A great choice for 2022
Why a diploid annual ryegrass?
In Australia, our climate and environment are very suited to annual ryegrasses. Diploid types are often of interest because they are more suited to harder grazings than a tetraploid variety. Diploids also germinate quite fast at the first break and will generate a lot of feed by winter. Diploid varieties produce finer leaves and higher quality forage, particularly for silage and hay.
How does Finefeed stack up?
In areas with drought, farmers will want to generate feed as quickly as possible at the break and will then need to graze their pasture quite hard. Grazing management of Finefeed is less particular than with a tetraploid. Because it doesn’t lodge as easily, there will be plenty of standing feed for hay and silage at the end of the season.
What kind of climate suits Finefeed best?
Finefeed was bred creating a combination of two genetic pools. One was material from northern Australia, suited to growing in hotter type climates and with a greater rust resistance. That was combined with a genetic pool from the southern part of Australia which is more adapted to growing in colder conditions and has a broader leaf. By combining those two, a variety has been produced that is suitable for hot conditions in the north or colder conditions experienced in the south. It suits locations right down the eastern seaboard and over to the west.
How do annuals compare to Italians?
With the effects of the variable climate that we are experiencing, annual ryegrasses are the backbone of pasture systems with low to medium rainfall and areas with early or unreliable spring finishes. Ryegrasses produce 60% of their forage yield around their heading date. This makes annual ryegrasses more likely to reach their genetic potential than Italians in such environments. They finish their growth just as the soils start drying out which means they match the growing conditions we have in Australia.
Finefeed is a great choice for farmers needing feed that starts quickly and can be grazed hard or turned into hay and silage. In addition to this, it flowers a bit later than a Tetila so if the season does carry on, you can take advantage of that.
