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Pasture Improvement

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marlin1 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote marlin1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Pasture Improvement
    Posted: 05 Sep 2012 at 11:03pm
hi about ready to sow 8 ha of pasture [irragated] the only thing is im abit up in the air of what to sow iv had a few quotes from ogranomists and they have different ideas,so i was thinking of running this mix by the experts,[thats you blokes]
heres the mix
phalaris
tall fescue
prarrier grass
red clover
white clover
lucerne
chicory
$286 per ha 
 theres a few different blends they recommended,but this one was by far the best they said,any info good or bad would be real good
ps iv been to a few studs the last month and notices there wasnt any horses grasing on lucerne pastures,most paddocks were rhy grasses and clovers,is there a reason for this,to much calcium maybe
cheers 


Edited by Gay3 - 04 Nov 2019 at 11:36am
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maxamill View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote maxamill Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Sep 2012 at 11:36pm
grow grass to suit your rainfall ,or irrigation i am assuming you are talking summer feed here ,  chicory will take some time for the horses to eat it is quite bitter there is  a mix called a herb mix stephenson pature in vic , wrightson seed ,   that will consist of some chicory and plantain mixed with an italian rye , clover  an some perenial would be the mix , but you will want 600 + mm rainfall   generally
generally if you are going renovate paddocks you would like to do it in autm ,  not spring ,   in spring you may be far better cost effective , ( as yo are nearing  peak growth time , to take paddocks out at this time or infact after this would cost you heaps in feed conversion )  s adding fertiliser and utilising your water,on the pasture that is already there  would be imo the most cost effective way ,   and crop renovate in autum ,  conatc simon hunt if you are in vic at stephanson pasture seed ballarat ,
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Buckpasser View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Buckpasser Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Sep 2012 at 11:39pm
Where are you located marlin? It's hard to get a pasture that actually covers all annual feed gaps, sometimes you are better served having a pasture mix that caters for the seasons where you are most heavily stocked. The mix you mention seems summer orientated so I assume you are near a summer dominated rainfall. Lucerne in an unprossesed stait is quite unpalatable for horses. In fact they don't like legumes in general raw. Having said that, a kilo of legume dry matter has a much better concentration of minerals etc than than a kilo dry matter of grass. Careful with fescue, a cultivar caused a number of horse deaths a few years ago. It was recommended by agronomists as well. Red clover is also proven to mess with cycling in sheep so it may be prudent to keep away from mares (no actual links proven in mares but why the risk). There are also better clovers if you are irrigating, berseem, Persian, etc. I know a lot of agronomists are anti ryegrass but I was always a fan. Palatability is very important as is the horses tendency to selectively graze pastures, which is often overlooked by agronomists.
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maxamill View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote maxamill Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Sep 2012 at 11:54pm

Pasture/crop

Metabolisable Energy

Crude Protein %)

Ca : P (g/kg)

Lucerne early veg.

10

22

4.57 : 1

Lucerne late veg.

9

18

4.48 : 1

Lucerne flowering

8.5

16

4.48 : 1

Ryegrass early veg.

12.5

22

1.3 : 1

Ryegrass late veg.

12

18

1.3: 1

Oats early veg.

11.3

20

1.5 : 1

Oats late veg.

10.2

17

1.5:1

White clover early veg.

11.5

23

4.3 : 1

White clover late veg.

11.0

18

5.4 : 1

Kikuyu early veg.

8.5

16

1.1 : 1

Kikuyu late veg.

8.0

13

1.1:1

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maxamill View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote maxamill Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Sep 2012 at 12:08am
have a look here it may be of interest http://www.stephenpastureseeds.com.au/display.php?file=8
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jayzaa View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jayzaa Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Sep 2012 at 7:43am
Fescue can cause thickening of the placenta and cord, stops cord breaking cleanly.  My horses don't like chicory.
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Gay3 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Gay3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Sep 2012 at 4:32pm
I certainly wouldn't use chicory or plantains if you have any intention of keeping the broadleaf weeds (capeweed etc.) at bay & in our case, the damned stuff completely took over, strangling out everything else, except the weeds Angry, so they got a good dose of herbicide to get rid of them.
Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote marlin1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Sep 2012 at 8:30pm
thanks for all the info,very handy,
maxamill good web site there,ill defenetly get in touch with them
buckpasser im central west nsw,and thanks for the time and info mate appreciated
sowing in sping i know is a risk,but if we get the rain like last summer there wouldnt be a problem,but the long range forcast dosnt look good,the paddocks self sowed with oats again so i left it there in the autm and through winter,kicking myself up abit  now,anyway thats farming,
the tractors are working over time around here mainly lucernce farmers
my paddocks are all ready sow, just mite go a crop of millet,my son takes over the paddocks with his cattle so i mite do a deal with him
thanks again for the help appreciated
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maxamill View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote maxamill Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Sep 2012 at 10:53pm
well if the paddocks are ready punch it in you have nothing to loose ,  self sown oats will peater out just when you need them ,the most ,      we use to get good results as a break crop  munch it of and drill some annual rye grass  straight in time the oats peater the rye is established ,    look at crusader it is a bi annual 2 yrs ,or a tertila it is cheap, but next year you can top up,  or put in a annual rye with clover ,  dont reckon go fecus or prairie , or any other , they do not have the ME  or the quality ,    that way e the grass will get going the oats wil protect it a bit , normaly you would  turn the oats in,   but time will be the fact,   turning the oats wil help with nitrogen,  but this consists of a total paddock reno ,    use a baker boot type drill , straight in   min 80 kg dap a must ,
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progeny test View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote progeny test Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Sep 2012 at 4:30pm
What sort of Eucalypts predominately grow on your land ?

