Super blend variety gives high quality feed late in season

This article is sponsored by Pasture Genetics.

Growing quality ryegrass through the winter period has become a valuable tool to maximise weight gains for beef producer Michael Mendez.

Michael and his family operate a beef cattle enterprise across multiple properties in the Bundaberg region of Queensland, and primarily finish steers for market on their intensely irrigated pastures on the Burnett River near Wallaville.

“Pasture Genetics’ Jivet Tetraploid Annual Italian Ryegrass produced successful results for us in 2016, and illustrated that quality feed can be maintained later in the season,” Michael said.

With late season production being a crucial factor, Pasture Genetics’ Mona Tetraploid Italian Ryegrass was selected for the 2017 season due to its later heading date than Jivet Tetraploid Annual Italian Ryegrass.

In April, 2017, a custom blend of two Pasture Genetics varieties, Mona Tetraploid Italian Ryegrass and Balance Chicory, was over-sown into mulched subtropical grasses at a rate of 30 kilograms per hectare.

The paddock cells established well under irrigation and produced high quality feed at first grazing.

Under ideal conditions the 1.6 hectare cells are grazed on a 21 day rotation, by mixed aged and weight steers.

Weaned steers enter at approximately 280 kilograms, with older finished steers being ready for market at 600 kilograms.

Traditionally the short term annual ryegrasses are finished in October, when the spring heat arrives which results in shortage of quality feed.

“The Mona Tetraploid Italian Ryegrass and Balance Chicory custom blend has produced quality feed consistently through the winter and spring periods, and was still being grazed into December,” Michael said.

Based on this seasons success Michael said he will be growing Mona Tetraploid Italian Ryegrass again in 2018.

This article is sponsored by Pasture Genetics.