10.3.1.Acid soils and pasture species

The species selection, retention and maintenance of pastures on grazing blocks is directly related to soil issues, as discussed in the ‘Managing your Soils’ section on pages XX-YY. 
If soils are already known to be acidic, it is important to encourage and maintain any existing perennial native pastures, to reduce nitrate leaching and slow the rates of acidification.
If pasture is being sown, consider using species highly tolerant to acidity to ensure they establish well and form a productive pasture. These highly tolerant species include tall fescue, ryegrass, microlaena stipoides, Yellow and slender serradella, paspalum, Danthonia racemosa, kikuyu, Themeda spp, Maku lotus, common couch and cocksfoot.
In contrast, pasture species sensitive to acidity include Red grass (Bothriochloa macra), wallaby grass (Danthonia linkii), phalaris, red clover, snail and murex medics, Caucasian and Kenya white clovers. Highly sensitive species include Barrel, strand and burr medic, lucerne, strawberry, balansa, berseem and
Persian clover, buffel grasses and Thynopyrum tall wheat grass.
While acid-tolerant species will allow pasture production to continue, in the long-term the root cause of soil acidity must be addressed. Avoid regularly cutting any legume-rich pastures such as lucerne for hay or silage. Adopt a grazing management strategy that aims to maintain a grass:legume balance of about 70:30 and adequate ground cover.  In conjunction with advice from a local agronomist, use soil test results to undertake a liming program to gradually increase soil pH.
More information is available by reading the NSW DPI factsheet Pastures and Acid Soils,

Photos of acid-tolerant species.