation in Year 1; whereas, ryegrass-clover mix had the greatest forage accumulation in Year 2, which had greater rainfall than Year 1. During active vegetative growth of the cover crops, there was no effect of grazed stubble heights on forage mass accumulation; however, the season-long forage mass accumulation (April-September) was reduced ( P < 0.02) due to the 10 - 15 cm stubble height. For both years, the season-long forage accumulation was greatest ( P < 0.003) for the non-overseeded bermudagrass-only plots. The non-N-fertilized clover and clover-ryegrass cover crop plots had similar season-long forage accumulation to the ryegrass plots that were fertilized with 56 kg N/ha. Thus, indirect evidence indicates a potential contribution of legume-derived nitrogen to this loamy fine sand. All grazed stubble heights used in this research were based on USDA-NRCS cover crop management guidelines for humid environments and showed these grazing regimens to be sustainable on a cover crop system with bermudagrass.
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