For example, a disease or insect pest is less likely to devastate a mixed forage stand. Clovers improve soil characteristics by improving soil tilth. Grass tetany is another animal disorder reduced or eliminated by the presence of clovers in animals' diets. Because of their symbiotic relationship with Rhizobium bacteria, clovers and other legumes provide homegrown slow release nitrogen, which is more environmentally friendly than commercial nitrogen. They furnish pollen and nectar for honeybees and tend to increase populations of beneficial predatory insects.
Clovers also provide food for wildlife including deer, rabbits, and game birds.
Clovers are more colorful and attractive than grasses, especially when blooming. They make pastures more attractive to humans and, given their palatability, to grazing animals as well. Nutrition is generally recognized as the primary limiting factor on most livestock farms, and legumes usually provide higher nutrition levels than grasses. Better nutrition means more milk production, higher weaning weights, and increased likelihood of high reproduction efficiency.