Productivity of annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) is dependent on nitrogen (N) fertilization but there is indication early season forage production can be influenced by seeding rate. Since the escalation of the cost of N fertilizer, producers are seeking alternatives to nitrogen use for enhancing productivity from annual ryegrass. A study was initiated to investigate the feasibility of increasing seeding rate and reducing nitrogen rate for maintaining forage production from annual ryegrass. The test was planted on 4 November 2006 into a prepared seedbed on a Gigger silt loam soil near Winnsboro, LA. Annual ryegrass seeding rates were 20, 30, 40 and 50 pounds of pure live seed (PLS) acre^-1 and N rates were 0, 34 and 68 pounds acre^-1. The study was arranged in a randomized complete block design with 4 replications. Nitrogen was applied at appropriate rates to each plot on 14 November 2006 and all plots received 50 pounds N acre^-1 on 30 January 2007. The initial harvest was taken 26 January 2007 and subsequent harvests followed on approximately monthly intervals. Increasing seeding rate above 20 pounds PLS acre^-1 did slightly enhance early season forage production from annual ryegrass. Forage production difference between the low and the other seeding rates was increased by N fertilization. Annual ryegrass planted at the low seeding rate had to be fertilized at the highest N rate to provide the amount of forage produced from other seeding rates fertilized at the medium N rate. Number of shoots ft^-2 increased slightly as seeding rate increased but increased significantly as N rate increased. Shoot weight was only slightly influenced by seeding rate or N rate. It does not appear that increased seeding rate would be an effective substitute for a substantial amount of N fertilization when trying to maintain annual ryegrass productivity.