Forage legumes are highly valued feed for extensive livestock production. There is an increasing interest worldwide in using annual forage legumes as cover crops to supply soil nitrogen (Sulas, 2005; Piano et al., 2010). Symbiotic nitrogen fixation in legumes leads to high protein fodder content and rejuvenated soils for a sustainable feed system. The clovers in particular are among the most effective to break the ‘infernal circle of the fallow’ a technique known to the Germans as ‘Besömmerung’ (Blanning, 2008). Subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) makes the greatest contribution to livestock feed production and soil improvement in terms of total worldwide usage among annual clovers (McGuire, 1985), particularly in Australia, where it is sown over 29 mill. ha. The self‐reseeding ability and grazing tolerance of subterranean clover, even under suboptimal and variable environmental conditions (Nichols et al., 2013), contribute to its widespread distribution.