Amass is a lush, late flowering feed that thrives in high-rainfall and irrigated conditions.
This tetraploid Italian ryegrass type recovers well from heavy grazing and holds its quality for a lot longer, as it won’t go to head when planted in spring. This is due to vernalisation – a process where cold temperatures are needed to induce flowering.
This vernalisation is the process plant breeders use to determine whether the grasses are Italians or annuals. If flowering occurs from a spring plant, then this suggests an annual. If flowering does not occur from a spring plant, then the variety is likely to be Italian ryegrass.
In areas that receive greater than 700mm of rainfall (or irrigated properties), it is ideal for farmers to plant later flowering Italian ryegrass varieties. The reasoning behind this is that in the second year of growth, Italian ryegrasses will flower late in the season, matching more vegetative growth to suitable soil moisture (e.g. up to early December).
This implies that for areas where silage or hay is needed but the conditions aren’t suitable for drying until December, these species can hold onto their quality for longer due to their late flowering. Flowering decreases the digestibility and quality of grasses due to the need for extra fibre to hold up the flowering seed head.
The advantages of spring planting with Amass are:
- Less pressure from winter weeds
- Because of the soil’s built-up moisture, pastures can still establish – even if the autumn break is late
- No flowers = excellent quality and digestible feed
- Grow your own affordable feed, hay or silage
Increase your quality feed production all the way through to early summer with Amass Italian tetraploid ryegrass.
Agronomy Guidelines
| Paddock preparations | Can be direct drilled or sown into a cultivated seedbed. Can be oversown into existing pasture sward. Cultivate seed bed if the ground is uneven. |
| Sowing depth | Shallow (10-15mm), using a roller will ensure good seed-soil contact and improve germination rates. |
| Weed control | A weed-free seedbed allows for better establishment results. The use of herbicides prior to sowing can alleviate competition from weeds. Speak to your local agronomist for herbicide recommendations. |
| Fertilizer | The use of fertiliser at sowing will improve the establishment and yield of pasture. |
| Grazing management | Pasture should not be grazed until adequately anchored (can not be pulled out easily). Ryegrass is better suited to rotational grazing, allowing plants to re-grow to the 2-3 leaf stage before grazing again. |