Very Important

If you live Central west slopes try lucerne and rotationally graze. If you live in Central west plains try Alfalfa. You'll get feed "when" it rains.
If you live on Stringybark, Ironbark, Wattle, Bastardbox, Cypress etc country sell your horses OR your farm
If you live on YellowBox, Kurrajong or Redgum country stay where you are AND grow Lucerne and rotationally graze.

If you want grass pasture, move to victoria, because Central west NSW cannot grow perennial ryegrass. Ryegrass shuts down over 25degrees. Its too hot here.
The only day you can't sow lucerne in cw nsw is christmas day (that's because you should have the day off)
The other grasses are cattle feed simple as that.
Yes you'll produce horses on the other pastures and they prefer the others over lucerne.
Very hard to founder horses with.

To cap it all off my suggestion is:
Lucerne sown with Alfalfa
OR Alfalfa sown with Lucerne
THEN graze your Horses in a "Fresh" paddock of Alfalfa, occasionally a mixed sward of Lucerne wouldn't hurt.
ESSENTIAL Add additional Phosphorus to rebalance the Ca to P ratio to 1.5 to 2/ 1 in the feed
As a treat feed them a biscuit of Lucerne.
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Gay3 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Gay3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Sep 2012 at 9:01pm
A suggestion for temperate climes is Gala Brome. We sowed down about 3 yrs ago & it was largely disastrous but 1 small, sheltered (1 ac) paddock took brilliantly & this year the Brome has really taken off despite even topping from its' resident Smile. Definitely doesn't like to compete at germination time but if it likes the conditions, is obviously very palatable, vigorous growing in clumps & I understand has less NSC & sugar than 'cattle' grass i.e. rye.
Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote progeny test Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Sep 2012 at 9:41pm
Originally posted by Gay3 Gay3 wrote:

A suggestion for temperate climes is Gala Brome. We sowed down about 3 yrs ago & it was largely disastrous but 1 small, sheltered (1 ac) paddock took brilliantly & this year the Brome has really taken off despite even topping from its' resident Smile. Definitely doesn't like to compete at germination time but if it likes the conditions, is obviously very palatable, vigorous growing in clumps & I understand has less NSC & sugar than 'cattle' grass i.e. rye.



Wasn't having a go at ryegrass but at Millet. Very hard to manage as it easily gets away and then has stems as thick as your finger. Fattening feed, not growing feed. Unfortunately we just cannot grow ryegrass (good feed) without having to resow constantly.
It too needs constant grazing to prevent the 3rd leaf dying. As you know it drops in protein and energy as it matures and tries to go from the vegetative to reproductive stage.

However , the enquiry was from CW NSW - I live here. Other regions have totally different climates. Australia is a VERY BIG PADDOCK.
Look over your farmer neighbour fence AND "when In Rome do as the Romans do."
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sky high View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sky high Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Sep 2012 at 9:28am
Progeny Test spot on look at your trees .Lucerne is great that is why it is know as the king of pasture .Have a look at the top lamb producers in the district what pastures they are growing .The agronomist often are still waiting to squeeze their first pimple and recommend $268 ha mix .Only sow at half the rates they suggest and sow with quality seeder,or get contractor .Any seed sown deeper than 1cm is a waste of time.
 
Lucerne wont produce much in the dead of winter so a mix is better phalaris fescue and cocksfoot best perennial grasses .There are times when they dont want to eat the lucerne so the  dry overburden from the perennial grasses is what they need .Give them a few choices and they will eat what they need .
 
Now thats better than a poke in the eye with a burnt stick
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marlin1 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote marlin1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Sep 2012 at 8:24pm

thanks for the replies,the millit was for  cattle feed pt

this block is on the river so big river gums and white box away from the river, iv got a number from an agronimist that did the pastures around the big studs here,iv been over them the last week,and the psatures were excellent condition,i havent got any thing writen down yet but ill get onto it monday and post it up,
i just finnished scarafying the blocks im going to sew,theres rain forecast next friday im mite sew half and leave the other half till autum  if the rain comes ,and hope for a few storms 
the lucerne farmers next door are flat out sewing atm,they give me confidence on the weather forecast,but they mite be seeing $$$ with the dry weather predicted  
thanks again
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Gay3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Nov 2019 at 12:18pm
Having spent 2 years strategically spraying out the 90% barley grass in the 8acs paddock, we sowed down to a perennial equine mix Aug 5.
I chose the lower rainfall mix so as to avoid any rye grass & be prepared for less than average rainfall.
$13.40/kg x 100kg @ 25kgs/Ha
We used Broadstrike & Buttress to combat newly emerged wireweed & other broadleaves, an insecticide for excessive red legged earthmites about 6wks later, followed by Urea a few hours before 4mls.

Composition makeup

Currie Cocksfoot 30%
Tower Tall Fescue 20%
Australis Phalaris 25%
L71 Lucerne 10%
Dalsa Sub Clover 10%
Cobra Balansa Clover 5%

http://pasturegenetics.com/sowsmart-blends/sowsmart-equine/



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote furious Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Nov 2019 at 2:40pm
Looks good enough for any happy horse to devour.
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