Annual lespedeza is excellent feed for stocker cattle. Annual lespedeza is also a good forage for dairy heifers and horses. Sericea should not be allowed to become mature and coarse when pastured, or animals will not eat it readily. Sericea tests slightly lower in crude protein than annual lespedezas. Annual lespedeza grown for seed can be planted in rows or broadcast.
Rows require less planting seed, allow cultivation, and are easier to rogue for off-type plants.
However, plants grow closer to the ground in rows, making seed harder to harvest. When soil moisture is adequate, annual lespedeza may be planted as late as early June in Arkansas if intended solely for seed production. It is possible to harvest both hay and seed from the same stand if the crop is planted early and the hay crop is cut when plants are only 7 inches tall, leaving a three-inch stubble. Research in Missouri showed that taking hay crops from Summit and Marion lespedeza after mid-June decreased seed yields. Korean lespedeza intended solely for seed is sometimes top-clipped early in the season to encourage branching and higher seed production.