The West Virginia Plant Materials Center will wrap-up a five-year study in spring 2025 to help producers in the Appalachian region better manage pasture and haylands. In this study, the effects of different nutrient applications and grazing approaches for four types of commonly planted forages: endophyte-infected tall fescue (KY-31), novel endophyte tall fescue (BarOptima Plus), orchardgrass (Olathe) and a mixture of KY-31 tall fescue and white clover (Alice), were evaluated. 

To assess the impact of nutrient additions, commercial fertilizer was applied according to annual soil test results to half of the plants and no fertilizer was applied to the other half of the plants. To assess the impacts of different grazing regimes, a recommended grazing regime was simulated by letting grass grow to at least 12 inches then cutting it back to four inches and an overgrazing regime was simulated by letting grass grow to at least four inches then cutting it back one inch. 

Key preliminary findings from the first three years of data were presented in January 2024 at the American Forage and Grassland Council Conference in Mobile, Alabama, were:  

1. All forages, regardless of species or grazing treatment, responded positively to nutrient additions. This underlines the importance of soil testing and nutrient addition to get the best outcomes with forage plantings.  
2. In overgrazed plantings, all covers showed considerable growth of crabgrass and researchers observed more bare areas, indicating higher potential for soil erosion. These findings reinforce the importance of following grazing guidance and rotating herbivores off fields when the grass height averages four inches.
3. The highest dry matter yields were with mixtures of KY-31, novel endophyte tall fescue and Alice white clover.  

With this and other work, the Plant Materials Program aims to share plant solutions that solve local and national conservation problems. For additional information on specific species of plants mentioned, please see the USDA PLANTS database.  Technical information and guidance on the use of conservation plants to address resource concerns can be found on the Plant Materials Program website or contact the nearest Plant Materials Center or plant materials specialist.