Common vetches are an annual pasture/forage/grain legume, extremely palatable at all growth stages, from early green shoots, as dry matter/hay or silage through to seedpods and seeds over summer. It has very high feed values for animals as green plants and dry matter as well as grain.  Vetches have the ability to offer substantial improvements in soil fertility, structure and organic matter as well as offering a weed and disease break for cereals in a crop rotation. Vetch fixes atmospheric nitrogen in the soil; this is beneficial for subsequent cereal crops in both yield and quality. Growing vetch in crop rotations as a pasture or hay can be a very good strategy for controlling resistant grass weeds, because they will be grazed or cut before grasses have formed or set seeds and it provides a disease break from cereal diseases.